‘Atāllah’s funeral took place in his hometown of Asyut amid Coptic anger as ‘Atāllah was tortured to death by the Libyan authorities for being accused of proselytizing.
Pastor Bāqī Sidqī of the Evangelical community in Asyut headed the funeral prayers. Those in attendance were Father Būlus Bishāy, representing Coptic Orthodox Metropolitan of Asyut; Marqus Būlus, representing Bishop Kyrillos William of Coptic Catholic Asyut Eparchy; and Reverend Nājī Ibrāhīm, chairman of Synod of the Nile Evangelical Schools in Asyut.
The father of the victim, 70, said that his son left Egypt out of injustice and poverty, seeking a better life for his children. He added that his son never engaged in politics or proselytizing.
The mother said that her son is innocent and died unjustly. She added that her son was tortured and forced to confess on matters that he did not commit.
The Libyan authorities had arrested nearly 50 Copts in Benghazi with the charges of proselytizing (Tāriq ‘Abd al-Jalīl and Peter Majdī, al-Tahrīr, Mar. 14, p. 8). Read original text in Arabic.
