ICC Note: A recent report from the international human rights group has documented the failure of the Egyptian authorities to protect Egypt’s Christian communities. In its in-depth coverage of the events of August 14-16, Amnesty International highlighted the ways in which religious language was used to incite attackers of Christian churches and other property. The rampage camp after the brutal way in which the military attempted to break up week-long demonstrations in support of ousted President Morsi, but it was the Christian community, rather than the military that bore the brunt of the backlash.
10/14/2013 Egypt (Algemeiner) – Authorities in Egypt failed to protect Egyptian Christians following the dispersal of the supporters of ousted Islamist Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi in Cairo in mid-August, according to a scathing new report from Amnesty International.
“It is deeply disturbing that the Christian community across Egypt was singled out for revenge attacks over the events in Cairo by some supporters of the deposed president, Mohamed Morsi,” Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa said in a statement.
The report details how Egyptian security forces failed to prevent angry mobs from attacking Christian churches, schools, homes and charities in the days following the August 14 raid. At least four Christians were also killed in the sectarian violence.
According to Amnesty International, more than 200 Christian-owned properties were attacked, including 43 churches that were severely damaged or razed. Angry mobs armed with guns, metal bars and knives attacked Christians, many of them chanting “God is Great” or using derogatory slogans like “you Christian dogs.”’
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