Egypt

Eight Coptic families were evicted from their homes in northern Egypt following two attacks by Islamists on Christian homes and businesses in January.

Chanting “Allahu Akbar” a Muslim mob attacked the Coptic community of Kebly-Rahmaniya last week, burning down Christian houses, shops and businesses.

Last week more than 70,000 prayed all night in Cario, but they weren’t Muslims.

The largest Christian event in Egypt for more than a millenium was held at St. Simeon the Tanner Coptic Orthodox Church in Mokattam, Cairo’s largest “garbage city”. An Egyptian Christian leader called it the beginning of a revival, even though there was no promotion for, or media coverage of the all-night event.

In October of this year, Egyptian news media published stories of an altercation between Muslim and Christian students over a classroom seat at a school in Mallawi, Minya province, which left one student dead. It was being reported as a non-sectarian, that is, non-religiously motivated, incident. However, Copts Without Borders, a Coptic Christian news website, denied the claim, saying, in fact, that the student was killed because he was wearing a crucifix.

The Egyptian military’s intent to investigate its own use of force against unarmed Coptic Christians demonstrating on Oct. 9, 2011, raises concerns of a cover-up, according to Human Rights Watch.

An Egyptian Military Court ordered that an imprisoned Christian activist be admitted to a mental health hospital to determine whether he’s responsible for his actions.

Egypt’s prime minister chaired an emergency meeting Monday after clashes involving soldiers and Coptic protesters left at least 25 dead and hundreds wounded.

Mobs of Muslims torched a church in Upper Egypt and then looted and burned nearby Coptic homes and businesses.

Muslims attacked the Coptic Christians of Nazlet Faragallah village in Egypt’s Minya province Sunday evening; the assault continued unabated into the following morning.

An exchange of words between a pregnant Christian and a Muslim man over a tricycle escalated into an assault upon the woman and her fellow Christian villagers, resulting in the arrest of one Copt.

Egypt’s Supreme Administrative Court recently ruled in favour of anyone wanting their religious registration officially changed back to “Christian”, according to Middle East Concern.

Three people were injured when Muslim mobs burned down eight Christian homes in the Egyptian village of Awlad Khalaf Saturday after a rumor that a house currently under construction would instead become a church.

A Christian member of the European Parliament has urged the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, to make more rights for Egyptian Christians, also known as Copts, a policy priority and to develop an EU strategy for religious freedom.

Christians in Egypt were following political developments after the country’s new military rulers pledged to criminalize sectarian violence and ease restrictions on building churches as inter-faith clashes killed a dozen people in recent days.

Egypt’s military leadership held talks Thursday, March 10, with Christian protesters demanding more security, after Muslims burned a church sparking clashes that killed 13 people and injured about 140 others, officials said.

There was concern Sunday, February 13, about the future of hostages held by human traffickers in Egypt’s Sinai Desert, including children, amid an uncertain security situation following the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak after unprecedented protests against his rule.