Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II accused the security apparatuses of negligence and criticizes the media for the exaggeration of events and enlarging any argument between a Muslim and Christian to fitnah tā’ifīyah, according to Mamdūh Ramzī, a [Coptic] member of the Shūrá Council.

Pope Tawadros met with members of parliament from the opposition parties and independents at Saint Mark Cathedral in al-‘Abbāsīyyah yesterday (April 17, 2013). Ramzī said that the Pope was very clear and did not flatter anyone. The Pope’s accusations against the security is due to their failure to protect a religious symbol which never happened before. He also blamed some officials in positions of power for blaming Copts for incidents before the end of an official investigation. Member of Parliament (MP) Nabīl ‘Azmī said that the Pope is in a severe state of grief and holds security and executive power responsible for the events, and accuses them of dragging their feet over saving Egyptian lives in general. The MP points out that the Pope has repeatedly requested the implementation of legislation that protects all Egyptian and issue a law that would protect worship houses, as well as implementing articles of the Constitution guaranteeing freedom of worship. MP ‘Azmī said that Coptic member of parliament would push this agenda in the next parliamentary session (Yāsir Ibrāhīm, al-Wafd, April 18, p. 3). Read original text in Arabic.