Church sources, commenting on Ex-spy chief ‘Umar Sulaymān’s candidacy, said that Copts are free to vote for the presidential hopeful they want. The Coptic Catholic Church declined to comment.

Rev. Dr. Andrea Zakī, vice-president of the Coptic Evangelical Church, and General Director of the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services (CEOSS),  said that having many candidates for presidency is necessary and voters will decide on their preferred candidate after weighing the platform of each of the candidates.

On the other hand, Coptic movements were against the candidacy of Sulaymān. Sharīf Ramzī, Coordinator of Copts Without Borders movement, said that Sulaymān’s nomination is a step backwards. [‘Imād Khalīl and Hibah Shawrī, al-Misrī al-Yawm, April 8, p. 7] Read original text in Arabic