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Egypt High Administrative Court decision is a major set back to Freedom of Religion.
On the 4th of March 2008, Judge Mohammed El-Hossainy contested and referred the Article 47 Civil and Personal Status law to the Egyptian High Constitutional Court to valedate it’s constitutionality following the High Administrative Court judgment by Judge El-Sayed Nofel, using the Article 47 Civil and Personal Status law, "which gives freedom to convert to one of the heavenly religions” declared that the twelve could have their ID changed as Christians on the 9th Feb 2008.
Egypt: Christian convert facing maltreatment in prison
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has received confirmed reports that Bishoy Armia Boulous, an Egyptian convert to Christianity who is currently serving a prison sentence, is being mistreated in prison.
Bishoy Armia Boulous, formerly known as Mohammed Hegazy, is being held in Tora Prison, Cairo. His lawyer has informed CSW that Mr Boulous is being held in solitary confinement in a cell designated for those awaiting capital punishment. Prison staff are abusing him verbally on account of his religion and are also abusing him physically; including breaking his glasses and making him walk barefoot to hearings in Minya Misdemeanour Court. There are unconfirmed reports that Mr Boulous has begun a hunger strike in protest at his detention and maltreatment.
EGYPT: CHRISTIAN HOMES AND BUSINESSES DESTROYED IN SECTARIAN VIOLENCE
Christian homes and business were looted in violence that broke out following the death of a Muslim man in the Egyptian village of Dahshur on 1 August 2012. An estimated 120 Christian families had reportedly fled the village the previous day in anticipation of revenge attacks.
In a statement, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has promised to punish culprits of the Dahshur violence to the “full extent of the law”. The President’s spokesperson stated that President Morsi “would not allow anyone to attack public or private property or terrorise any Egyptian citizen.”
The incident began on the 27 July when a Coptic launderer, Sameh Samy, burnt the shirt of a Muslim client, Ahmad Ramadan. It is claimed that despite both men agreeing to settle the grievance that evening, Mr Ramadan returned in the afternoon with a 3,000-strong armed mob, which surrounded Mr Samy's house and business. As fighting raged, Mr Samy eventually hurled a Molotov cocktail from the roof of his house, which hit a Muslim passer-by named Moaz, who was taken to hospital with third degree burns from which he later died.
According to the Assyrian International News Agency (AINA), 120 Christian families fled the village, with only one family remaining, following threats by clerics and the victim’s family to exact revenge. Police later arrested and detained Mr Samy, his father and brother and charged them with murder and possession of explosives. Despite five arrest warrants being issued for five Muslims involved in the attack, they remain at large.
Following the violence and destruction, Coptic Christians from the Maspero Coptic Youth Federation and the Coalition of Egypt’s Copts staged demonstrations outside the presidential palace. The Coptic Orthodox Church issued a statement criticising authorities “for not dealing firmly with the events, demanding the speedy arrest of perpetrators, the provision of security to the village Copts, their return to their homes, and monetary compensation for all those affected.”
Andrew Johnston, Advocacy Director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), said, “CSW is very concerned at the latest incident of sectarian violence in Egypt, and the seeming continuation of the culture of “collective punishment”, whereby an entire Coptic community is punished for the actions of one individual. It is worrying that Christians are increasingly being displaced and forced from their homes for fear of imminent attack. While CSW commends the statement by President Morsi, we call upon him to honour his promise to pursue true justice for victims of violence. In order to end impunity, victims must be adequately compensated for the damage to or loss of their properties, and their safe return to their homes in Dahshur must be ensured.”
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a Christian organisation working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.
EGYPT: COPTS ARRESTED FOLLOWING ATTACK ON ST MARK’S CATHEDRAL
Egyptian authorities have arrested four Coptic men who were present in St Mark’s Cathedral when it was attacked last weekend.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) was informed Shadi Sami was arrested at 4 am, while Michael Morcos was arrested at 6 am by Special Forces who stormed the back entrance of his apartment. It appears the men were detained for being in the grounds of St Mark’s Cathedral when it was attacked last Sunday.
Two other Coptic men were also arrested in the early hours of today, according to the Coptic Maspero Youth Union.
The men were amongst hundreds of people who attended Sunday’s funeral at St Mark’s Cathedral for four Coptic men who were killed in sectarian violence last Friday in Khosous, a town 10 miles from Cairo.
As mourners left the funeral, they were pelted with stones, petrol bombs, and Molotov cocktails, forcing them to seek shelter in the grounds of the Cathedral. As stones and other missiles continued to be hurled from the roofs of surrounding buildings and by people who had climbed the walls of the Cathedral, young Coptic men took up sticks and rocks to retaliate.
Two Coptic men were killed during the violence, and 84 were injured, including Michael Morcos, who required sixteen stitches to the head after being hit by a glass bottle. When police eventually arrived at the scene, they fired teargas into the grounds of the Cathedral and didnothing to end the attack, which continued for at least five hours.
Andrew Johnston, Advocacy Director at CSW, said: “These arrests come at a time when the Coptic community in Egypt is still coming to terms with an unprecedented attack on the headquarters of the Coptic Orthodox Church and the violence in Khosous.
Two Copts were killed during the attack on the Cathedral; four more died in Khosous, yet not one of their attackers has been arrested. Such discrepancies in the discharge of justice contribute to impunity, and can only foster more sectarianism.
They also sends a clear message that Christians are not viewed as equal citizens, despite the government’s verbal protestations to the contrary, and the fact that Egypt is party to international covenants that prohibit discrimination.
Being in the Cathedral identifies these men as victims, not perpetrators. CSW therefore urges their immediate release, and calls on the Egyptian authorities to focus instead on apprehending assailants caught on camera as they attacked the Cathedral with stones and guns.”
For further information or to arrange interviews please contact Kiri Kankhwende, Press Officer at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44 (0)20 8329 0045 / +44 (0) 78 2332 9663,
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a Christian organisation working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.
EGYPT: ELDERLY WOMAN ASSAULTED, HOMES DESTROYED IN SECTARIAN VIOLENCE
Seven Coptic families lost their homes and an elderly woman was stripped and beaten during an outbreak of sectarian violence in Upper Egypt on 20 May, according to Church sources.
Violence erupted in Al-Karm Village, El-Minya Province, following rumours of an alleged relationship between a local Christian man and a Muslim woman. The man fled the village after facing significant harassment and his family lodged a complaint at Abu Kourkas Police Station on 19 May after receiving threats indicating they would be attacked the next day.
Uphold Promises Made in Election to Human Rights Council
(Cairo, May 26, 2007) – Following Egypt’s election last week to the UN Human Rights Council, the government should immediately fulfill the pledges it made in campaigning for the seat, Human Rights Watch and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) said in a briefing paper released today.
Egypt: Muslims assault Christians, Muslims acquitted, Christians sentenced to life in prison
On the 21 May 2012 Minya Criminal Court sentenced 12 Christians to life in prison in a case set off by religious tensions in the country’s south. Head Judge Abdel Fattah Ahmed al-Sughayar acquitted eight other Muslim defendants. The Christians were found guilty of sowing public strife, the possession of illegal weapons and shooting dead two Muslims in April of last year in Abu-Qurkas Minya province, about 220 kilometers (135 miles) south of Cairo..
The religious tension in Minya spilled over into violence last year when a Muslim microbus driver, angered by a speed bump outside a wealthy Christian man’s villa, got into a scuffle with security guards who beat him. After returning to his village of Abu Qurqas that evening, he rounded up the villagers who then gathered outside an ultraconservative Islamist group’s main office "Ansar El-Sharia" to protest his beating, the Christians nearby seeing the 3000-4000 Salafis armed with knives, machetes and sticks thought they were going to be attacked and shot from their rooftops down at the crowd, killing two and wounding two others.
For several days after, angry villagers torched dozens of Christian homes and stores. The eight Muslims on trial in the same case had been charged with possession of illegal weapons and burning down the Christian-owned homes and stores after the shooting, later in court were exonerated.
lawyer Alaa Reda Rushdi was who is one of the twelve sentenced was not present at the time of the incident as he coming back from attending court hearing in Cairo to one of his cases he was as well sentenced to life imprisonment.
This court case is stark example to the persecution of Christians in Egypt by the last resort for justice, the Egyptian courts.
The innocent lives who are going to suffer life imprisonment for no reason other than being Christians condemned by an Islamist judge, and the exoneration of the mob who burned and razed the Christian homes and businesses is going to be shame and disgrace to the discredited Egyptian justice who urgently need to be cleansed and purged from Islamists contamination and infiltration.
Christians in Egypt are in urgent need for justice and urgent need to feel secure in the land of their ancestors.
We ask the Egyptian Supreme Military Council, the Egyptian government to retry this sham case.
We ask every Human Rights organisation, government and anyone who believe in justice to pressurize the Egyptian government to retry this case.
EGYPT: NO JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS ON ANNIVERSARY OF MASPERO MASSACRE
Peaceful protests are scheduled to take place today to commemorate what has been termed “Egypt’s Bloody Sunday”, when unarmed demonstrators peacefully protesting the destruction of a Coptic church in Mari Nab, Aswan district, were surrounded and attacked by members of the security services outside the state television centre in Cairo’s Maspero suburb, resulting in 27 deaths and hundreds of injuries.
Victims’ families are still awaiting real justice one year on from the attack on peaceful Christian and Muslim protestors. The majority of victims suffered gunshot injuries, while others were severely beaten. Video footage depicts soldiers driving armoured vehicles at the crowd, mowing down a number of people, several of whom were crushed to death. During the violence, state media was widely criticized for playing an inflammatory role by calling on “honourable citizens” to “defend” the army from allegedly “armed” Coptic attackers.
Egypt: No to Constitution Establishing Political and Theocratic Tyranny -
Egyptian Rights Groups Reject Draft Constitution
press release
The undersigned human rights organizations express their rejection of the
content and philosophy of the draft constitution proposed by the Constituent
Assembly and scheduled to be voted on in a referendum within the coming month.
The undersigned organizations emphasize that this draft constitution does not
represent the cultural, religious, ethnic, and political diversity of Egyptian
society. Furthermore, this draft constitution fails to uphold the objectives of
the January 25th Revolution and undermines the values of citizenship, equality,
freedom, and human rights.
The Constituent Assembly has turned its back on the January 25th Revolution
and made light of the sacrifices made by thousands of Egyptians to achieve
freedom, social justice, and democratization. In its draft of the constitution,
the Assembly supports the cornerstones of political tyranny by adopting a system
which enshrines massive powers for the presidency, as was the case prior to
January 25, 2011. It also leaves the door wide open to the creation of a
religious state, which poses severe challenges to rights and freedoms.
EGYPT: SIX DIE IN CLASHES FOLLOWING SIT-IN PROTEST AT PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
Six people have been killed and 600 injured in violent clashes following an opposition sit-in outside the presidential palace in Cairo in protest at the controversial draft constitution and a recent decree that granted President Morsi sweeping powers. Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is calling on the UK government to raise concerns about both the decree and draft constitution with the Egyptian government as a matter of urgency.
Egypt: USCIRF Concerned about Acquittals in Sectarian Killings Case
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 22, 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is concerned with the acquittals of two of the three men charged with killing six Coptic Orthodox Christians and one Muslim security guard in the town of Naga Hammadi, Egypt, in January 2010.
“It took over a year, and the Egyptian state security court committed serious breaches of due process and fairness in the case of the killings of six Christians and one Muslim in Naga Hammadi,” said Leonard Leo, USCIRF chair. “A new Egyptian government must, in the regular criminal courts, prosecute perpetrators for sectarian killings in the country, and the government should complete a thorough investigation and vigorously prosecute and bring to justice those responsible for the New Year’s Eve bombing in Alexandria that took the lives of at least 23 and injured nearly 100. Incomplete justice does very little to address the perpetual cycle of violence targeting religious minorities that has remained unchecked by the government in Egypt.”
WASHINGTON D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today expressed concern about the Egyptian government’s continued application of blasphemy-like charges that are used to stifle dissent and limit the freedoms of religion and expression.
Bassem Youssef, a well-known Egyptian comedian and satirist, was questioned on Monday April 1, 2013 by Egypt’s Public Prosecution office after being charged with “insulting Islam” on his popular television program. He also was charged with insulting the president and spreading false information aimed at threatening public order. On Wednesday, April 3, Egyptian comedian Ali Qandil was questioned after being charged with “insulting Islam,” based on a February appearance on Mr. Youssef’s program. Both Youssef and Qandil posted bail and were released. These are just two of the most recent examples of a disturbing trend that affects all Egyptians.
Washington D.C.-The acquittal of four Muslim men for the murder of a Coptic Christian man in the Upper Egypt town of Dairout is the latest example in a growing pattern of instances where individuals have not been brought to justice after committing violent acts against Christians and their property, said the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
EGYPT: TWELVE CHRISTIANS SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT IN “SERIOUS MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE”
Twelve Christians were sentenced to life imprisonment in Egypt on 21 May 2012 in connection with an outbreak of sectarian violence in April 2011 that left three people dead. Eight Muslims jointly charged in the case were acquitted.
Sources close to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) described the decision by Judge Abdel Fattah Ahmend al-Sughayar of Minya Criminal Court as a “serious miscarriage of justice”.
The conflict in April 2011 reportedly began after a Muslim bus driver became angry over a speed bump outside the home of a wealthy Coptic attorney and instigated a crowd, brandishing weapons, to assist him in removing it. Fearing an imminent attack, the guard at the house began to shoot, killing two Muslims and injuring two others. Following the funerals of the two dead, a mob of local Muslims, accompanied by Salafis, burnt down scores of Christian homes and businesses. During the violence an elderly Coptic woman died after being thrown from a balcony, while a Coptic man was critically injured. According to members of the local Coptic community, when security forces arrived at the scene they did not intervene to stem the violence.
Egyptian government must take immediate action to stop incitement to violence against Shi’a
24 June 2013
At least four Shi’a Muslims were killed by a mob in the village of Zawyat Abu Muslam in Giza governorate close to Cairo, on Sunday, including the well-known community figure Hassan Shehata.
“It is absolutely essential for the police to take immediate action to arrest those responsible for the killings. As the killings were carried out in front of a crowd, there were many witnesses”, stated Chris Chapman, Head of Conflict Prevention at Minority Rights Group International (MRG).
According to Egyptian media sources, Salafist Imams have been inciting hatred against Shi’a in the village for the last three weeks.
“There are Egyptian media channels which have been celebrating the killings of Shi’a in Giza governorate. The government must take immediate steps to stop hate speech in the media”, Hafez Abu Seada, Director of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights, told MRG today.
Statement of European Union of Coptic Organisations
For Human Rights
Regarding
The Barbaric attacks on the Church of Virgin St. Mary and a Anba Ibraam, Ain Shams, Cairo The European Union of Coptic Organisations for Human Rights (EUCHOR) condemns in the strongest terms the barbaric attacks on the Church of Virgin Mary and Anba Abraam, Ain Shams, Cairo.
تعد المشاركة غير المسبوقة للشعب المصرى الأصيل والتي أبهرت العالم، في أول انتخابات حقيقة بعد ثورة 25 يناير 2011، والتى حفلت بالعديدمنالتجاوزات المؤسفة التي تتناقض مع الممارسات الديمقراطية فى الدول المتحضرة، والتي ألقت بدورها بظلال قاتمة من الشكوك علي العملية الأنتخابية برمتها وهي :
أولا : استغلال الدين فى السياسة وهو ماتعهد المجلس العسكرى الحاكم ووفقا للأعلان الدستوري وقوانين الاحزاب المعلنة انه لايسمح بأستغلال الشعارات الدينية فى الأنتخابات مثل الورقة الدوارة ومن يحب الأسلام ينتخب حزب ال....... والدعاية العلنية داخل وخارج اللجان دون محاسبة وأستخدام سلاح المنقبات وعدم كشف الشخصية وعدم خلع قفازات اليد مما اعطي الفرصة لكثير من المغالطات .
نحن إتحاد المنظمات القبطية بأوروبا نشجب بشدة كل محاولات الضغط الأمريكي والقطري غير المشروع على السلطة الإنتقالية المصرية وكل محاولة تحايل على الإرادة العامة للشعب المصري بتسليم السلطة إلى مرشح تشوب نتيجته شوائب عدم المشروعية والغش والتدليس والطعون ضده مقدمه حالياً أمام القضاة المختصين.
كما أننا نرفض الإجتماعات التي تتم على الأراضي الأمريكية بين وفد الموساد الإسرائيلي والأخوان بمباركة أمريكية قطرية... عبر دهاليز تفتقر للشفافية والإعلام ونُحَمِّل أمريكا المسؤولية الدولية الكاملة عن كل محاولة سياسية لتسليم السلطة قبل إعلان النتيجة الرسمية للإنتخابات بواسطة اللجنة القضائية المختصة صاحبة الإختصاص الدستوري الوحيد وفقاً للإعلان الدستوري الساري خلال الفترة الإنتقالية.
Alistair Burt condemns violence outside Coptic Cathedral in Cairo, and calls on all parties in Egypt to respect freedom of religion.
Reacting to violent clashes that broke out at St Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo following a funeral there, Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt said:
I strongly condemn the violent clashes that occurred outside Cairo’s St Mark’s Coptic Cathedral on 7 April, leaving at least one person dead and many others injured. I offer my condolences to the families of the victims, and urge all to show restraint. Freedom of religion and belief is a vital component of a democratic society, and it is important that individuals are able to visit their places of worship safely and peacefully, and that security forces act effectively to protect them. We welcome the news that there will be an investigation into the incident.
قامت منظمة فرنكو ايجبسيان لحقوق الانسان - اوفيد - بفرنسا باستقبال السيد محمد ابو حامد النائب بمجلس الشعب المنحل ورئيسحزب حياة المصريين لثلاثة ايام بين الاربعاء والجمعة ١٤ الى ١٦ نوفمبر ٢٠١٢ حيث عقد رئيس المنظمة السيد جون ماهر لقاءا موسعا بباريس مع ابو حامد لبحث وضع انتهاكات حقوق الانسان وتحديات التحول الديمقراطي في مصر بعد ثورة ٢٥ يناير وقد قامت المنظمة ايضا بتنسيق عدة لقاءات للنائب ابو حامد مع عدد من الشخصيات الفرنسية والاوروبية التي تمت في مجلس الشوري بباريس ومنهم النائبة رئيسة لجنة الصداقة الفرنسية المصرية والنائب المسؤول عن العلاقات الخارجية والنائب المسؤول عن تنمية السياحة وادريان جوتيرون نائب رئيس مجلس الشورى السابق اما في المفوضية الاوروبية ببروكسل فقد نظمت المقابلات مع هيئة العمل الخارجي الأوروبي المتخصصة في أدوات حقوق الإنسان ومع فريق التوعية بمكتب مستشار السياسة الأوروبية وتناولت هذه الاجتماعات تحليل الوضع في مصر والتحديات التي تواجه القوي المدنية والليبرالية لفرض احترام المواطنة والحريات وحقوق الاقليات والمرآة والطفل وايضا مشكلة صياغة الدستور وقضايا التحول الديمقراطي وقد تم مناقشة الطرق والوسائلالتي يمكن من خلالها ان تساعد فرنسا والاتحاد الأوروبي الشعب المصري في تحقيق التحول الديمقراطي المنشود بعد الثورة
