Rome, Italy, Sep 11, 2009 / 12:12 pm
Police in the mostly Muslim country of Egypt have arrested at least 150 Christians over the past several days for publicly “interrupting” the Ramadan fast.
The leader of the Liberal Christian Movement in Egypt, Samwel Alashay, who is a Coptic Christian, said the arrests are “unconstitutional because Egyptian laws guarantee the complete freedom” of individuals.
Police arrested the Christians for eating on the street during the day. Some have been released after posting $100 in bail.
According to L’Osservatore Romano, the movement has sent a letter to the Ministry of the Interior asking for an investigation of the officers involved. “The fact high-level police officers carry out these arrests is a grave sign for Muslims in general and for Christians in particularly, because the country is being transformed into a kind of Taliban state.”
Several organizations have posted statements on Facebook, urging supporters to stay at home and to dress in black as a form of peaceful protest.