US concerned by Egypt's civil rights record

WASHINGTON — The United States expressed concern Monday at the repression of civil rights in Egypt, particularly the free speech rights of political activists and journalists.

"We are deeply concerned by the growing trend of efforts to punish and deter political expression in Egypt," said Patrick Ventrell, a State Department spokesman, just ahead of the first anniversary of the election of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi.

"Numerous individuals, including journalists, bloggers and activists have been detained, and some are being charged and put on trial for allegedly defaming government figures," Ventrell said.

Egypt: Hundreds march for President Mohammad Mursi protest

Protesters claim to have garnered more than two million signatures

The demonstration was called by a number of opposition groups, including the Al Dustur party of former United Nations atomic watchdog chief Mohammad Al Baradei and the April 6 movement which spearheaded the 2011 uprising to oust then president Husni Mubarak.

بعد قرار النائب العام إخلاء سبيلها.. نيابة الأقصر تأمر بإحالة المعلمة المتهمة بازدراء الإسلام لمحاكمة عاجلة

أمرت نيابة الأقصر اليوم الثلاثاء بإحالة المعلمة المتهمة بازدراء الدين الإسلامي لمحكمة الجنح وتقديمها لمحكمة عاجلة يوم الثلاثاء المقبل.

كان مدير إدارة الطود التعليمية، جنوب الأقصر، تلقى مذكرة من رئيس مجلس الآباء بالمدرسة بقيام مدرسة مادة الدراسات الاجتماعية بالمدرسة بازدراء الدين الإسلامى في حصة لطلاب الصف الرابع الابتدائى.

Honor US values and interests: Back religious freedom abroad ...

By Katrina Lantos Swett

Fifteen years ago, on May 14, 1998, U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of a landmark effort to promote a pivotal human right abroad. In October of that year, the Senate also acted and President Clinton signed the International Religious Freedom Act, or IRFA, into law. Among other provisions, IRFA created the Office of International Religious Freedom in the State Department and the independent, bipartisan Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), of which I am chair.

As part of our mandate, USCIRF issues an annual report on the global state of religious freedom. On April 30, we issued our 2013 report.

How is this freedom faring today? As our report confirms, it is imperiled daily. Violations range from restrictions on building houses of worship to more severe abuses, including arbitrary detention, torture, and even murder.

For humanitarian reasons alone, we should care. But in our ever-uncertain post-9/11 world, we have further cause for concern.

Egypt’s Coptic Christian teacher detained over blasphemy released on bail

By Associated Press,

LUXOR, Egypt — An Egyptian Christian teacher detained over charges of insulting Islam has been released on bail on Tuesday, her lawyer said.

A history and geography teacher in the southern city of Luxor, 24-year-old Dimiana Abdul-Nour paid L.E. 20,000 (almost $3,000 dollars) to be freed pending further investigation, the lawyer, Badawi Abu-Shanab said. The decision comes four days after a judge ordered her detained for 14 days during the investigation.

Parents of a student had accused the teacher of showing contempt to Islam while talking to fourth-graders about religion. Three pupils allegedly complained the teacher showed disgust when she talked about Islam, something the family and lawyer of Abdul-Nour denied.

نحن وأمريكا

 صلاح ابو الفضل

بعد فترة قصيرة من رحيل الملك السابق فاروق التقى جمال عبدالناصر وبعض من رفاقه فى مجلس قيادة الثورة بالسفير الأمريكى كافرى حول عشاء استكشف فيه كل طرف توجهات الآخر وتوقعاته. وكان كافرى مرحا وودودا وكان الضباط الأحرار يشعرون بالأمل فى علاقة طيبة مع أمريكا، لكن وزير الخارجية دالاس زار مصر فى العام التالى، وقدم إملاءات أمريكية ظهر فيما بعد أنها لم تكن قابلة للنقاش. كانت الإملاءات تتلخص فى أمرين لا ثالث لهما الصلح مع إسرائيل والانخراط فى أحلاف غربية تهدف لتطويق الكتلة الشرقية (كانت حينها الاتحاد السوفييتى).

لم يرفض عبدالناصر التفاهم لكنه طلب حلا للمشكلة الفلسطينية على أساس الحق العربى ونبه إلى أن شعور مصر بالخطر من إسرائيل المجاورة كان أكبر من الشعور بالخطر من الكتلة الشرقية البعيدة، رفض الدخول فى سياسة الأحلاف، وأكد رغبة مصر فى صداقة الغرب وحاجتها للبناء والدفاع عن النفس. ولم يعجب ذلك الأمريكيين ومنذ ذلك التاريخ ظلت مصر ومازالت حتى الآن تصارع الإدارة الأمريكية معركة بعد معركة فى سبيل استقلال الإرادة الوطنية وبناء وطن عصرى متقدم.

Egypt: authorities should release Coptic Christian teacher detained for 'blasphemy'

24-year-old Dimyana Obeid Abd Al Nour accused of touching her stomach or knee when speaking of Prophet Muhammad

A Coptic Christian teacher detained in Egypt on charges of “defamation of religion” must be immediately released and the criminal case against her dropped, Amnesty International has said.

Dimyana Obeid Abd Al Nour, 24, has been in custody since 8 May when she went to the public prosecution’s office in Luxor to respond to charges of “defamation of religion”. The case against her is based on a complaint lodged by the parents of three of her students alleging that she insulted Islam and the Prophet Muhammad during a class.

The alleged incident took place at the Sheikh Sultan primary school in Tout, Luxor Governorate on 8 April during a lesson on “religious life”. According to information available to Amnesty, some of the students alleged that Dimyana Obeid Abd Al Nour said that she “loved Father Shenouda”, the late Patriarch of the Egyptian Orthodox Church, and touched her knee or her stomach when she spoke about the Prophet Muhammad in class. She has denied the charges, and maintained that she stuck to the school curriculum.

Egyptian Christian Teacher Accused of 'Defaming Islam' Goes on Hunger Strike

(AINA) -- The latest victim in the series of defamation of Islam accusations against Christians is a Coptic school teacher, 24-year-old Ms Demiana Ebeid Abdelnour, who teaches social science at a primary school in Tout, Luxor. Demiana went on hunger strike two days after Luxor prosecution detained her on May 8 for "defamation of Islam." Parents of three school children accused her of defamation of Islam and insulting Mohammad.

Yesterday prosecution extended her detention for a further 15 days. It was reported that she was not allowed to be transferred to hospital from prison based on the report of the prison physician. The teacher's union in Luxor said that all investigations confirmed the innocence of Demiana, and that they have assembled a team of lawyers to defend her.

Notice of Oral Parliamentary Question about Christians in Egypt 

UK Independence Party Peer Lord Pearson has tabled an Oral Question in the House of Lords, asking what is the Government’s response to human rights abuses by Islamist groups in Egypt and elsewhere. The short, 30 minutes debate will take place on Monday 3rd June at 3pm.