Egypt: Hundreds march for President Mohammad Mursi protest
Protesters claim to have garnered more than two million signatures
Cairo: Hundreds of people marched on Cairo’s Tahrir Square Friday calling for Egypt’s Islamist President Mohammad Mursi to resign and demanding early elections, AFP correspondents and local media reported.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The European Union of Coptic organizations denounces the acts of oppression and torture against the Copts at the hands of the prejudiced regime of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Copts are taken hostages in prisons after being arrested under fabricated charges. An example is the case of Ms. Souad Botros who was imprisoned in Minya general prison and put in solitary confinement, despite the risks that this incurs on her life due to her suffering from a number of illnesses. Ms. Soad is being treated as a hostage and is falsely accused of the corruption of a Muslim girl whom was rumored to have converted to Christianity in order to marry Ms Soad’s son Ibraam. These rumors are unfounded and it is reported that the girl’s family are fully aware of the girl’s whereabouts. That girl is a 21 year old consenting adult and it is also known that she has married a young Muslim man.
In line with the oppressive policy of the Muslim Brotherhood regime Ibraam’s father Zaki Tawfik and cousin Peter Bahij have also been arrested by the authorities and have been put in Fayoum prison. They too are suffering ill-treatment, which threatens their lives.
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.
Egyptian Christian Rights Groups Request EU Investigate Egypt
By Mary Abdelmassih
(AINA) -- Acting on behalf of the European Union of Coptic Organizations for Human Rights (EUCOHR), The Coptic Dutch Association submitted yesterday an official memorandum to the European Parliament to open an international investigation into Dr. Mohamed Morsi, President of the Republic, and the Egyptian Interior Ministry because into the unlawful imprisonment of Christians.
This action was prompted by an Egyptian court in the Upper Egyptian town of Beba ordering the detention of the parents and cousin of a Coptic man, Ebram Andrawes, who allegedly disappeared with a 22-year-old Muslim girl, Rana El Shazly, at the end of February after she converted to Christianity, got married and fled to Turkey.
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.
Activist youth leader detained by Egyptian authorities at airport upon arrival from US
CAIRO — Egypt’s prosecutor general on Friday ordered a prominent youth leader detained for four days pending an investigation into accusations he incited anti-government violence, a security official said, in the latest case of a pro-democracy activist being held over similar charges.
The detention sparked a wave of anger among activists and the April 6 youth movement, which was at the forefront of the country’s 2011 uprising, called for nationwide protests, including one in front of President Mohammed Morsi’s house.
You definitely want to watch this one all the way to the end. Judge Jeanine doesn’t leave anyone guessing as to how she feels about statements that have been made by the mother of the Boston jihadid bombers:
Member of Scottish Parliament concerned over misuse of Pakistan blasphemy laws
GLASGOW, UK (Rebecca Gebauer) John Mason, a member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) expressed his concern over the Pakistan’s blasphemy laws during a meeting with delegates of Global Minorities Alliance at the Alliance’s office on Monday April, 29.
Sheraz Khan, Chief Executive of Global Minorities Alliance gave an in-depth briefing to Mr Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston on the widespread misuse of Pakistan’s disputed blasphemy laws. Mr Khan told the MSP that the laws were being widely misused in Pakistan to settle personal scores and vendettas.
He said the misuse of the blasphemy laws had dealt a massive blow to communal and interfaith relations in Pakistan. He requested Mr Mason to voice the Alliance’s concern over the misuse of Pakistan blasphemy laws in the Scottish Parliament. Mr Mason said that he would write to the Pakistan Consulate in the first instance. A members’ motion or question to a minster would be possible other options.
Mr Khan also drew the MSP’s attention towards infiltration of Islam in the text books of linguistics and social sciences. “A grade 2 book of Urdu language asks questions like: Who are we? and the answer given is : We are Muslims,” Mr Khan told the meeting.
بيان اتحاد المنظمات القبطية في اوربا للتنديد بحبس وتعذيب الأقباط واتخاذهم رهائن فى سجون الاخوان
يندد اتحاد المنظمات القبطية باوربا باعمال البطش والتعذيب للأقباط على يد النظام العنصرى الاخوانى في مصر وإتخاذ الأقباط رهائن بالقائهم فى غياهب السجون وإلصاق التهم الباطلة بهم مثل حالة السيدة سعاد اخنوخ سليم بطرس المسجونة فى سجن المنيا العام حبسا إنفراديا رغم أنها تعانى من عدة أمراض مما يعرض حياتها للخطر وإتخاذها رهينة و إلصاق تهمة التغرير بفتاة الوسطى التى اشيع اعتناقها المسيحية رغم علم أسرتها بمكانها تماما وإنها راشد وتزوجت من شاب مسلم.
و إستمرارآ لذات السياسة العنصرية للنظام الأخوانى يتم القاء القبض على المواطن زكي توفيق اندراوس والد الشاب اندور وابن عمه الشاب بيتر بهيج توفيق انداورس المسجنونين فى سجن الفيوم وما يلاقونه من سوء معاملة مما يهدد حياتهم .
