Activists and friends seek answers over Ramy Fakhry’s death

Ahram Online, Tuesday 21 Jun 2011

Activists and friends of Ramy Fakhry renew their demand for an investigation into the engineer’s death after a long silence from authorities in Egypt

Ramy Fakhry
Why was Ramy Fakhry killed? (Photo: Mohamed El Hebeishy)

A host of activists and friends of Ramy Fakhry – the 27-year-old Coptic electrical engineer who was allegedly killed by the army over a month ago – will, on Saturday, call on Prosecutor-General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud to open a thorough investigation into his death.
 
It was said that Fakhry happened upon a shootout between military forces and drug traffickers while driving on 14 May. As he tried to make an escape from the scene, he was mistaken for an assailant and was shot.

Another version of the story says he left the rig where he worked near Damietta on Friday 13 May to attend a wedding. On his way back later that night at 1am – before the curfew imposed at the time – Fakhry was shot dead at an army checkpoint.

Fakhry was taken to Salaheyya General Hospital and the coroner’s report indicates he was shot three times from behind: in his neck, chest and back.
 
On 16 May, around 200 mourners gathered in Heliopolis, Cairo in the early evening to commemorate Fakhry’s death. The mourners, dressed in black with candles in hand, shouted no slogans, but rather maintained a silent vigil while holding placards asking “Why was Ramy killed?”

Another vigil is set to be staged before the prosecutor-general’s office to demand an investigation.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces vowed in its 53rd statement – on its Facebook page – to investigate the Fakhry's unexplained death.

The statement was released right after his killing and has not been followed with any updates concerning the investigation, prompting the call for action.

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