Christians in Egypt face systematic discrimination – report
The report points to arrests, pressure, restrictions on church construction, and weak protection of the rights of Christians and other religious minorities in Egypt.
On April 29, 2026, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom published a report on the situation of religious minorities in Egypt, stating that systemic discrimination against Christians and other non-Muslim communities continues.
According to the report, Egyptian authorities continue to apply laws and practices that restrict the religious life of minorities, including Coptic Christians, Baha’is, and others. Despite some limited steps toward religious tolerance, the overall situation remains tense.
The document cites specific cases of pressure. Christian convert Saeed Abdelrazek, for example, was charged with “contempt of Islam” after posting about his faith and was reportedly beaten in detention.
The report also notes unequal treatment in the construction of places of worship: thousands of applications to build churches remain unapproved, while mosque construction proceeds much faster.
Other problems cited include clashes between security forces and Copts over church construction, disappearances of Christian women and inadequate responses by authorities, as well as arrests over online comments about religion.
At the same time, the report mentions some limited changes, including the introduction of a paid Easter holiday for Christians in the private sector.
Based on its findings, the report recommends placing Egypt on the Special Watch List over violations of religious freedom.
As previously reported by the UOJ, a migrant in Spain beat a woman because of her Christian faith.
