UN calls for a full investigation into Rabaa massacre

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon is calling for a full investigation into the Rabaa massacre that left hundreds dead in 2013.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

14 August, 2016

August 14 marks the third anniversary of the Sisi regime's massacre against anti-coup sit-in [Anadolu]

On the eve of the Rabaa massacre's third anniversary, deputy spokesman for the UN secretary general called for an investigation into the bloody crackdown.

Farhan Haq said that the UN chief "believes it is very important to conduct a full investigation on the killing of hundreds of civilians, and to respect the right to peaceful protest and freedom of assembly during demonstrations planned by opponents of the current regime organised on the third anniversary of the sit-in. "

The deadly event - named globally as the Rabaa massacre - left at least 800 pro-democracy protesters dead after security forced opened fire to disperse the large crowds taking part in a sit-in.

Egyptian security forces begun forcibly dismantling demonstrations at Rabaa al-Adaweya and al-Nahda in Giza, where thousands of supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi had been holding sit-in protests following the 3 July military coup.

Hundreds, more than a thousand by some counts, were killed that day in what human rights organisations have since declared massacres.

Hundreds of Egyptians have disappeared since the army deposed Morsi more than a year ago.

Reports issued by human rights organisations including Amnesty International, Human Rights Monitor, al-Nadeem and al-Karama have put the numbers of missing persons – not dead or injured, just “disappeared” - at anywhere between 200 and 500.

Since the deadly event, Cairo's ongoing crackdown has seen hundreds of anti-regime activists detained and many more missing.