Christians’ Plight in Egypt

Under Islamic Sharia law, Christians are regarded as having a ‘dhimmi status’ which essentially makes them second-class citizens. Christians in Islamic Egypt are excluded from holding certain roles within the military and politics, and the result is that they are left with no cultural representation or protection.

But forms of discrimination against Christians in Egypt penetrate a lot deeper than just formal restrictions on what job they can or cannot work.

Below are some examples of how the Islamic cultural attitude of discrimination affects the daily lives of Christians in Egypt:

• Due to partiality toward Muslims and prejudice against minorities among the local authorities, Christians in Egypt do not receive justice when they become the target of Islamic extremists. For one thing, policemen will stall in more cases than not when responding to Christian appeals for help or protection, especially when the offenders are Muslim. If intervention does occur, reconciliation sessions are said to bring a resolution to the problem but in reality they leave the Christians worse off and the Muslim offenders get want they want.
• With the realization that Christians can be attacked or harassed with minor to no consequences, Christian women are frequently abducted. They are then held for ransom, sexually exploited, or forcibly converted to Islam. In the latter cases, publicity of the victims’ ‘free-willed’ conversions enable the abductors to engage in human trafficking without any legal ramifications. Christians are an easy and convenient target for them.

Our coworker reports on these abduction cases and follows up whenever possible. See these two videos below as an example of a girl who was abducted, claimed to freely convert to Islam, and then rejoiced heartily when she was found and returned home.

(Note the bruises on her wrist and knuckles in the video of her public announcement that she had converted to Islam.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1hZg9e8nFI&feature=emb_logo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05PipJB4rtc&feature=emb_logo

• Although Egypt offers socialized medicine to all its citizens, public hospitals have incredibly long waiting-lists, offer poor quality services, and can essentially refuse to treat a patient if they choose. With private hospitals leaving poor Christians with astronomical medical bills, Christians experience the brunt of this socialized system, particularly during crises like the present time. There are reports of Christians in Egypt who test positive for Covid-19 being refused standard medical treatment at public hospitals. They have been turned away at the doors and told to isolate and medicate themselves at home.

Unfortunately, the situations listed above are only a few of the many ways in which Christians frequently suffer persecution and discrimination in Egypt.

Although only a rare few can physically cross the ocean to help and comfort these afflicted Christians, every one of us can pray for them.

Please join Christian Freedom International in praying that:

• The hearts and minds of Egyptian officials – on the national and local level – will be moved to love and realize the dignity of all people.
• God will bless and protect His persecuted children in Egypt.
• God will heal and comfort those Christians in Egypt who are suffering from Covid-19.