CAIRO - A Cairo-based group of lawyers has decided to take Deputy Prime Minister Yehia el-Gamal to court over an alleged blasphemy against Islam in a TV talk show programme on March 14. The group, led by lawyer Mammdouh Ismail, has reported el-Gamal to the Prosecutor General accusing him of insulting Islam when the deputy premier made a comment before the March 19 referrendum on constitutional reforms. El-Gamal was reported to be telling official Egyptian TV: "God will be thankful, if the yes votes totaled 70%... and that the salafists are narrow-minded people, who do not belong to Islam by any means." The lawyers, who consider the statement an insult to God and Islam, have called on the Prosecutor General to invoke the blasphemy law against el-Gamal and charge him with committing a civil crime. El-Gamal, who has not been available for comment on this report, may have little hope of defending himself because the charge of blasphemy brought by a Muslim backed by a videotaped statement serves as sufficient evidence for the crime, a lawyer told The Gazette by phone. Ahmed Khairy said that el-Gamal ��" if convicted ��" could be sentenced to three years jail for "blasphemy against Islam". "El-Gamal has been accused of mocking Almighty God, Islam and its rites and duties and was proud of his insolence against religion under the slogan of enlightenment, and freedom of speech" Khairi said. The lawyers' accusation is the first of its kind against a top Government official since the Egyptians have revolted against former President Hosni Mubarak on January 25.
