Bipartisan Resolution Focuses On Plight Of Egyptian Christians

There is a bipartisan effort on Capitol Hill seeking to focus attention on the plight of Coptic Christians, the embattled minority in Muslim-majority Egypt. 

U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. French Hill (R-AR) and Rep. Tom Suozzi (D -NY) introduced House Resolution 776 to highlight the systematic persecution of Christians in Egypt and the absence of equal rights. The bill says there is an urgent need for international accountability to protect Egypt’s indigenous Christian population.

Centuries ago, Christians were a majority in Egypt and formed part of the Byzantine Christian empire. However, a Muslim invasion in 646 AD, a little more than a decade after the death of the founder of Islam, Mohammed, secured it for Islam. Ever since, Christians and Jews were held to a second-class or dhimmi status and subjected to a head tax and severe restrictions on the lives and religious practices. 

Coptic Solidarity, a nonprofit human rights advocacy group, applauded the resolution. “By taking just a minute to send a message to your Representative, you help amplify the voices of millions of Copts who are denied basic rights in their own homeland,” said Caroline Doss, President of Coptic Solidarity. “This resolution is more than words—it’s a test of whether the U.S. will stand firmly for equality, religious freedom, and accountability. We need everyone’s participation to ensure that Congress acts,” she added.

The resolution states: “St. Mark brought Christianity to Egypt, where Coptic Christians have been an Indigenous people of Egypt for over 2,000 years, deeply rooted in ancient Egyptian traditions, from language and liturgical music to ritual symbolism, and have preserved a cultural identity that long predates the Islamic conquest of Egypt in the seventh century.”

Today, numbering more than 10 million, the Copts are the Middle East’s largest Christian and non-Muslim community. Under Islamic custom, and despite their long history and deep contributions to Egyptian society, Copts live as marginalized second-class citizens, facing systemic restrictions on religious freedom, routine discrimination in education and employment, disproportionate arrests under “blasphemy” laws, and violence that is almost always met with impunity. According to Coptic Solidarity, their identity has been consistently undermined through legal manipulation, denial of history, and state policies designed to erode their existence. 

Christian women are frequently abducted, raped, and forced to convert to Islam. There have also been bombings of Christian churches and murders targeting Christians. Acccording to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Liberty, religious freedom in Egypt remains tenuous. The 2025 report by the Commission states: 
 

“Egyptian authorities continued to enforce the criminal blasphemy statute, Article 98(f), which punishes “ridiculing or insulting a heavenly religion or a sect following it,” including through

prolonged, pretrial detention for individuals who face related accusations or charges. In January, a Nozha court sentenced composer Ahmed Hegazy to six months in prison for “contempt of religion.” Prison officials reportedly subjected Christian convert Nour Fayez Ibrahim Gerges—imprisoned in 2021 on blasphemy and terrorism charges—to abuse and torture. State security also continued to hold without trial Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo, a Yemeni Christian convert whom authorities detained in 2021 for blasphemy after he discussed his conversion online.”
 

Key provisions of HR 776

• Affirms the historic U.S.-Egypt partnership while underscoring the importance of strengthening human rights and rule of law.

• Acknowledges Copts as an integral part of Egypt’s history and calls for their equal treatment as full citizens.

• Urges the Egyptian government to end the culture of impunity surrounding violence against Christians by prosecuting perpetrators and holding complicit officials accountable.

• Calls for equal rights for Copts in law, practice, and societal participation, in line with international human rights commitments.
 

Coptic Solidiarity encourages Americans to cooperate with the group’s online advocacy campaign and add their names to messages to members of Congress. The nonprofit is calling on members of Congress to co-sponsor and pass the resolution.