Egypt’s population of 84.4 million has the Middle East's largest Christian community (12.8 percent of the nation’s population).
The last 10 years have seen high levels of violence. Harassment, discrimination and financial incentives for Christians to adopt Islam are used to break the morale of Christians. Some areas, such as Upper Egypt, face more intense pressure than others do. In most cases, vigilante Islamist groups carry out the attacks that occur—and often with the tacit acceptance of local security forces. Believers from Muslim backgrounds tend to receive much of the persecution.
While the constitution allows for freedom of conversion, Muslims converting to Christianity are unable to change their religion or their name on their identification cards. Without this change, Christian women remain designated as Muslims and are unable to marry Christian men. Children of those designated Muslim (even if they are, in fact, Christian) are educated as Muslims and police routinely turn those with Islamic names away from entering churches.
Today, there is much political change, as President Hosni Mubarak resigned in February 2011, following days of pro-democracy protests. His resignation ended a 30-year regime that many considered corrupt. Christians fear that Islam will become a big part in the new government, leaving their future uncertain.
