Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

The ‘urfī (conciliatory) council of the elders of Muslims and Copts in Asyut governorate managed to restore calm to al-‘Adar on the third day of sectarian incidents in the village and some other neighboring villages, sparked after a Coptic high school student has reportedly published cartoons offensive to Muslims on his Facebook page. [‘Abduh Hasānyn and Ahmad al-Asyūtī, Al-Wafd, Jan. 2, p. 5] Read original text in Arabic 

Islam criminalizes attacks on churches and non-Muslim houses of worship as Islamists, namely the Muslim Brotherhood and a number of Salafī parties, volunteered to protect churches during the New Year celebrations. [Dīyā' Abū al-Safā, Akhbār al-Yawm, p. 7, Jan. 1] Read original text in Arabic

Coptic Orthodox Pope Shenouda III will lead the Christmas mass, said Bishop Marqus of Shubrā al-Khaymah, denying rumors that the church was going to cancel this year’s celebrations of the Eastern Christmas on January 7, 2012. [Ashraf Sādiq, al-Ahrām, December 23, 2011, p.10] Read the original text in Arabic 

Egypt's post-revolution sectarian troubles are raising some scary questions about the future of the relationship between the partners in the nation.

The town of al-Najājrah, in the governorate of Aswan, experienced a sectarian crisis following a brawl between a number of Copts and Muslims because of neighborhood disputes.

They threw stones at each other which resulted in two people being injured.

Prosecutors are still looking into the case.

[Reviewer's note: The article is not available on the Internet]

Shubrāh al-Khaymah erupted after the unfortunate events in the region following the harassment by some of the Christian youth in the area of a Muslim girl. Both a Muslim and a Christian died.

Security forces coordinated with families of the villages in Minya after an incident erupted between Muslims and Copts over a speed bump outside the house of a Muslim citizen. It developed into a brawl which left a Christian citizen dead and 6 Muslims wounded. 6 houses were burnt as well as a private car, and a mosque and church were damaged in the villages of Faraj Allah and al-Hawārtah.

Read original text in Arabic

The idea for a new act which would outlaw discrimination has been gaining momentum in Egypt, particularly among religious councils and law professors.

The family of a girl in Shubrā have been convicted of the murder of her husband Yāsir. Yāsir was targeted by Heidi's family after they married in secret and she converted to Islam for him, changing her name to Hibah.

The National Justice Committee has drafted a unified law on places of worship, aiming to curb fitnah ṭā’ifīyah, which will offer new approaches in aspects such as transfer of licenses, regardless of religion or location.

These plans come in the wake of the May attacks on churches in Imbābah.