Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Muslims who reverted to Christianity face administrative discrimination
Published in Daily News Egypt on 19 - 06 - 2007

CAIRO: The Supreme Administrative Court has begun discussing appeals to court orders forbidding Christian converts to Islam who have reverted back to Christianity from updating the relevant data on their national IDs.
According to Hossam Bahgat, chairman of the Egyptian Initiative of Personal Rights (EIPR) the administrative court has changed its stance concerning the civilian rights of Muslims who revert to Christianity after the appointment of a new head judge.
Bahgat told The Daily Star Egypt that he has been personally involved in filing cases asking for civilians rights for Muslims who revert to Christianity, and indicated that there are hundreds such cases. Until last September, these cases were approved by the administrative court which recommended that the ministry of interior apply the data change in the national IDs.
The original verdicts of those cases have been out since last April and the appeals will be discussed next July, Bahgat said.
Legally in Egypt there is no offense or criminal punishment if Muslims choose to become Christians or vice versa, Bahgat indicated.
He added that Christians who revert to Islam do not face similar obstacles.
However, in opposite cases, he said, they face severe administrative punishments and the state refuses to recognize their new religious affiliation denying them some of their basic rights.
But Saad Zaghloul, a Coptic appeals lawyer, disagrees with Bahgat.
To my own personal and professional knowledge, I ve never heard or encountered any case where a judge ruled for a Muslim to change his religion, Zaghloul told The Daily Star Egypt.
The problem is not restricted to a specific judge or a particular lawsuit, he said. I don t believe that any judge would rule in such a case at any time in history.
Zaghloul added that this problem will persist as long as the constitution contains Article 2 which states that the Islam is the official religion of Egypt.
If they [the government] are sincere indeed about implementing equal citizenship rights, this problem would have been immediately solved.
Zaghloul said that even if courts or judges rule in favor of such lawsuits, the administrative constraints will always be there to prevent the entire conversion process.
Anyone can worship whichever God or religion he believes in secret, Zaghloul said. It says a lot that the government can t recognize a person s wish to change his religion officially. It s exactly equivalent to preventing it. If your country doesn t want to acknowledge your desire to change religions, then what s the use then? How can you even claim that you re a Christian without getting in trouble?
Bahgat clearly indicated that their inability to obtain a national ID makes these citizens face difficulty in education and employment.
Sheikh Mohmoud Ashour, former deputy for Al Azhar and member of the Islamic Research Center, told The Daily Star Egypt that he is aware of the case under discussion but refused to give the Islamic opinion on the matter of the rights of those who change their religious affiliations.


Clic here to read the story from its source.