ICC Note: The latest attack against Coptic Egyptians was on July 22 when, following noon prayers, a group stormed a Christian household suspected to be a church. They looted its contents and burned it to the ground. While President Abdel el-Fattah el-Sisi has condemned such attacks, they seem ever on the rise. Attacks are commonly inspired by rumors of inter-religious relationships and the construction of house churches.

08/03/2016 Egypt (CSW): Homes belonging to Coptic families in Saft al-Kharsah village in Beni Suef Province, Upper Egypt, were destroyed by a mob on 22 July amid rumours that one storey of a man’s home was being turned into a church.

The violence began when a crowd gathered after noon prayers and began hurling rocks and projectiles at the houses. In a brief video filmed from the balcony of one of the buildings, frightened children watch as the mob approaches before retreating indoors. The film continues, punctuated by the sound of breaking glass as objects hit the buildings, and rocks can be seen landing on the family’s balcony.

Police later cordoned off the area to protect local Coptic families and at a reconciliation meeting village elders agreed that Christians in the community would not use their homes as a church unless they received official authorisation. The current law in Egypt states no church can be built without presidential decree.

On 21 July, the Egyptian President Abdel el-Fattah el-Sisi condemned the recent spate of violence against the Coptic community. In a speech broadcast on national television, he spoke of national unity and equality before the law, adding that anyone who violates the law will be held accountable, even the President.  Eighteen people are subsequently reported to have been detained in connection with the violence

While sectarian attacks are not uncommon in parts of Upper Egypt, there has been a spike in the frequency of such attacks over recent months, often sparked by rumours of churches being built or romantic liaisons between Muslims and Christians. In May, an elderly woman wasstripped and assaulted in the street over rumours that her son was in a relationship with a Muslim woman, in a case that drew widespread condemnation.

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