Contact Me  |   Media Center  |   Our DistrictFor Immediate ReleaseContact: Jessica LycosDate: July 22, 2021jessica.lycos@mail.house.gov

Gosar Calls for More Protection of Coptic Christians in Egypt

“Out of Egypt I called My Son” (Matthew 2:15)

WASHINGTON D.C. – Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) issued the following statement after co-sponsoring H. Res. 117, a bipartisan resolution supporting Coptic Christians in Egypt. 

“For too long, Coptic Christians living in Egypt have been assaulted and even murdered solely for their Christian faith. Seldom do the attackers face punishment. The religious intolerance and mistreatment of the nearly ten million Christian Copts living in communities in Egypt is unacceptable. I recognize the situation is much better under President Al-Sisi than under former President Morsi, but there is more to do.

Coptic Christians deserve the same freedoms and opportunities as other Egyptians. This important bipartisan resolution calls for an end of religious persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt by certain sectors within Egypt and demands all levels of the Egyptian government take the necessary steps to promote religious tolerance throughout Egypt and hold accountable those who refuse to enforce the law,” concluded Congressman Gosar.

Background: 

Coptic Christians are truly among the first Christians in the world, with their church dating to the Apostle Mark in 42 AD, founded in Alexandria, Egypt. Worldwide there are only 10 million Coptic Christians who belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, an Oriental Orthodox Christian church based in Egypt, Africa and the Middle East. 

About 8 million Copts are in Egypt, but the community has not been safe from ongoing assaults and murders over the years.  Congressman Gosar notes that President Al-Sisi has spoken in favor of protecting the Coptic Christians, and compared to former President Morsi’s regime, the lives of the Coptic Christians is vastly improved, but the situation on the ground remains dangerous and more is needed to be done. The Department of Justice states that currently there are some areas where Coptic Christians will face a real risk of persecution or ill-treatment in areas outside the large cities and in areas where radicals have a strong foothold; and where there have been recent attacks on Coptic Christians or their churches, businesses, or properties. Converts to Christianity are at heightened risk of harm. 

For that reason, Congressman Gosar joined this resolution.  

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