Dozens of Copts from the village al-Wāstá in Beni Suef Governorate have closed their shops in response to threats from the family of the Muslim girl who disappeared over a month ago. This follows an appeal from the church that all shop owners close their shops to avoid an escalation of the situation.

The people of al-Wāstá organized a march that tours the streets of the village in protest of the disappearance of the university student. The protesters are accusing a Coptic man of being involved in the case (Muhsin ‘Abd al-Karīm, a-Wafd, Mar. 22, p. 7). Read original text in Arabic.