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Egyptian court clears 92 after religious clashes |
AN Egyptian court yesterday acquitted 92 of 96 defendants on charges related to the country's worst Muslim-Christian violence in decades.
The sectarian clashes in Kosheh, 250 miles south of Cairo, began as a quarrel between a Muslim and a Christian shopkeeper on December 31, 1999. They escalated into broad Muslim-Christian clashes in which 19 Coptic Christians and two Muslims were killed and 33 people wounded.
The court in Sohag sentenced one man to 10 years hard labour and two years in jail for manslaughter and illegal possession of arms. One man received two years in prison for manslaughter and two others were jailed for one year for vandalism. All four were Muslims.
Of the 92 defendants who were acquitted, 38 were Coptic Christians and 54 were Muslims.
CAIRO, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Pope Shenouda, the spiritual leader of Egypt's
Coptic Christians, on Tuesday rejected an Egyptian court ruling which
absolved most defendants of charges related to the country's worst
Muslim-Christian violence in decades.
An Egyptian court on Monday absolved 92 of 96 defendants of charges linked to
the clashes in Kosheh, about 400 km (250 miles) south of Cairo, in December 1999.
The other four received jail sentences ranging between one and two years. One
of them also received 10 years of hard labour. All four were Muslims.
"We will take this case to the Court of Cassation because we want to
challenge this ruling...We don't accept it," Pope Shenouda told reporters in Cairo.
Of the 92 defendants who were found innocent, 38 were Coptic Christians and
54 were Muslims, security sources said.
A quarrel between a Muslim and a Christian shopkeeper on December 31, 1999
sparked violence which escalated over the next few days into broad
Muslim-Christian clashes in which 19 Copts and two Muslims were killed and 33
people were wounded.
15:50 02-06-01
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