Outrage Over Qalyubia Grave Digging Incident
A disturbing video showing two men digging up graves in Qalyubia Governorate has sparked outrage across social media in Egypt. The footage, recorded by students at Ibn Sina Language School, quickly went viral, raising fears of grave robbery—a phenomenon that has been addressed in various artistic works in the country. The cemetery, located in Khanka, is one of the largest in the area and includes sections for charity graves, which are provided for free to the poor and unidentified bodies.
Concerns About Grave Robbing and Legal Implications
Experts have pointed to several motives behind grave robbing, including practices related to magic, the illegal sale of human organs, and the sale of corpses for medical purposes. Egyptian law imposes strict penalties for violations of grave sanctity, with fines and imprisonment of up to five years under Article 160 of the Penal Code. Activists have called for accountability, expressing their disgust at the treatment of the deceased, while others have attempted to downplay the incident as a routine cleaning procedure.
Official Response and Clarification
In a swift response to the public outcry, the Egyptian Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of the two individuals involved, clarifying that they were a cemetery worker and his son. According to the ministry, the pair were engaged in a routine cleaning task, moving bones to a designated area to prepare for new burials. The ministry emphasized that there was no intention of theft, aiming to quell the fears that had spread through social media.
