The Forgotten Christians of Egypt
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who seized power in a 2013 coup with Coptic Pope Tawadros II’s public support, has since intensified authoritarian rule, suppressing religious minorities like the 15-million-strong Coptic Christian population alongside political dissidents. His regime, backed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, has used mass arrests, torture, and violent crackdowns—such as the Rab’a Square massacre killing over 800 protesters—to eliminate opposition, while elections remain a facade of democracy under severe repression.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi consolidated power after a 2013 coup, initially backed by Coptic Pope Tawadros II, but has since betrayed the country’s 15 million Copts—the largest Christian community in the Middle East. His authoritarian rule, supported by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, has targeted religious minorities alongside political opponents, deepening repression under the guise of stability. El-Sisi’s crackdown followed the brief democratic experiment of Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood presidency, which ended violently after mass protests. The military dispersed demonstrators in Rab’a Square in 2013, killing over 800 people, while arrests surged to 65,000, with widespread torture and the shutdown of NGOs like the Al-Nadeem Center for documenting abuses. Freedom House and Human Rights Watch classify Egypt as ‘not free,’ citing vanished political opposition, arbitrary detentions, and systemic human rights abuses. Elections, such as those held in 2025, lack genuine competition, with critics facing imprisonment for dissent. Security forces operate with impunity, silencing dissent through extrajudicial killings and judicial harassment. Despite Egypt’s status as a U.S. ally, its authoritarianism fuels regional instability, contradicting democratic ideals. The regime’s reliance on Gulf funding and brutal tactics mirrors China’s Tiananmen Square crackdown, embedding repression as a core governance strategy.
This content was automatically generated and/or translated by AI. It may contain inaccuracies. Please refer to the original sources for verification.