Egypt

Last week, the official results for the first round of the Egyptian presidential elections ended in a run-off between Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsy and former Mubarak PM Ahmad Shafik.

Christian rights activists remained concerned Saturday about the plight of 12 Christians who were sentenced to life imprisonment in Egypt over sectarian violence that killed three people last year.

A court in Edfu sentenced the pastor of St. George’s Church to six months in prison and a fine of 300 pounds for violations pertaining to the height of his church.

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.