By: Ashraf Ramelah
Voice of the Copts

Unconfirmed information reaching our office in the United States indicates that the Egyptian regime is secretly organizing a delegation to visit the United States.

The delegation, which will include two Copts who are agents of the regime, will come to dispute and contradict the information related to Egypt in the International Religious Freedom Report issued by the U.S. Department of State. 　

On or about November 17, 2010, the State Department issued a report citing violations against Copts of Egypt. In the report, Egypt was included among thirty countries with human rights violations.

The report emphasizes the Copts’ dilemma of constructing new churches and repairing existing churches under laws that forbid them to do so. The report also briefly referred to the relationship between Muslim aggressors and Coptic victims in the court system.

Based upon the Shariah law included in the Egyptian constitution, any Muslim converted to Christianity meets harassment and death threats.　

The editor-in-chief of the regime’s newspaper, Al-Ahram, on November 22, 2010, stated that the U.S. preaches evil and should not be allowed to monitor or interfere in Egypt’s internal affairs. He continues to say that Christians and Muslims have no problem living together in harmony.　

Meanwhile, the Al-Ahram newspaper has not yet condemned the brutal attack which took place a few days ago against Copts demonstrating inside the construction site of their church in Giza where three men were killed by bullets from the regime police.

In a telephone conversation yesterday with an officer of the U.S. State Department, Voice of the Copts learned that his office had no knowledge of the upcoming visit by the Egyptian delegation.

The following information was reported to Voice of the Copts concerning this event: The delegation should arrive in the U.S. on or about Thursday, December 2 and depart by Thursday, December 23 to Canada.

The inclusion of two Copts within the delegation to argue there is no discrimination against the 15 million or more Copts living in Egypt is manipulative.

Meanwhile, Voice of the Copts considers such a visit as interference in the sovereignty of the United States of America and is a clear indication of the two weights and two measures used in the Arab-Muslim world.

The following are names of some members of the delegation and their occupations in the Egyptian regime:

– Lyla Ahmed Baaha El-Deen: Ambassador acting as Vice Deputy of Foreign Ministry for Human Rights.

– Hani Aziz: Copt, business man, connected with Egyptian regime, lawfully stated in various occasions that he is a Coptic Pope advisor.　 　

– Mohamed El-Darahami: Retired ambassador, Vice Deputy of Foreign Ministry.

– Reda Habib Zaky: Copt, Accredited Ministry.

– Ayman El-Fayomy: Secret Service.

– Samir Tahaa: Secret Service.

– Dr. Mustafa Al-Adawy: National Security.

Voice of the Copts is asking the U.S. State Department to reject any interference in our internal affairs from this delegation of a foreign state and to stand beside all those who collaborated and issued the International Religious Freedom Report. Furthermore, we demand that the U.S. State Department question the members of this delegation regarding the following issues:

– The last regime attack on civilian Copts using bullets resulting in the death of three persons and leaving others in critical condition.

– Update on the killing of Copts in Eastern Christmas Eve while leaving Church in Nag Hammadi.

– The attack on Copts in various towns in Upper Egypt and other cities, leaving Coptic businesses and homes destroyed.

– The United Nations Rapporteur still has not received any response from Egypt concerning Hegazy’s case to state his new faith on his I.D. Is the fatwa issued for his death still ongoing?

– Explain the photo of fraud taking place in your election a few days ago in spite of the fact that Al-Ahram newspaper states that Americans need to learn democracy from Egypt.　

And much more….　

Voice of the Copts demands basic human rights for all Egyptians and to end persecution, discrimination and oppression of the Copts NOW.