The Civil Status Organization issued yesterday the first electronic birth certificates with an empty religion blank for two Baha'i children, Emad and Nancy Raouf Hindi Halim. This follows the decree issued about a month ago by Major General Habib Adli, Egypt's Interior Minister, to amend the Civil Status Law regarding the issuance of identity documents, such as birth certificates and ID cards, for people following religions not officially recognized by the State. Dr Haleem Hindi Rauf, the father of the two children, has said that the issue of his twins Emad and Nancy, who are now 16, has kept the public opinion busy over the past five years. He said they were left for so long with no papers although they had Egyptian parents and grandparents. He then added their mother's relatives have been Bahai for the last four generations, while his relatives have been for three. "Now I can say they are Egyptians, as they have Egyptian birth certificates". "I will soon start taking the necessary procedures to let them have their national ID cards, as our country's nationality is something we cherish" he added. Adel Ramadan, the representative of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, said the issuance of birth certificate with an empty religion blank was a practical solution to Bahais' problem in Egypt. He pointed out that this paper meant having interests and rights all citizens have and that this put an end to a five-year-long suffering in court. He said the Initiative has already requested national ID cards for Bahai citizens with empty religion blanks, adding their issuance would require just a few days.
