Thirteen Egyptian Coptic Protesters Released

Thirteen Egyptian Coptic Christians detained after clashes with police have been released on humanitarian grounds, a court official told reporters.

By Kenneth Chan, Thursday, December 23, 2004

Thirteen Egyptian Coptic Christians detained after clashes with police have been released on humanitarian grounds, a court official told reporters. However, the detention of 21 others has been extended pending further investigations.

The 34 detained Christians had been arrested for allegedly attacking police following the conclusion of a four-day, round-the-clock sit-in at the Coptic Orthodox cathedral in Egypt's capital. The sit-ins, which began Dec. 5, were held in protest of the alleged abduction and forced conversion of Wefaa Constantine--the wife of a Coptic priest--to Islam.

According to news agencies, the alleged abduction and forced conversion of Constantine sparked hundreds of Coptic Christians