appeal to revert from Islam to Christianity, BosNewsLife monitored.
A lower administrative court ruled against the plaintiffs on April 29, prohibiting them from restoring their Christian identities on their national identification cards. One of the reasons why Coptic Christians in Egypt "convert" to Islam is to have a divorce, which is often refused by their church, according to observers. Some of the plaintiffs are children who automatically became Muslim when their parents converted. All have declared they want to return to the Christian faith, media reported.
While Islam accepts Christianity as a fellow monotheistic religion ‘Sharia’, or Islamic law, considers (re)conversion to any religion "apostasy", which some conservative Muslims say is punishable by death.
However Egypt’s Supreme Administrative Court accepted the appeal and referred the case to a related committee that will make the final ruling, said Mamdouh Nakhlah, a lawyer for 12 of the plaintiffs, in published remarks. "This is a good step forward; we hope the ruling will be positive," which is expected in September, he added.
COURT OFFICIALS
Court officials reportedly said government lawyers objected to Judge Essam Eddin Abdel-Aziz’s decision to accept the appeal, arguing the initial verdict issued in April was in line with the principles of Islamic Sharia law. In a statement the director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights expressed support for the judge’s decision to accept the appeal.
"Today’s ruling is undoubtedly a step in the right direction," said Hossam Bahgat. "We are hopeful and optimistic that the Supreme Administrative Court will eventually uphold the principles of religious freedom and non-discrimination, both of which are guaranteed under the Constitution and international law."
In the initial ruling, the lower court reportedly accused the plaintiffs of "manipulation" for changing from one religion to another. Evangelical Christians have argued that Christianity has nothing to do with "religion" as it is about a "personal relationship with Jesus Christ."
Yet, those arguing for the religious identity case say it will make it easier for the Coptic Christians to function within their societies. There have been however violent attacks against Coptic churches and individuals by Muslim militants, church leaders and human rights groups have said. But Monday’s ruling was proving "there is still a window of freedom in Egypt," said lawyer Ramsis Naggar, who has filed 400 similar lawsuits. He reportedly predicted a "positive outcome" in September’s hearing. (With reporting from Egypt).
