The U.S. State Department has called for religious freedom in Egypt, a North African nation that receives significant U.S. aid, following a series of attacks and ongoing discrimination targeting the country's Coptic Christian minority. The U.S. emphasis on religious freedom aligns with President Trump's stated commitment to defending the right of every person to live their faith openly.
Reports indicate that Coptic Christians, who constitute about 10% of Egypt's 120 million population, face challenges including harassment, detention, and violence. One prominent case involves Said Mansour Rezk Abdelrazek, a Muslim convert to Christianity, who was referred to a terrorism court. Advocates report he has endured torture and denial of medical care while his lawyers were denied access to his case file. Abdelrazek embraced Christianity in 2016 and has since faced years of persecution.
In separate incidents, a mob of Muslims reportedly attacked a church in Upper Egypt with stones, injuring Christians and damaging property. Additionally, Father Matta Roushdy, a priest in South Sinai, was attacked by a group of men. Organizations like Open Doors suggest such attacks can be linked to radical Islamist groups and reflect a broader anti-Christian sentiment, particularly in areas with weak law enforcement. While violent incidents have reportedly decreased over the last decade, the organization states they will persist without serious state intervention against anti-Christian fanaticism.
Despite these concerns, there have been some indications of progress. Egypt's Ministry of Youth and Sports announced an investigation into allegations of discrimination against a Coptic Christian junior football player, an unprecedented move acknowledged by the organization Coptic Solidarity as a departure from the usual dismissal of such claims. This official acknowledgment is seen as a significant step, suggesting that discrimination against Copts in sports may require government intervention.
However, broader systemic discrimination remains a concern. A U.S. State Department report highlights the underrepresentation of Christians in senior government positions. Currently, only two Christians serve in Egypt's 31-member cabinet, and only one of 27 appointed governors is Christian. While Christians hold some seats in the Senate and one serves as deputy speaker, and a Coptic Christian heads the constitutional court, no Christian presides over any of Egypt's 27 public universities. Employment discrimination against Christians, especially within security services, the judiciary, and senior civil service, is noted as a significant issue.
Raymond Ibrahim, an expert on Christians in the Muslim world, has written about the ongoing challenges faced by Egyptian Christians, noting that prominent cases may represent only a fraction of daily struggles. Dalia Ziade, a Middle East scholar, commented that while President El-Sisi maintains a public image of protecting Christian interests, such as visiting churches on Christmas, substantive measures to reduce their vulnerability are lacking.
In another recent case, a Coptic Christian YouTuber, Augustinos Samaan, was sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly insulting Islam through videos defending the Christian faith.