Egyptian law needs to be better enforced to protect Copts: Author

LONDON: Egyptian law adequately protects all the country’s citizens but Coptic Christians face “obstacles” in how it relates to them, the author of a book on the minority group has said.
“The Copts — An Investigation into the Rifts Between Muslims and Christians in Egypt” by veteran journalist Abdellatif El-Menawy was launched at an event in London on Tuesday night.
It explains how Christianity became deeply rooted in Egypt but that an uneasy relationship emerged with the majority Muslim population.
Copts have faced persecution, a number of deadly attacks on their churches, and many complain of being treated like second-class citizens.
El-Menawy said the country’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi had the right approach to protecting citizens’ rights but that officials in Egypt have created problems when applying the law to Copts.
“In the near future, you need to empower the law. And in the long-term thinking, you need to reestablish, rebuild the education system,” El-Menawy told Arab News.
“When you come to implement this law you will find a lot of obstacles, between the younger, low-level employees. Because they will find a way to stop anything. So the law is there, but to implement the law is the problem.”
This can impact the rights of Copts in Egypt, El-Menawy said.
He was speaking to Arab News at the launch of “The Copts,” which is published by Gilgamesh, in Westminster on Tuesday. The event was hosted by Daniel Kawczynski, MP for Shrewsbury.
El-Menawy, who was a senior member of the Egyptian Radio and Television Union, is also the author of “Tahrir: The Last 18 Days of Mubarak.” He is also planning a book about the Muslim Brotherhood group in Egypt.