A scandal was uncovered this week at an Upper Egyptian elementary girl's school, where a Muslim teacher has been sexually assaulting Christian Coptic children. Copts are enraged due to the impunity with which the State Security authorities have dealt with these crimes.

The last incident took place on Tuesday 3/3/2010 in the Helwa Girl's Elementary School, when Arabic teacher Hany Taha, lured 11-years-old Hanan Adel Aziz to the school's lower ground floor and dragged her

into the washroom. She was later rescued by another Muslim teacher when he heard her distressed screams. The village of Helwa lies in the district of Matai, 200 km south of Cairo, in the Minya Governorate.

"Hany Taha has been targeting only the school's Christian minor girls and has five 'known rape precedents' in the same school. However, the guardians of the children were put under pressure to accept a reconciliation using both coercion and threats not to report the incidents, according to activist Mariam Ragy of Katiba Tibia advocacy after interviewing Adel Aziz, the victim's father. Aziz said that

the Muslim teacher lured his daughter from the classroom under the pretext that her aunt who works mornings in the same school is waiting for her. Ragy said that the accused Muslim teacher used to work in a private school before being sacked due to the same pervert behavior. "Also two transfer resolutions from this school were issued against him but were waived due to the "the existence of a family relationship

between the headmistress and the brother of the accused, said Ragy. "

"Ironically, only 3 months ago did teacher Taha rape the Coptic minor Magda Bochra Shaker from the same school. Her family was forced into reconciliation with the intervention of the school headmistress," said activist Medhat Klada of Copts United advocacy.

The education department at the school has investigated the last incident. and posed a few sanctions on the teacher, but no action was taken concerning the criminal side of this case. Attorney Naguib Gabrail who heads the Egyptian Union for Human Rights said that what happened to the Matay girl is sexual abuse of a minor girl, which is a criminal act. "We are about to present an official communication to the Attorney-General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud, to investigate the incident and bring the offender to a speedy trial," he said.

Adel Aziz told Mariam Ragy that he is being put under pressure to reconcile with the perpetrator. "But I flatly refuse any kind of reconciliation. This is a matter touching on my honor, Taha ought to get the full brunt of the law."

Copts all over the Minya Governorate, are angered over the double standards used by the Security authorities in handling rape cases of Muslims and Christian girls.

PCP