MALLAWI, Egypt — The third Christian in 2015 has died under suspicious circumstances while serving in the Egyptian military, according to Egyptian human rights activists.
Bishoy Boushra, 21, reportedly committed suicide Nov. 21, something his father, Nataay Boushra, said was unthinkable given the fact that his son was just three months away from being discharged, deeply spiritual, well adjusted and happy.
The military claimed another Coptic Christian committed suicide in June. A third Christian, according to military officials, was killed in a shooting incident in August.
The families of Boushra and the other soldier that reportedly committed suicide are openly questioning the military’s claims and say both men were murdered. As for the shooting death in August, there is no publicly available record of any criminal charges being filed over the incident, and it has seemingly been lost, accidentally or otherwise, in Egypt’s legal system.
In order to avoid national embarrassment, the government, many Copts say, refuses to admit there is a problem of mistreatment of Christians in the military. The denial is an extension of a larger issue in Egypt: The government refuses to admit there is a problem of mistreatment of Copts in Egypt as a whole, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Discrimination and persecution of Christians in Egypt covers all elements of society, including the military, advocates say.
(MS)
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