Egypt's president on Wednesday swore in the first-ever Coptic Christian to head the country's highest court.
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Judge Boulos Fahmy is the 19th person to preside over the Supreme Constitutional Court since it was established in 1969. President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi picked the 65-year-old Fahmy from among the court's five oldest of 15 sitting judges, as is prescribed by law. He will succeeded Judge Saeed Marei, who retired over health reasons.
Moushira Khattab, head of the government-appointed National Council for Human Rights, hailed the decision as "historic" and "a giant move" in the field of political and civil rights.
Christians, who make up almost 10% of Egypt's population of more than 102 million, have long complained of discrimination at the hands of the Muslim majority. Activists also say Copts are discriminated against and kept from high office.
