CAIRO: Almost 300 protesters are in front of The Coptic Hospital in downtown Cairo, waiting for the hospital to release accurate death certificates for those killed last night when the military opened fire on a Coptic Christian protest. The hospital is not releasing accurate information about the cause of death for those who died last night. It has claimed that people who were rolled over by tanks, for instance, had died of asphyxiation. Most of the bodies are in the hospital at the moment, as Egyptians gather around to protest the false death certificates. A Bikyamasr correspondent from the scene reported that the bodies are on the floor in the room of a hospital without air conditioning. A group of citizens put blocks of ice on the bodies to prevent them from decomposing. A few bodies of the deceased have already arrived at the Abbasseya Cathedral, where many have gathered already for a funeral mass today. Pope Shenouda, the leader of the Coptic church, made a statement earlier today imploring people to wait for accurate death certificates before burying their loved ones. Pope Shenouda is set to preside over the burial mass. Many gathering in front of the hospital have demanded that the bodies should not be buried without proper documentation, but others reportedly have little faith that their loved ones will receive accurate certificates, and want to move ahead with the burial ceremonies to honor those who died. The hospital will not release any information. Some have suggested that the bodies should be moved to another hospital for accurate autopsies, however this has not yet materialized amid fears that moving the bodies will set back the process further. The violent clashes Sunday evening have killed at least 24 people, and wounded over 200. The clashes broke out after the country's military, security forces and citizens fired upon a protest set to advocate for Coptic rights and protection in front of Egypt's Maspero state TV building on Sunday. BM ***Joseph Mayton and Manar Ammar contributed to this report.
