Free the Copts: From Ancient Glory to Modern Oppression

On 1 January 2011, a bomb blast outside a Coptic church in the Egyptian city of Alexandria kills dozens of Copts attending New Year services. Media outlets from around the world replay footage of the carnage. Threats are made against Copts worldwide. Angered, anguished, and defiant, Egypt’s besieged Copts flood the streets and clash with police in Alexandria and Cairo. Twenty-five days later on 25 January 2011, Egypt’s revolution begins and the events, once again, capture the international community’s attention. But this time the world watches with inspiration, as the Egyptian people seek to topple a dictatorship. FREE THE COPTS provides a fresh perspective on Egypt’s Copts, their culture, and their struggle against discrimination and persecution. Various politicians, journalists, academics, clergy, and activists from around the globe have contributed a range of articles to make this compilation a valuable resource about the Copts and their future in a changing Egypt.