Bill Text: NJ AR131 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Condemns the religious persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2011-01-20 - Withdrawn from Consideration [AR131 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-AR131-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman AMY H. HANDLIN
District 13 (Middlesex and Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Condemns the religious persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution condemning the religious persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt.
Whereas, In the early morning hours of January 1, 2011, a bomb exploded in a Coptic Christian church, killing 21 and wounding nearly 100 worshippers attending a New Year's Mass in Alexandria, Egypt; and
Whereas, The bombing, which left the church bloodstained and scarred with shrapnel from the blast, was the deadliest event in recent memory for the Coptic Christian community in Egypt; and
Whereas, This vile attack on the Coptic Christians in Egypt is the climax of a deeply disturbing trend of violence, discrimination, intolerance and other violations of human rights against Coptic Christians in Egypt during the past year; and
Whereas, Violence escalated for the first time in 2010, on January 6, when a drive-by shooting took the lives of six Coptic Christians and one police officer as worshippers were leaving midnight mass on Coptic Christmas Eve in the town of Nag' Hammadi; and
Whereas, On March 12, 2010, in Marsa Matrouh, some 250 Muslim worshippers attacked a nearby Coptic Church, throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at the building and injuring approximately two dozen Coptic Christians inside; and
Whereas, Again, on November 24, 2010, violence left many injured and one dead in the town of Giza after Egyptian police violently halted construction on a Coptic Church and then forcibly dispersed a demonstration against the government's interference; and
Whereas, In addition to violence, Coptic Christians in Egypt face official and societal discrimination, such that there are few Christians in the highest levels of the government and military; and
Whereas, Government permission is required before Christians can build or improve a church, and applications for building permits are routinely ignored by government officials; and
Whereas, Although there is no official prohibition against proselytizing, non-Muslims are often prosecuted by the Egyptian government for proselytizing; and
Whereas, Coptic Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypt's population of 80 million, and are a vital religious organization, with roots reaching back to the very foundations of Christianity; and
Whereas, Believers in religious freedom cannot remain silent in the face of such egregious violations of human rights; and
Whereas, It is fitting and proper for this House to show its solidarity with the Coptic Christian community and its commitment to religious freedom during this difficult time; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House condemns the religious persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt and calls upon Egypt to take steps to protect the rights of this community to practice their religion in peace.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Secretary thereof, shall be transmitted to the Egyptian Ambassador to the United Nations and to the Secretary General of the United Nations.
STATEMENT
This resolution condemns the religious persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt and calls upon Egypt to take steps to protect the rights of this community to practice their religion in peace.
