Expert: Mubarak's Exit Good for Coptic Christians; Did Not Grant Christians Same Rights as Muslims

The Christian Today website reports today (February 12, 2011) that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's resignation yesterday is good for the country's Coptic Orthodox Christians, according to a religious freedom expert.

Paul Marshall, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom in Washington, DC, said, "I think Mubarak's resignation is a good thing for Coptic Christians, and other Egyptians."

He added, "The key question is what comes next. Can and will the military and (Vice President) Suleiman make real reforms that satisfy those demonstrating for freedom and preserve stability?"

Coptic Orthodox Christians -- who make up about 12 percent of Egypt's 80 million population -- have united and protested alongside Muslims during the anti-government demonstrations. Mubarak, a Muslim, did not grant Egypt's Christians the same rights he granted Muslims, and tended to "look the other way" when innocent Egyptian Christians were assassinated by Muslim extremists.