(AFP File Photo)
Families of those who died in the Port Said Massacre of February 2012 headed to the Civil Education Centre in Gezira on Tuesday to receive compensation checks worth up to EGP 100,000.
Minister of Youth, Osama Yassin, met with the families of the dead in the football riots that took place after a match between Al-Ahly and Al-Masry Clubs in the Port Said stadium.
Yassin, who is also the head of the National Youth Finance Fund, promised the families a compensation package of EGP 100,000 each. The cheques were scheduled to be issued next week, but after pressure from the families the minister ordered payments to begin on Tuesday.
Yassin’s meeting came after President Morsi’s decision to treat Port Said massacre victims as victims of the 25 January Revolution.
“Egypt owes you an apology for losing your children,” Yassin told the families. “The martyr’s right is for his family to be taken care of and offered support.”
He added that the money was the least the government could offer to the families of the dead in a society going through a transitional period, where the state failed to protect its citizens.
