Copts

There are at least 10 million Copts in the world today; estimates vary widely.  Copts are Egyptian Christians, and they traditionally belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church.  To the casual observer, the Coptic Orthodox Church differs only slightly from the doctrines of the Eastern Orthodox or Roman Catholic churches.  Some Copts also belong to the Coptic Catholic Church or various Protestant denominations.

While the Arab Spring in Egypt saw widespread unity among Egyptians regardless of religion, there have also been in recent months acts of violence motivated by religion, particularly the burning of several churches throughout the country. In early October, Coptic Christians responded by organizing a demonstration outside Cairo's Maspero television building; 27 Christians were killed when security forces opened fire on protestors. There are also complaints that Christians are systematically excluded from top positions in the military, academia, and the government. 

For more information, see http://bit.ly/hcnnJk to learn more about the Coptic Orthodox Church or http://bit.ly/q07xDY for a good background article on the Maspero incident.