USCIRF Condemns Egypt’s Arrest of Coptic Activist Ramy Kamel
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 13, 2019
USCIRF Condemns Egypt’s Arrest of Coptic Activist Ramy Kamel
WASHINGTON, DC (December 13, 2019) – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) strongly condemns Egypt’s recent arrest of Coptic activist Ramy Kamel. Mr. Kamel is an activist and prominent member of the Maspero Youth Union, advocating for full civil rights for Egypt’s Coptic Christian community and documenting abuses against its members. On November 23, National Security Agency officers stormed his home; confiscated his mobile phone, laptop, and other belongings related to his advocacy work; and took him into custody. One day later, the Supreme State Security Prosecution announced a series of spurious charges against Mr. Kamel, including membership in a terrorist organization, spreading false information, and disturbing the public order.
GENEVA (11 December 2019) - UN human rights experts* have called on Egypt to end the arbitrary detention and ill-treatment of Ramy Kamel Saied Salid, who works to defend the human rights of the country’s Coptic Christian minority.
Mr. Ramy Kamel, who had documented attacks on Coptic churches, was arrested, questioned and allegedly tortured on 4 November and 23 November 2019. He is currently in pre-trial detention in the Tora Prison in Cairo on reported charges of membership of a terrorist organisation and use of social media to spread “false news threatening public order”, although neither he nor his lawyers has seen documentation relating to the charges.
The constitution states that “freedom of belief is absolute” and “the freedom of practicing religious rituals and establishing worship places for the followers of divine (i.e. Abrahamic) religions is a right regulated by law.”The constitution states that citizens “are equal before the Law,” and criminalizes discrimination and “incitement to hatred” based upon “religion, belief, sex, origin, race…or any other reason.”The constitution also states, “Islam is the religion of the state…and the principles of Islamic sharia are the main sources of legislation.”The government officially recognizes Sunni Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, and allows only their adherents to publicly practice their religion and build houses of worship.
The Bishop of Truro’s independent review for the Foreign Secretary of FCO support for persecuted Christians final report was published yesterday.
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “When Islamist terrorists struck Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, killing over 250 people, this was the third Easter in a row disfigured by a terrorist attack somewhere in the world. And these attacks stand alongside the equally appalling attacks on worshippers in mosques in Christchurch in New Zealand, reminding us how people across the world, of all faiths are still in this, the 21st century, being murdered for their religion. So I warmly welcome this report and its recommendations. We are working across Government to agree a formal collective response as soon as possible.”
"In the light of the vast scale of the problem of Christian persecution and the variable support provided across the FCO Network the Independent Review team urge the Foreign Secretary to ensure that a follow-up independent mechanism is established in three years’ time to ensure that the FCO Network has implemented in full the recommendations of this Final Report in support of vulnerable Christian communities, and the exercise and protection of their inalienable rights under Article 18 of the Universal Declaration. This is not only for the sake of the followers of Jesus Christ, but because, like the ‘canary in the mine’, they point to the needs and freedoms of all." (Conclusion, p125)
In general the authorities have failed to prosecute those who attack Christians and have instead enforced state-sponsored reconciliation agreements which provide impunity for the perpetrators and leave Christians vulnerable to future attacks.
82. Egypt is home to the largest Christian community in the Arab world. The Special Rapporteur interviewed Coptic Egyptians forced to leave their homes and villages in Upper Egypt after community conflicts with Muslim neighbours. Forced evictions of Coptic families were also reported in Basra village, Ameriya/Alexandria, in Tud/Luxor, in Shebin al- Qanatir/Qulubiya, and in Maiana Bahnasia and Kafr Darwish/Beni Suef.
83. The Special Rapporteur learned that in some instances forced evictions were ordered by community reconciliation mechanisms that serve as dispute resolution tools. However, these reconciliation mechanisms do not necessarily ensure a fair hearing for members of minorities, nor are their rulings always in conformity with national or international human rights law. State officials have been present at some community reconciliation sessions, but reportedly have failed to intervene when rulings legitimised the arbitrary expulsion of Coptic families from their homes and sometimes expressed public support for such decisions. Official judicial bodies have also failed to provide legal protection against community reconciliation decisions and law enforcement authorities have, in several instances, refused to provide security to those who wanted to return to their homes.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is the leader of Egypt.
HOW MANY CHRISTIANS LIVE IN EGYPT?
10 million Christians live in Egypt, making up 10 per cent of Egypt’s population of 99.4 million. That might sound like a small proportion, but Egypt is home to half of all Christians in the Middle East.
WHY ARE CHRISTIANS PERSECUTED IN EGYPT?
Egypt is a strongly Islamic nation. Just under 90 per cent of the population of Egypt are Sunni Muslims.
Al-Azhar University in Cairo is considered to be the oldest and the most prestigious centre of advanced Islamic studies among Sunni Muslims and attracts students from all over the Middle East. President al-Sisi has called upon scholars at the university to fight radicalism and introduce reforms in Islamic teaching. However, in rural and impoverished areas in particular, radical imams and less tolerant brands of Islam are growing in prominence. The government is making efforts to reverse this trend, but has not been very successful so far.
Commentary on the current state of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Egypt
All Party Parliamentary Group, House of Commons UK
2018
www.appgFoRB.org
This is not an official publication of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. All-Party Groups are informal groups of Members of both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed in this report are those of the Groups.
Bombing of schools by Saudi Arabia-led coalition a flagrant attack on future of Yemen’s children
11 December 2015, 00:01 UTC
Saudi Arabia-led coalition forces have carried out a series of air strikes targeting schools that were still in use, in violation of international humanitarian law, and hampering access to education for thousands of Yemen’s children, said Amnesty International in a new briefing published today. The coalition forces are armed by states including the USA and UK.
A report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2013-2015.
Christians – already the world's most persecuted faith – are suffering worse persecution, violence and intimidation.
In 20 of the 30 countries assessed, the situation has worsened since 2011. In others where the problems were already extreme, there has been little or no change. In some countries Christianity now risks being wiped out, and oppression and exodus threaten Christianity's status as a worldwide religion.
On these pages you can see, at a glance, the key findings of our new Persecuted and Forgotten? report, as well as browsing our detailed country profiles and incident reports in more depth.
Egypt, on multiple occasions organized groups attacked churches and Christian-owned homes and businesses and then looted and torched the properties. Islamist-led mobs carried out acts of violence, intimidation, compelled expulsions, and punishment against Christians, especially in Upper Egypt. Attacks on Christians spiked August 14 -17 when, according to NGO reports, assailants attacked at least 42 churches in various governorates, in addition to schools, orphanages, and other Christian-affiliated facilities. The violence resulted in the looting and destruction of at least 37 churches and the deaths of at least six Christians who were targeted because of their religious identity. On June 23, a mob of thousands of angry villagers led by Salafist sheikhs killed four Shia citizens, including a prominent cleric, in a village near Cairo. The lynching followed months of government and official Islamic anti-Shia rhetoric and was immediately preceded by incendiary speech at a mosque. In June then-President Morsy attended a televised conference at which a Salafist sheikh described Shia as “non-believers who must be killed,” according to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW).
In Egypt, the President condemned sectarian violence, including attacks on churches. Secretary of State Kerry has also emphasized the importance of ensuring freedom of religion for all Egyptians, regardless of their faith, with equal rights and protections under the law.
In Egypt, our programs are developing Arabic-language and English-language educational materials that encourage diversity and understanding of others.
Study to European Parliament concerning Human Rights of Minorities and Focus on Copts
"Yet Copts do not reject the engagement of the EU with Coptic concerns when they are framed as part of broader Egyptian concerns. According to Ibrahim Habib, president of United Copts of Great Britain, when asked what the EU could or should do to safeguard Coptic rights his answer did not include any request for supporting Copts as a specific group. Instead he called on the EU to actively support democratic values and the promotion of literacy and educational programmes, gender equality and a secular state. He also called for the Muslim Brotherhood to be declared a terrorist organisation.52"