Egyptian Christians Threatened, Blamed by Islamists for Voting
- Religion Today
- Updated May 30, 2012
![Egyptian Christians Threatened, Blamed by Islamists for Voting](https://i.swncdn.com/media/700w/crosswalk/resource/areas/crosswalk/resources/images/defaultimages/article-large-landscape.png)
The official results of the first round of the Egyptian presidential elections are in, and the run-off will be between Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsy and independent candidate Ahmad Shafik, former president Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister. ASSIST News Service reports that many Islamists, fearing Shafik if he comes to power -- especially after he vowed to bring back order and security within one month of his election -- are blaming Coptic Christians for voting for him and bringing him to second place. Copts have been accused of being "traitors" and "anti-revolutionary" for voting to bring back the old regime. "These accusations are part of a terror and intimidation campaign to prevent them from voting again for Shafik, or even boycotting the elections altogether, which would be the same as voting for Morsy," said Egyptian writer Saad Namnam. Coptic human rights lawyer Athanasious Williams says that regardless of who wins the election, persecution of Christians will continue in Egypt -- the question is just how bad it will be. "I am expecting the worst in all cases," he said. "If the Islamists take over, we will be like Iran, and they will enforce sharia law, and there will be no freedom of religion. There will be no freedoms of any kind. ... If Shafik takes over, it will be the same way it was before."