Human Rights
Council Forum on
Minority Fifth
Session
Copts
Thanks Madam Chair
Persecution of Copts, the Christians of Egypt is systemic and organized for about 4 decades.
After the revolution of last year Copts became optimistic, sadly it did not last long. However The
positive thing here, Copts started to seek their rights.
Persecution of Copts in Egypt is in every way of life from having to hide yourself and live in fear if
you convert from Islam to Christianity to difficulty in getting senior jobs if you are Christian, from
hate and victimization statement from a loud speaker in a Friday prayer to books and tapes
hating Christians sold on pavements to outright attack on a village whole Christian community,
burning their home and business and expelling them out the village, in 2012 this happened
twice.
In the village of Amrya near Alexandria early this year and in dahshoor near Cairo in the June,
120 Coptic family not only lost livelihood but also expelled out of the village to return weeks later
to the ashes of their home to get 120 pounds government compensation for the millions they lost
and the fear they suffer as the police as in all similar cases conducts cosmetic investigation then
force unfair and humiliating reconciliation 'session and as always no perpetrator of violence taken
to court and no justice, a situation nearly 4 decades old.
Last week the ex-attorney general Abdel Migeed Mahmood job was terminated, he said that
police never referred a single case of attack on Christians in the whole 6 years he was in
post.
The state of impunity offered by government to militant Islamists cannot go on. The world
community cannot stand idle by and Mr. Bankimmon said yesterday Human Right Council has a
crucial role to play.
2012 also witness the final outcome of the notorious Maspero demonstration run over by armored
vehicles, this gruesome massacre only 3 young conscripts sentenced to 2 -3 years each, no senior
officer questioned.
2012 saw Abuqumas Kangaroo court where 12 innocent Christians Lawyers Alaa Reda Roushes
and 5 others given life sentence and 6 given 15 years for crimes they did not commit, the verdict
is final as the court was emergency.