Leading Coptic activists called on all Christians to rally their ranks into one political party so that Coptic votes would not be dispersed in the Egyptian Bloc or other alliances, urging Coptic Orthodox Pope Shenouda III to investigate the bishops who asked Copts to vote for the Egyptian Bloc.

During the conference called by the General Coptic Organization in Egypt, held Sunday (January 29) under the rubric “position of Copts in Egypt after parliamentary elections,” the activists expressed protest against the appointment of five Copts in the People’s Assembly on the grounds that they do not represent all Copts.

Sharīf Dūs, the chairman of the organization, said the status of Copts has not changed after the revolution, and even became worse.

“So far none of the culprits involved in any sectarian crimes was brought to justice,” said Dūs, pointing out that one year after the revolution, no single church was built. He called on SCAF to make public the findings of the investigations into the “Maspero massacre” of October 9, 2011, which left dozens killed or wounded.

Najīb Jabrā’īl, Chairman of the Egyptian Union of Human Rights Organization (EUHRO), said Copts experienced their worst times under Field Marshal (Muhammad Husayn) Tantāwī, adding SCAF has created an atmosphere of banishment of Copts.

“The objective behind the appointment of five Copts in the People’s Assembly is only to marginalize Egyptian Christians,” he said, urging SCAF to form a committee to draft a constitution in which Copts would participate.

Mamdūh Ramzī, the deputy leader of the Reform and Development Party (RDP), said that the church was involved in a dark tunnel and helped offer Egypt on a silver plate for the Muslim Brotherhood.

“We have nothing to do with the implementation of the Islamic sharī’ah in accordance with the texts of the Qur’ān. The hudūd are to be applied to Muslims, not Copts,” he said.

Michael Meunier, the founder and leader of al-Hayāh Party, criticized the recent parliamentary elections and termed them as “unfair”.

“A party in the Egyptian Bloc insisted on banishing Copts away from running on the bloc’s lists,” he said. [‘Imād Khalīl, al-Misrī al-Yawm, Jan. 30, p. 3]