Christian woman's attackers will face justice, vows Sisi

The May 20 attack in the village of Karma in Minya province followed a rumour that the woman's son had an affair with a Muslim woman. The armed Muslim mob that assaulted the 70-year-old woman also looted and torched seven Christian houses.

President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said such attacks divide Egyptians. "We are all one and the law must take its course," he said in comments broadcast live on local TV.

Egypt's Coptic Christians, about 10 percent of the country's 90 million people, have long complained of discrimination at the hands of the Muslim majority.

Sisi has, since taking office in 2014, amended election laws to allow more Christians into the national legislature and eased restrictions on building churches.

However, as Sisi vows justice, it is difficult to not overlook the massacre at Maspero State Television Centre in October 2011, where justice has still not been seen for the families of the 28 people killed that day.

The Maspero massacre occurred during a demonstration by predominantly Christian Copts to protest the coverage of the demolition of a church in southern Egypt.

The peaceful protesters who intended to stage a sit-in in front of the Maspero television building were attacked by security forces and the army - led by then army chief Sisi.

Two military armoured vehicles drove out of the television building, killing protesters by running them over and firing live ammunition, resulting in 28 deaths in the space of minutes, mostly among the Coptic protestors, and 212 injuries, most of which were sustained by Copts.