After the Arab Spring the West was optimistic that democracy would flourish in the Middle East. However, for the Christians of the area the Arab Spring was viewed with caution and fear.
In Egypt the Muslim Brotherhood, with links to al-Qaeda came to power, and the Christian population of Egypt have seen persecution increase. In the latest attack Coptic Christians who were demonstrating against the government, and the deeply unpopular President Mohammed Morsi, were rounded up and taken to a Mosque after Friday prayers. The Mosque was taken over by hardline members of the Muslim Brotherhood, who then used the building to torture the Christians.
“They accompanied me to one of the mosques in the area and I discovered the mosque was being used to imprison demonstrators and torture them,” said Amir Ayad, a coptic Christian and protester of the Morsi regime. Ayad was severely beaten and later dumped at the side of the road, and left for dead.
This latest attack is further evidence of the Muslim Brotherhood’s attitude towards Christians in Egypt, and expects believe the situation of the Christian minority will only become worse. Christians make up about 10% or Egypt’s population.