Protest over Christian persecution in Egypt held outside the House of Lords in London
By Alexandra Geels
Special to ASSIST News Service
LONDON, UK (ANS) -- Enraged demonstrators condemned the persecution of the Coptic Christians of Egypt outside the House of Lords, the upper chamber of the UK parliament, during a protest demonstration organized by Coptic United (www.unitedcopts.org) on Saturday, April 20, 2013.
Protesters outside the House of Lords condemn Christian Persecution in Egypt
Coptic clerics, human rights activists, as well as leaders of like-minded organizations including Global Minorities Alliance (GMA), a Glasgow-based human rights organization’s with its Chief Executive, Sheraz Khan, and others, participated in the protest.
Egypt’s opposition calls protests, charges Islamists attempting to take over judiciary
By Associated Press,
CAIRO — Egypt’s main opposition group and judges vowed Monday to step up their fight against plans by the Islamist-dominated legislature to debate a bill critics say aims to impose Muslim Brotherhood control over the courts.
The judiciary has become the latest battleground between supporters and opponents of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. The bill, expected to reduce retirement age for judges, has already sparked violence between opponents and supporters.
On Monday, Morsi met with members of the top judicial body, the Supreme Judicial Council, in an attempt to contain the situation. Morsi said in a statement he “doesn’t accept any encroaching on the judiciary or judges” and urged judges to stay clear of media debates and political interference over the issue to reaffirm respect of the judiciary in people’s mind.
Copt groups in UK protest to stop 'human rights violations' in Egypt
Coptic organisations in the UK stage a demonstration in London on Saturday against "barbaric" human rights violations in Egypt
Amer Sultan in London , Saturday 20 Apr 2013
Demonstrating before the House of Lords, the upper chamber of the UK parliament, Christian protesters called on the UK and other world powers to put pressure on the Egyptian government to stop “the persecution of liberal and religious minorities” in Egypt.
The organisers of the demo included Coptic organisations such as United Copts, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, and United Action for Egyptian Christians.
The organisers said they are protesting against all violations of human rights in Egypt.
“We invited all Egyptians and freedom loving people in UK to express grave concern over the kind of human rights [regime] in Egypt,” Ibrahim Habib, from United Copts, told Ahram Online.
Coptic Pope, Morsi in War of Words Over Attacks on Christians
By Mary Abdelmassih
(AINA) -- Yesterday saw a sharp exchange of words between the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Egyptian Presidency over the attacks on Copts in Al-Khosous city in Qaliubia on April 4 and 5 (AINA 4-6-2013) and the attack on mourners at St Mark Cathedral as they left the funeral service for Al-Khosous victims on Sunday 7th April (AINA 4-7-2013). One Copt was killed by gunfire in the attack and 89 were injured. One Muslim died after falling from a ladder, which he had climbed to destroy the Cathedral's security camera.
The attack on St. Mark Cathedral was not prevented by security forces, who stood by and watched.
Pope Tawadros II, who was not present during the funeral service on Sunday, announced today that he is retiring in the monastery of St.Pishoy in Wadi Natroun and has cancelled all previous apointments until further notice.
Egyptian police hold Dutch reporter overnight after citizen arrest, then release her
CAIRO — A Dutch journalist working in Egypt said she was released Tuesday from nearly 12 hours in police custody after an Egyptian vigilante arrested her and turned her over to authorities, accusing her of spreading European culture and endangering the country.
Rena Netjes, a freelance reporter for a number of Dutch media who covers Egypt and Libya, told The Associated Press that the citizen who arrested her on Monday took her passport and handed her over to police in a Cairo suburb. At the time, she was asking young people in the area if she could interview them.
Prosecutors released her on Tuesday after police held her overnight. A Dutch Embassy spokesman said Egypt’s top prosecutor ordered Netjes’ release and asked her to renew her expired Egyptian press credentials. The spokesman requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.
Egypt: Clashes outside Copt cathedral leave 1 dead
AYA BATRAWY, Associated Press, By AYA BATRAWY and SARAH EL DEEB, Associated Press
Several burned cars belonging to Egyptian Christians remain in the street after clashes between Muslims and Christians in Qalubiya, just outside Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, April 6, 2013. Several Egyptians including 4 Christians and a Muslim were killed in sectarian clashes before dawn on Saturday, security officials said. A picture of the late Coptic Pope Shenouda is seen at end of street. EGYPT OUT Photo: Mohammed Nouhan, El Shorouk Newspaper
Several burned cars belonging to Egyptian Christians remain in the...
CAIRO (AP) — Christians angered by the killing of four Christians in weekend sectarian violence clashed Sunday with a mob throwing rocks and firebombs, killing one and turning Cairo's main Coptic cathedral into a battleground.
The clashes raised tempers in an already tense political atmosphere, as workers shut down the country's trains in a strike over wages and a dispute over the nation's chief prosecutor entered a new phase — all signs of two years of unending turmoil.
Reacting to Sunday's violence, the Muslim Brotherhood's political party blamed "dubious" attempts by unnamed parties to broaden instability in Egypt by igniting sectarian violence and spreading chaos.
On the afternoon of Sunday, April 7, Egyptian police surrounded and protected Saint Mark’s Coptic Cathedral of Cairo, the headquarters of the Coptic Pope, after four hours of attacks on the church by Muslims throwing Molotov cocktails, rocks, and firearms, and where Christians gathered to mourn their dead.
A liturgy was being held for eight murdered Christians resulting from a bloodthirsty rampage by Muslim vigilantes three days earlier on Friday afternoon. Muslims took revenge upon an entire Christian neighborhood in reaction to an incident a few hours earlier where a Christian male defended the life of a Christian girl under assault by a Muslim.
Egypt steps up campaign against TV satirist, threatens to close station airing his program
CAIRO — Egyptian authorities on Tuesday stepped up a campaign against a popular TV comedian accused of insulting the president, threatening to revoke the license of a private TV station that airs his weekly program and angrily dismissing U.S. criticism of legal proceedings against him.
The satirist, Bassem Youssef, was questioned by state prosecutors earlier this week over accusations that he insulted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi and Islam. On his Jon Stewart-inspired show, Youssef frequently satirizes everything from the president’s policies to his mannerisms, as well as hardline Islamic clerics, while highlighting contradictions in their comments.
A Brief History of Radical Islamists in the U.S. Armed Forces
Eric Harroun was charged Thursday for fighting alongside Jabhat al-Nusra, but he's far from the first veteran to turn to terrorism. Nor is he likely to be the last.
A fighter from the Syria-based Islamist rebel group Jabhat al-Nusra runs as their base is shelled in Raqqa province, eastern Syria, on March 14, 2013. (Reuters)
Over the last decade, U.S. Armed Forces have spent much of their time fighting against militants in distant lands. But something else has gone largely unnoticed during this time. Rather than trying to kill terrorists, some American soldiers have joined them.
U.S. accuses Egypt of stifling freedom of expression over questioning of popular satirist
U.S. State Department lambasts Egyptian authorities for targeting comedian Bassem Youssef over allegations he insulted President Mohammed Morsi and Islam.
Popular Egyptian television satirist Bassem Youssef waves to is supporters as he enters Egypt's state prosecutors office in Cairo, Egypt, March 31, 2013. Photo by AP
The United States on Monday accused Egypt of muzzling freedom of speech after prosecutors questioned the most popular Egyptian television satirist over allegations he insulted President Mohammed Morsi and Islam.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland also suggested the Egyptian authorities were selectively prosecuting those accused of insulting the government while ignoring or playing down attacks on anti-government demonstrators.
Bassem Youssef, who rose to fame with a satirical online show after the uprising that swept autocrat Hosni Mubarak from power in 2011, turned himself in on Sunday after the prosecutor general issued an arrest warrant for the comedian on Saturday.
Egypt: Morsy’s opposition is described as traitors in public school exam
Ammar Fouad, political activist, said that Arabic language exams of the second and third grade of the preparatory school in Damietta have described the opposition as traitors whose flesh should be eaten by fishes!
He wondered: How come this happens in the exams of a public school, and Eng. Saad El Sherbiny, who is in charge of the education departments in Damietta, is holding his peace while the Muslim Brotherhood group is seizing schools and education departments in Damietta.
He threatened to hold sit-in and hunger strike to prevent such seizure.
March 27, 2013 (KHARTOUM) - Salwa Fahmi Suleiman Gireis, a Sudanese Christian woman and NGO worker, has been detained without charges for over month by the Sudanese security services (NSS) following her arrest from her home in Khartoum last month, Amnesty International (AI) said in a statement.
According to Amnesty, the 64-year-old accountant was working for an Evangelical Christian organisation prior to her arrest on the morning of 12 February when four men, who identified themselves as members of the NSS, entered the house and arrested her without providing a reason.
Radical Islam Tortures, Beats American Pastor Beyond Recognition
Pastor Saeed Abedini is enduring torture for the name of Christ. (ACLJ)
We have just obtained a new letter from imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini written to his wife, Naghmeh, and his family in Iran. In it, as in his previous two letters written inside the brutal Evin Prison, he documents the results of the continued abuse and torture he endures.
This letter, likely written weeks ago, was received by his family just yesterday. Written on the margins of scraps of newspaper, it is only the third letter Abedini has been able to get to his family in the past nearly 180 days of imprisonment and underscores the difficulty of getting any information from Iran about his condition.
Christian Victims of Riot Damage in Pakistan Disillusioned, Fearful
Government promises leave residents of Joseph Colony empty.
By Our Pakistan Correspondent
LAHORE, Pakistan, March 22, 2013 (Morning Star News) – Christians living in tents here after Muslims destroyed more than 175 homes following a blasphemy accusation are disillusioned that authorities have not compensated them, but for some the greatest pain is what cannot be replaced.
“I am still unable to recover from the trauma after seeing my house burnt down completely,” said one elderly woman, Meraj Bibi. “It takes ages to build a house and make it into home, but these cruel people shattered our lives within minutes.”
Egypt: A panel of judges recommends dissolution of Muslim Brotherhood
By Associated Press,
CAIRO — A panel of judges on Wednesday recommended the dissolution of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group from which President Mohammed Morsi hails, arguing it has no legal status.
The recommendation is not binding, but is significant given charges by the opposition that the Brotherhood’s leadership is the real power behind Morsi. The president and Brotherhood have repeatedly denied the charge.
University College London bans hard-line Islamic group which tried to segregate men and women at a debate held on university premises
A Muslim group has been banned from a university after segregating men and women during a debate.
Visitors to the event at University College London were told to use men’s or women’s entrances.
Organisers Islamic Education and Research Academy (iERA) told women to sit at the back, while men and couples were sent to the front. Three people who objected were ordered to leave.
UCL said today that the Islamic Education and Research Academy were no longer allowed to hold events there
The segregation was halted only when one speaker, US scientist Lawrence Krauss, stormed out.
Ignoring audience jeering, he told an organiser: ‘Either you quit the segregation or I’m not interested.’
CAIRO -- Egypt's justice minister warned Monday that the lynching of criminals in the streets by angry citizens is a sign of the "death of the state."
On Sunday, vigilantes hung two suspected thieves in a rural Nile Delta village as a crowd of thousands watched, and some of them egged on the killers.
Justice Minister Ahmed Mekki indicated that the killers may have seen themselves as implementing a strict form of Islamic law that calls for punishment of thieves and other outlaws whose crimes are so extreme, they disrupt society.
CAIRO — The Egyptian military is investigating whether the Palestinian group Hamas is linked to a batch of confiscated fabric that could have been used to make counterfeit uniforms, a security official said Tuesday.
The official said the probe came alongside other investigations into alleged Hamas activities in Egypt going back to the 2011 uprising that overthrew Hosni Mubarak and led, over a year later, to the election of President Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Palestinian group's ideological parent.
The announcement follows unconfirmed reports in the Egyptian media that Hamas members orchestrated an August attack that killed 16 Egyptian soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula bordering the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
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