Egypt's government has proposed an anti-discrimination amendment to its criminal code, in a bid to curb sectarian attacks against the nation's Coptic Christian minority.

The draft bill would make discrimination a crime punishable by a jail sentence of at least three months. It defines discrimination as any action or lack of action that discriminates against people or a sect “due to gender, origin, language, religion or belief.”

The military must approve any law before it goes into effect.

Egypt has been considering new laws designed to stem sectarian violence, including banning protests at places of worship and the use of religious slogans to incite hatred.

Christians make up about a tenth of Egypt's 80 million people. They joined forces with Muslims during the protests that ousted long-time president Hosni Mubarak earlier this year.