Tag: Muslim Brotherhood

Sisi under fire after Coptic church attack

December 15, 2016 Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Bishop Angaelos, Cairo, Copts, Islamic State, Muslim Brotherhood

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (R) attends the funeral ceremony for the victims of the 11 December bomb attack on St. Peter and St. Paul Coptic Orthodox Church. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi faced sharp criticism following Sunday’s (11 Dec.) bomb attack on a Coptic church in Cairo, in which . . . Read More

Fresh criticism for Egypt church construction law

November 18, 2016 Egypt Churches, Copts, Egypt, Middle East, Muslim Brotherhood

After the ratification of a law on the building of churches in Egypt in September, Copts and rights organisations have voiced concerns that this will not aid in turning the tide on discrimination against Egypt’s Orthodox Christian minority. For decades the construction and renovation of churches has been obstructed by . . . Read More

Jordan curriculum change ‘acknowledges’ Christians

October 14, 2016 Jordan Islamic extremism, Jordan, Middle East, Muslim Brotherhood

Jordan has introduced to curb the influence of Islamic extremists on society and improve its education system. However, the Ministry of Education has faced a backlash from conservatives such as the Muslim Brotherhood’s Islamic Action Front, which described the reforms as “an affront to our heritage and values [which is] . . . Read More

Egypt’s Christians ‘at breaking point’ says bishop

September 8, 2016 Egypt Anba Macarius, Churches, Copts, Egypt, Minya, Mohamed Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood, Upper Egypt

Christians feel “under siege” in Egypt after a series of attacks this summer, and continued difficulties faced by the community in building churches, the New York Times reports. In Minya (Upper Egypt) alone, Copts continue to “suffer violence and humiliation”. Houses have been burned, Copts attacked on the streets and . . . Read More

5 years on: what has the Arab Spring meant for Christians?

December 17, 2015 Arab Spring, Copts, Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, Iraq, Islamic State, Libya, Middle East, Muammar Gaddafi, Muslim Brotherhood, North Africa, Ramadan, Syria, Tunisia

The Arab Spring, which began five years ago today (17th December) started with a wave of protests in Tunisia followed by other Arab countries. It was positively acclaimed as a social movement demanding an end to human rights violations, government corruption and poverty. Yet, so far, the outcome is largely contrary to . . . Read More

Egypt army rebuilds church destroyed by Islamists

November 25, 2015 Egypt Churches, Copts, Egypt, Mohamed Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood, Pope Tawadros II

A Coptic Orthodox church destroyed by Muslim Brotherhood sympathizers in August 2013 has been rebuilt by the Egyptian army. St Theodore’s church in the Upper Egypt city of Minya was destroyed by Islamist extremists after the Muslim Brotherhood leader, Mohamed Morsi, was deposed from the Egyptian Presidency. In retaliation for . . . Read More

Egypt court reconsiders Christian’s blasphemy conviction

August 6, 2015 Egypt Copts, Muslim Brotherhood, Sohag

Bishoy Kameel Kamel GarasWorld Watch Monitor After a three-year rash of blasphemy cases filed against Egyptian Christians, the nation’s highest court backtracked last month on its harsh verdict against one young Copt. Bishoy Kameel Kamel Garas was sent to prison for six years in September 2012 for allegedly insulting . . . Read More

Coptic boys on bail, anti-Islam charges pending

June 18, 2015 Egypt Al-Azhar, Blasphemy, Copts, Gad Younan, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Muslim Brotherhood, Ramadan

The last of four Egyptian boys accused of having “offended” Islam has been released on bail while trial is expected to continue after the Muslim month of Ramadan. The 17-year-old student from Upper Egypt was released after 62 days in prison, subject to the payment of 10,000 Egyptian pounds, equivalent . . . Read More

Community ‘justice’ expels Copts from their homes

June 17, 2015 Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Beni Suef, Copts, Egypt, Gad Younan, Islamic State, Minya, Mohamed Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood

Forgive Emad Youssef if he and his extended family felt quite confused. The crowd welcoming them back to the village had only a few days earlier demanded they leave. “They said this is the first time something like this has happened in our village,” he told private satellite channel, OnTV “and that, . . . Read More

71 life sentences for burning Egyptian church

April 30, 2015 Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Churches, Copts, Egypt, Giza, Islamic extremism, Mohamed Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood

An Egyptian court has sentenced 71 people to life in prison for attacking and burning a Coptic church in reaction to the 2013 removal of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, Ahram Online reports. The Virgin Mary Church in Giza province’s Kafr Hakim village was torched and looted by a mob on . . . Read More

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