Egypt – religious freedom profile

Executive summary

Egypt is influential in the Middle East, and a crucial ally of the international community on a host of issues that significantly affect the region and the world. The country is also a major tourist destination and is frequently featured in the international media. However, serious human rights concerns in the country often go unnoticed.

CSW has been closely monitoring the human rights environment, especially the experiences of religious minorities, for more than ten years; and conducts yearly fact-finding visits. This briefing highlights the precarious nature of freedom of religion and belief in the country, and the discrimination and violence faced by religious minorities. Some of the key concerns highlighted in this briefing are:

• Converts from Islam to Christianity face grave human rights abuses ranging from illegal and indefinite detention without official charge, physical mistreatment and intimidation by security forces, to violence from religious extremists and their communities.
• Adherents of the Baha’i faith are not officially recognised as a religious group, and consequently face a host of bureaucratic difficulties resulting in deprivation of socio-economic opportunities.
• Coptic Orthodox Christians are increasingly marginalised and excluded from participation in mainstream society.
• There has been an increase in mob attacks on Coptic villages, properties, religious centres and clergymen.
• In April 2009 the Egyptian Government’s decision to cull all the pigs in the country, as part of their response to the H1N1 virus pandemic, left Christian communities who were dependent on pig rearing for their livelihood without means of a sustainable income.

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