Religious tensions between the Coptic and Muslim communities in Egypt were again at the forefront of this
week’s news as religious riots left 2 dead and resulted in extensive damage. Angry over a halt in the construction of a church in Giza, approximately 600 Copts staged a riot and clashed with government security forces.
The day following these events, the Egyptian public prosecution office has issued arrest warrants for 156 of the protestors and has denied them legal representation by lawyers.
Members of Egypt’s largest opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, are claiming that they have been subjected to constant government harassment in the lead up to this Sunday’s parliamentary elections. According to the Islamic group, the government has detained over 1000 of its members, including some of the candidates intending to run in the upcoming elections. This comes in the wake of calls from influential cleric Al-Qaradawi that the group should boycott the elections outright.
The Egyptian administration expressed anger this week over an American report criticizing religious freedom in Egypt. The International Religious Freedom Report, released last week by the US State department, criticizes Egypt’s treatment towards Coptic Christians, Baha’is and the Muslim Brotherhood. In response to these allegations, an Egyptian government spokesperson has stated that Washington is meddling in Egypt’s internal affairs which it “would not stand for”.
In a radical change of face, Egypts Al-Azhar University declared this Wednesday in London that they have lifted a ban on dialogue with Jews. The statement, issued by Sheikh Fawzi Al-Zifzaf, although not referring directly to Judaism, states the need for mutual understanding between Abrahamic Religions. In follow up inquiries, the spokesman for the Grand Mufti of the UK stated that this proclamation was intended for a Jewish audience.
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