Assembly of Human Rights Supporters: Attacks on Copts Significantly Increasing
Dr. Omar el-Sebakhi, head of the Assembly of Human Rights Supporters' (AHRS) and professor at the University of Alexandria's Faculty of Engineering, said that the attacks on Copts have significantly increasing in the recent period.
He referenced the U.S. State Department's annual report on human rights, which discussed discrimination against women and religious minorities in Egypt.
Speaking to MCN, Sebakhi said that discrimination against Copts is illustrated by the repeated attacks on churches, most recently the church in Khosos and St. Mark's Cathedral.
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Discrimination against women, he added, is evident via threats made to abolish laws that were issued for amendments, in addition to the constitution, which contain many articles that threaten the position of Egyptian women.
He pointed out that the attacks on Copts were present under the former regime's reign, but their frequency has significantly increased over the past two years.
Sebakhi said this increase came with the impunity of perpetrators, naïve solutions and 'customary sessions,' meaning friendly meetings between clergymen. He noted the Two Saints Church bombings in Alexandria in 2011, where no one has yet to be charged and no investigations held despite the passing of two years since the incident.
The Brotherhood does not want to approach the issue, as the political system is busy laying its foundations and satellite TV broadcasts lies unchecked, he stated, adding that the people had been patient with Mubarak for a long time, but that will not be repeated as the fear barrier has been broken.
For Sebakhi, a way out of the current crisis would be cultural awareness via satellite TV, changing school curricula and preventing any attack, insult or hatred towards others' beliefs, as well as making visits to Coptic ruins so that people can learn that Coptic history is a part of Egypt's history.
