"After all investigations completed and eyewitnesses were questioned, the case known in the media as 'virginity tests' was referred to the Supreme Military Court," Maj. General Mursī.
He said that there are military persons as well as civilians who await trial, adding the civilians were referred to the public prosecution. He dismissed some media reports that legal measures have not been taken against persons involved in mowing the protesters under military vehicles in Maspero incidents. ['Alī Shām, Al-Ahrām, Dec. 21, p. 3] Read the original text in Arabic
[Reviewer's Note: A report of the same content was published by al-Akhbār of December 21, 2011, p. 6] Read original text in Arabic
Meanwhile, the death toll in acts of violence in the surroundings of the cabinet and the People's Assembly rose to 14, including three unidentified persons.
Dr. Muhammad 'Abd al-Fattāh, the deputy assistant of the chief coroner, said that most of the deaths were caused by live bullets, with only one person killed after receiving a cartridge and another who died of bruises and fractures all over his body and head. [Al-Akhbār, December 21, 2011, p. 6] Read original text in Arabic
The Qasr al-Dūbārah Church near al-Tahrīr Square denied that it had closed its doors before the wounded in the clashes on al-Qasr al-'Aynī street.
"The clinic and the field hospital have never closed their gates since December 18," according to Eva Butrus, the coordinator of the Qasr al-Dūbārah field hospital.
Butrus discredited statements by physician Hassan Nassār that the church expelled physicians and prevented them from setting up a field clinic on the sidewalk off the church gate. [Haytham al-Sharqāwī, Al-Misrī al-Yawm, Dec. 21, p. 4] Read the original text in Arabic
Meanwhile, Archbishop Shenouda of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate in Tamā, denied reports that Copts received instructions to vote for certain candidates in the elections, adding Copts are going to vote for Lahzī Najdī, the candidate of the Salafī al-Nūr (Light), and Mus'ad al-Imām, the candidate of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood group. [Author not mentioned, Al-Akhbār, Dec. 21, p. 10] Read original text in Arabic
The last hours before the runoffs started in the five constituencies of the Upper Egyptian governorate of Sohag saw sectarian propaganda by the candidates of Islamist groups against other contenders.
Many supporters of the FJP and al-Nūr were spotted handing out pictures and stickers of Ahmad Wā'il al-Mushnib and 'Isām al-Shuwaykh with an image of the Virgin Mary in the back to give an impression that both of them belong to the church. [Muhammad 'Abdu, Al-Shurūq al-Jadīd, Dec. 21, p. 7] Read original text in Arabic
On the other hand, Archpriest Philopater Jamīl of the Virgin Mary Church in Faysal district in Giza governorate, said that the protesters are not thugs, calling for "retribution" for the blood of all "martyrs" killed in the different incidents that followed the January 25 revolution.
He held the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), in its capacity as the body that runs the country's affairs since February 11, responsible for the killing of demonstrators, denouncing in a visit to al-Tahrīr Square on Dec. 19 terming the protesters as "thugs". ['Abd al-Wahāb Sha'bān, Al-Wafd, Dec. 21, p. 6] Read original text in Arabic
Meanwhile, Coptic Orthodox Pope Shenouda III received Princess Bāsimah Al-Sa'ūd at Saint Mark Cathedral on Dec. 19 within the framework of cooperation between Islamic nations and the Coptic Orthodox Church to co-establish an international organization to combat poverty, empower women and care for the children.
The pope did not give an opinion about whether the church would participate in this organization or not but he welcomed the visit that "only seeks the good of the Arab peoples." ['Imān Ibrāhīm, Al-Jumhūrīyah, Dec. 21, p. 8] Read oiginal text in Arabic
