Release International

A Coptic Christian has found himself at the centre of a row over where Christian activities can lawfully be held – after inviting a pastor to his home to pray for a sick relative.

Maurice Salama Sharkawy, 37, was arrested for conducting 'religious rites without a licence' and provoking 'sectarian clashes' after he invited Pastor Elia Shafik to pray for his father, who had suffered a stroke. State security officials broke into Maurice's house in Deir Samalout, Minia province, during the prayers and took him into custody for two days. A number of his cousins were detained at the same time.

Maurice has previously been criticised by local Muslims for holding prayer meetings at his home instead of limiting his worship to the nearest church, which is more than five miles away. He is now under police observation, reports the Assyrian International News Agency.

Rev Moses Raphael of the Samalout Coptic Orthodox Diocese said that it is not now uncommon for Coptic villagers to be arrested for praying at home. He added that local authorities are increasingly reluctant to grant Christians permits to build new churches.

Maurice's arrest coincides with the release of a hard-hitting report by Christian Solidarity International and the Coptic Foundation for Human Rights exposing the issue of Christian women in Egypt being forcibly married and converted to Islam. The report documents dozens of cases of Coptic women being abducted, raped and forced to marry Muslim men – and accuses the Egyptian authorities of 'ignoring' most cases that are brought to the attention of police.

Coptic Christians, who make up between eight and 12 per cent of Egypt's population, are marginalised and discriminated against in a nation where Islam is the 'religion of the state'.
(Sources: Assyrian International News Agency, Christian Post)

• Pray that Maurice Sharkawy and other local Copts will be able to worship at home.
• Pray that the Egyptian authorities will do more to uphold the religious rights of minority Coptic Christians and stamp out the abduction and forced marriage of Christian women.

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