No Change in Sight : the Situation of Religious Minorities In

In January 2011, after three decades under President Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian people joined together in an uprising -- subsequently dubbed the January 25 Revolution -- that was widely seen as an important move towards greater civil and political freedoms in the country. However, since then security in the country has deteriorated -- and it is Egypt's religious minorities who are bearing the brunt of this renewed violence. This report explores the troubling continuation of the marginalization and insecurity that characterized the situation of religious minorities during the Mubarak era. These include an ongoing climate of impunity, enabled by the government's unwillingness to prevent or prosecute sectarian violence, as well as restrictive legislation, engrained prejudice and the prevalence of hate speech in political and religious discourse.