ICC Note: An Egyptian soldier, the only Christian in his unit, was found dead in his office chair on June 24. The Army is calling it a suicide but evidence points toward homicide. Despite the fact that 24 year old Bahaa Gamal Mikhail Silvanus was a happy man with a promising future, he also died from two bullet wounds in his chest. Suicide victims don’t shoot themselves twice. Silvanus’ family is outraged and demanding a government investigation into his death.
07-01-2015 Egypt (World Watch Monitor): The facts are these: Bahaa Gamal Mikhail Silvanus, 23 and a conscript in the Egyptian Army, was found dead June 24 in a chair in the office of the military base where he was stationed. There were two bullet wounds in his chest, and a gun at his feet.
One more fact: Silvanus was a Christian, the only one in his unit stationed at Suez.
The Army says Silvanus killed himself. His family, friends and church pastors don’t believe it, for two reasons: First, they say, Bahaa Silvanus was a happy man with a strong faith, a college degree in music and plans to enter the monastic life.
Second: Someone who kills himself with a gun never shoots more than once.
The Army – and the Egyptian media – have said little publicly about the death of Silvanus. Meanwhile, hundreds of people attended his funeral June 25 in Silvanus’ hometown of Rezkit Deir Al-Muharraq, in the Assiut Governorate in Upper Egypt. The family is demanding a government investigation into his death.
“My son was killed by someone. He didn’t kill himself,” said his father, Gamal Silvanus.
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