Three Christian men were hospitalised after suffering multiple stab wounds in an attack on 5 November.
The attack took place in Ashruba village in Bani Mazar, Minya province in Upper Egypt, the region where most sectarian attacks occur.
CSW’s sources report that four Muslim men attacked the three Christians with knives and machetes inside a local pharmacy. The three men were taken to the University Hospital in Minya, while some of the attackers were arrested by the police.
Christians in Ashruba village report living in a constant state of fear as sectarian tension is high and incidents of intimidation are now a regular occurrence following similar attacks on people and properties in the last year.
Following such incidents of sectarian violence, members of the Christian community are generally obliged to accept the ad-hoc outcomes of ‘customary reconciliation sessions’, which tend to deprive victims of justice, preventing them from seeking effective redress via legal means, and thereby contributing to a culture of impunity. According to the news outlet Copts United, local Christians have demanded long term solutions to this violence through implementation of the law and holding perpetrators accountable, rather than through such sessions.
In other news, CSW has learned that Julia Atef, a 21-year-old Christian girl, disappeared on 26 October while on her way to attend a church function at St Mark’s Church in Shubra Al-Khayma. Ms Atef’s family reported her disappearance to the police, who are currently investigating the incident.
CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: ‘Our thoughts are with the injured men in hospital after this horrific attack. An unacceptable culture of intimidation and discrimination targeting Christians is still far too prevalent in this region, despite positive steps taken by the Egyptian authorities in recent years, and the personal commitment of President Sisi to promote equality of citizenship. We commend the swift intervention of the local authorities and urge the government of Egypt to continue to tackle extremism, sectarian hatred and incitement, ensuring an end to policies and practices which create division between communities. We also urge the authorities to secure the safe return of Julia Atef, and to bring those behind her disappearance to justice.’