CAIRO: The first Coptic Christian to head the Supreme Constitutional Court, Egypt’s highest judicial body, was sworn in on Wednesday by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Judge Boulos Fahmy, 65, was chosen by El-Sisi from the five oldest of the court’s 15 sitting judges, as required by law, and is the 19th judge to preside over the court since it was established in 1969. Fahmy has headed the court’s general secretariat since 2014. He succeeds Judge Saeed Marei, who retired for health reasons. The appointment was widely welcomed in Egypt on Wednesday. Moushira Khattab, head of the 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 percent of Egypt’s population of more than 102 million, have long complained of discrimination. Activists also say Copts are discriminated against and kept from high office. However, since El-Sisi became president in 2014, he has been viewed by most Christians as their protector and ally in opposition to Islamist extremists. He usually attends Orthodox Christmas Mass as a show of solidarity with Copts. El-Sisi has also taken steps to empower Christians, including the appointment of the first Coptic Christian woman as a provincial governor in 2018. He has also encouraged the building of Christian churches across the country after decades of restrictions.