New study reveals 73% of Egyptians believe Al-Sisi is responsible for massacres

A study conducted by the Egyptian Centre for Media Studies and Public Opinion revealed that 79 per cent of Egyptians believe the massacres on Wednesday are crimes against humanity. 73 per cent hold General Al-Sisi, the Defence Minister, responsible for the massacres while 65 per cent believe the Al-Jazeera news channels are the most credible media source.

The study surveys Egyptian views of the massacres which took place during the operation to disperse Morsi supporters on Wednesday, August 14. The centre conducted the study on Thursday and Friday August 15 and 16 using a sample of 3678 people, utilising a stratified sampling method with 95 per cent confidence rate.

Researcher Moustafa Khodari has prepared and analysed the study which revealed that 79 per cent of Egyptian society describes Wednesday’s massacres as a crime against humanity. The sample is geographically distributed among Al Saied governorate and the cities of Al Qanat, Sinai, Alexandria, Matrouh, Beheira, Kafr El Sheikh, Giza and Qalyubia.

Meanwhile, 19 per cent of Egyptian society considered the incidents necessary to enforce state law and those are from governorates of Cairo, Menoufia, Al Sharqiya, Al Gharbiya, and Dakahlia in addition to some other governorates. The study revealed that two per cent of the sample prefer to keep silent and those are mostly affiliated with the Salafi Nour Party or its affiliations.

Khodari believes the study shows that individuals affiliated with Nour Party, who favour silence, decreased from six per cent to two per cent. The Party supported the removal of President Morsi.

Khodari adds that participants’ views, who believe the incidents are necessary to enforce law, vary due to media influence.

The study shows that 73 per cent of Egyptians hold General Al-Sisi, the Defence Minister, responsible for those massacres while 19 per cent hold the Muslim Brotherhood responsible and six per cent believe all political forces are responsible for the massacre, while two per cent were neutral.

Khodari adds that the study shows a four per cent positive increase in the sample which opposes the deposition from the centre’s previous study, as well as a four per cent increase in the number of Nour party members who were neutral in the previous study. The results show a decrease in the sample which supports the coup from 25 per cent to 19 per cent as the six per cent of the sample attacked other parties. The sample could possibly join the anti-isolation bloc, become neutral or form a third bloc.

The study surveyed the respondents’ opinion of the most credible media sources to follow Wednesday’s events.

The study reveals that six media sources were the most credible. Sixty-five per cent of Egyptians believe that Al-Jazeera were the most credible to follow Wednesday’s events due to their live broadcast whilst social media sites like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter came second. Foreign satellites both – Arabic-speaking and other languages – came third while the Egyptian television came fourth followed by the Egyptian satellite and finally the Arab satellite channels.

Khodari believes the study’s results reveal the impact of motion picture and live broadcast on media credibility to broadcast Wednesday’s massacres, which indicates the Egyptian society had lost its confidence in televised political analysis and printed or online press.

Please click here to see full statistics