The US State Department issued its annual Religious Freedom Report for the year ended in 2015 on Wednesday, with the section on Egypt (pdf) highlighting the visible efforts of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to change public discourse and attitudes toward sectarianism in the country. The report was less forgiving on the inaction of the country’s police force with regard to responding to incidents of sectarian violence, especially in rural Egypt. The report notes “Actions and statements of President Sisi, however, were seen by Christian leaders as positive messages that Christians were full members of society. Police failed to act in the face of victimization of Christians in Upper Egypt who were disproportionately targeted for kidnapping and extortion, according to human rights activists and Christian leaders, although there were some reports of police successfully securing the release of kidnapped Christians.”