\u200bWe condemn the terrorist attacks targeting the Coptic community and continue to stand with Egypt against terrorism. We regularly raise our concerns over issues affecting Christians with the Egyptian Government and welcome President Sisi's consistent calls for peaceful coexistence. The Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, visited Cairo in November, where he reaffirmed our mutual commitment to freedom of religion or belief and held a roundtable with religious leaders at the Anglican Cathedral.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1201", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alistair Burt"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Bedfordshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alistair Burt"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-08T11:59:18Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-02-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Egypt: Christianity"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to promote religious tolerance and justice for Coptic Christians in Egypt.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4599", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ross Thomson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Aberdeen South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ross Thomson"} ], "uin" : "226726"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/825799", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/825799/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We are concerned about terrorist attacks in Egypt that have targeted the Coptic community and at reports of sectarian violence. Combating sectarian violence is a shared strategic objective for the Egyptian and British Governments and we welcome President Sisi's calls for peaceful coexistence between communities. The Government of Egypt has stated its commitment to protecting the rights of minorities and of the need for religious tolerance, and the Egyptian constitution contains protection for Freedom of Religious Belief. It is important that these rights are respected.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1201", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alistair Burt"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Bedfordshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alistair Burt"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-01-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-29T16:46:39.107Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Egypt: Christianity"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the treatment of Christians in Egypt.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4633", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Girvan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Antrim"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Girvan"} ], "uin" : "123866"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/731230", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/731230/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Combating sectarian violence in Egypt is a shared objective for the Egyptian and British Governments.<\/p>
Following the recent terrorist attacks in Egypt targeting the Coptic Community, the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) wrote to the President of Egypt to express her condolences and reiterate the UK's support for Egypt in its fight against terrorism. The Government continues to work closely with the Egyptian authorities on security and counter-terrorism, including through training Egyptian officers in countering improvised explosive devices and close protection.<\/p>
The British Government has been clear that freedom of religious belief needs to be protected and that the ability to worship in peace is a vital component of a democratic society. We are concerned about recent reports of sectarian violence in Egypt, and welcome President Sisi's consistent calls for peaceful coexistence and the Government of Egypt's expression of support for the rights of Christians and for religious tolerance.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1201", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alistair Burt"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Bedfordshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alistair Burt"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-06-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-06-29T12:58:22.763Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-06-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Egypt: Christianity"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic and other support the Government has given to the Egyptian Government as a result of recent attacks on Christian churches in the country.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"} ], "uin" : "372"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 3, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }