Egypt: A Newspaper Refutes Another in Defending the Baha'i Rights

Yesterday, Cairo's weekly newspaper, Al-dostour [the constitution] published an article written by Sheema'a Abul-Kheir refuting Al-Ahram's article written by its writer Muhammad Dunya, referred to in this previous post.

Al-Dostour's article is quite critical of the negative coverage provided in Al-Ahram regarding the recently released Human Rights Watch (HRW) report on the identity crisis in Egypt. The title states: "Al-Ahram criticized 'Human Rights Watch' report regarding religious freedom as if it [Al-Ahram] is inviting the citizens to commit forgery!"

In order to make a point, Abul-Kheir uses the Egyptian proverb "they did not find any fault in the roses." He stresses that Al-Ahram has a consistent history of being critical of international and national human rights reports accusing them of producing inaccurate information and data. This time, he adds, Al-Ahram was unable to refute any of the information and findings produced in the Human Rights Watch report, so instead it attacked the proposed solutions suggested by this well-respected human rights organization, "which, for the sake of accuracy, was produced in collaboration with the Egyptian Initiative for Human Rights, an Egyptian organization."

He also points out that Al-Ahram was unable to argue any of the statements made in the report regarding the constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom of belief and the right to choose one's religion--guarantees that were confirmed by various Egyptian courts including the constitutional court. Instead, Al-Ahram criticized the practical component of the report that addresses the applicability of the actual dictates of the law. Specifically, he points to the violation of citizenship rights of the Baha'is to be able to enter their religion correctly in official documents. He brings up that these citizen, as a result, are deprived of their rights to education, employment and health care. This violation extends further to their rights to marry and have families.

In response to Al-Ahram's statement about the Ministry of Interior's obstruction being based on the excuse that the second article of the constitution refers to "Islamic Shari'ah as a principal source of legislation" and that Islamic Shari'ah recognizes three religions only, he maintains that this excuse contradicts the findings of HRW report, which are based on multiple opinions of the highest Islamic authorities--including that of the honorable leader Gamal Qoutb--showing no evidence whatsoever to support the claim that Islamic Shari'ah recognizes only three religions.

He then puts forward the following questions to Al-Ahram: "what would these citizens do without official documents, of which they have been denied, and without which they are unable to manage their daily affairs? If the answer is that they would have to choose one of the three religions, what then if a Baha'i citizen is issued an ID card, with "Muslim" as his religion, marries a Muslim woman...would the all-capable Al-Ahram organization explain to us whether or not this marriage is to be considered legitimate?"

In the caricature accompanying the article, the newspaper chief editor seated at the desk asks his employee: "What do you mean the paper is not selling? What then would they cover people dying in the streets with?"

This is indeed a refreshing piece of intelligent journalism. Egypt is to be congratulated on producing this generation of eloquent, righteous and courageous journalists.

Egypt: Resolve Towards Equity, Justice and Human Rights

Baha'i rep. Dr. Basma Moussa (front-right) seated next to Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali

Two days ago, Egypt's National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) began its convention addressing the crisis of "citizenship." Invited were representatives of the Christian (Coptic), Muslim and Baha'i religions, as well as all government ministries, agencies and civil authorities. On opening the convention, NCHR's president, Dr. Bouros Boutros-Ghali, called for the formation of a permanent national anti-discrimination league. The league would be charged with the elimination of any form of discrimination based on religion, gender or ethnic origin. It would be similar to other international agencies such as the ones in Morocco, France and the United States of America.

Today, Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper published an article in which it announced that the Human Rights Committee of Egypt's Parliament [Maghlis Al-Shaab] has decided to invite the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the president of the National Council for Human Rights to work on proposed corrective legislation in response to the various reports released by regional, national and international human rights organizations.

This parliamentarian committee will study and implement the recommendations put forth by the National Council for Human Rights. It will also examine and respond to the many complaints filed by Egyptian citizens residing in and outside the country. The committee will adhere to international human rights standards, in particular those of the African and Arab region. It will also share the outcome of its deliberations with the members of the parliament so that the parliament's opinion can be promoted among the public, both nationally and internationally.

Clearly, this development appears to be a very positive one. It implies that the findings and recommendations of the National Council for Human Rights--a government-appointed advisory council--are indeed enforceable through actions of the parliament. Also, equally important is that the parliament is seriously considering and addressing the findings of other regional, national and international human rights organizations. Egypt is to be congratulated on this very significant and progressive milestone towards a stable and equitable civil society.

Egypt: A “Journalist” Grabbing at Straws in Desperate Attempt to Deny Rights of Baha’is!

In an article published today in Egypt's semi-official newspaper Al-Ahram, the writer Muhammad Dunya attempted to refute the recent report that was jointly produced by Human Rights Watch and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights referred to in this previous post.

This writer presents deeply flawed arguments that are clearly illogical and based on false assumptions which cannot be backed by the exact same sources used by that same writer in his justification for his statements.

He begins the article by pointing to statements in the report which are critical of Egypt's treatment of its Baha'i minority population.

He then accuses the report of making "gross errors" in its conclusions. He tries to refute these facts by indicating that Egypt guarantees freedom of belief based on its constitution.

In the same breath he also states that Baha'is should not be granted their citizenship rights. He bases his argument on his claim that Egypt recognizes three religions only: Islam, Christianity and Judaism, which is in direct contradiction to his earlier assertion that Egypt guarantees absolute freedom of belief and freedom of religious practice. He conveniently neglects to state that nowhere in Egypt's constitution there is any reference to his claim that Egypt recognizes only three religions.

He also uses the usual argument brought up by many extremists before him, that is "public order." Again, as has been clearly established by several sources before, including the Human Rights Watch report itself, no one had ever explained what the issue of civil rights for the Egyptian Baha'is has to do with "public order!" No one had ever explained how allowing the Baha'is--who are Egyptian citizens--to obtain identification documents could disrupt "public order!" Even though if "public order" was disrupted, it was never stated by any of those using that argument what this exactly means! It remains a vague "catch phrase" used by those who continue to promote and enforce the oppression and the denial of civil rights of a law-abiding segment of the Egyptian population (Baha'is), and to mislead and inflame the masses against them.

This meager piece of journalism must remain filed with the few others who have constantly plagiarized each other's arguments and false statements in their efforts to discredit the Baha'is and deny them their basic civil rights.

Lastly, if we assume that this logic is the only one left for those grabbing at straws to use against the rights of Egyptian Baha'is, what then do they propose instead for a solution? What can this segment of Egypt's citizenry do without identification documents? How can you provide them with official identification without forcing them to lie on official documents by denying their true faith?

It is indeed a shameful day for Egypt's journalism!

Iran Imprisons its Youth for Initiating Socioeconomic Projects!

The following message was just received regarding the imprisonment of three Baha'i youths in Shiraz. They were sentenced to four years of imprisonment. Their only crime is: initiating and participating in socioeconomic projects that serve their co-citizens. Their names: Haleh Rouhi, Raha Sabet and Sasan Taghva.

"Dear friends,
I have received this news through one of my friends. Unfortunately 3 Baha'i youths of Shiraz were imprisoned the day before yesterday after a verdict based on participating and initiating a social and economic project in Shiraz more than one year ago. These 3 Baha'i youths have to spend 4 years of the best years of their lives in prison. Yet, I am sure it is to their utmost desire to suffer a small portion of what Baha'u'llah suffered in this world. One of them, Miss Haleh Rouhi, is one of my close friends. Please send this news to any Human Rights association you know."

The two videos below are posted in respect for these noble human beings. The first film is a prayer chanted by the Baha'i youth of Shiraz, Iran. The second is a documentary on the desecration of Baha'i cemeteries near Isfahan, Iran.

Chant by the Baha'i Youth of Shiraz



Persecuting the Dead

Egypt: "Identity Crisis" Entire Film Now Available!

The documentary film produced by the independent filmmaker, Mr. Ahmed Ezzat, has been just made public for free viewing in its entirety on an internet site. The 34-minutes film, "Identity Crisis: My Religion or My Country," documents in vivid details the struggle of the Egyptian Baha'is in search for their basic civil rights in their homeland. Mr. Ahmed Ezzat is not a Baha'i. He is an Egyptian human rights activist who has graciously provided this film for public viewing at his own expense and on his own precious time.

To view the entire film, please CLICK HERE....
(This version does not include subtitles)

Previously published promotional segment on YouTube

P.S. When linking to the website, under the film's image--written in Arabic--are three choices for downloading: high speed (top one), medium speed (middle one) or low speed (bottom one) copies of the film.

Extensive Media Coverage on the ID Crisis of Egypt

Joe Stork of HRW & Hossam Bahgat of EIPR

In its yesterday's edition, the San Francisco Chronicle published an article on Egypt's refusal to recognize its minorities and its stance in refusing them their civil rights. The article is based on the recent comprehensive report of Human Rights Watch (HRW) which has garnered worldwide media interest following the press conference jointly held with the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR). The press conference was held in Cairo shortly after the release of the joint report prepared by these two human rights organizations; HRW is based in New York and EIPR is based in Cairo. The report was released on 12 November 2007, a day prior to Cairo's Court of Administrative Justice convened to rule on the Baha'is cases before it, as described in the previous two posts.

The article begins with the following:

San Francisco Chronicle

Egypt hindering religious freedom, human rights groups say

Steven Stanek, Chronicle Foreign Service
Friday, November 16, 2007

(11-16) 04:00 PST Cairo - --

The Egyptian government refuses to recognize minority religions and Christian converts in official state records, according to a report released this week by human rights activists who say the policy is a violation of Egyptian law.

New York's Human Rights Watch and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights in Cairo said government officials are systematically withholding national identification cards and birth certificates from members of the Baha'i faith because it is not one of the three "heavenly" recognized religions - Islam, Christianity or Judaism.

Egypt has an estimated 2,000 adherents to Bahaism, a 150-year-old religion derived from Islam, but which considers the 19th century nobleman Baha'u'llah as the last prophet instead of Muhammad - a direct challenge to Islamic principles. It is the largest, and perhaps only, unrecognized religion in Egypt, according to the report.

There are roughly 70 million Muslims and 10 million Coptic Christians in Egypt. Experts estimate that a once-thriving Jewish community has dwindled to fewer than 200 people.

The 98-page report, "Prohibited Identities: State Interference With Religious Freedom," also criticized the government's refusal to change religious affiliation on identification cards issued to those who converted from Islam to Christianity, which is considered a sin under Islamic law but protected by the country's Constitution.

"Officials apparently believe that they have the right to choose someone's religion when they don't happen to like the religion that that person, him or herself, has chosen," said Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watch for the Mideast and North Africa. "It's a policy also that strikes at the core of a person's identity. It has far-reaching consequences ... for daily life." Read the rest here....

In addition to this coverage, several newspaper articles were published in Arabic in prominent Egyptian newspapers. Links to these publications can be found on Basma's blog in the following posts: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.

The Baha'i World News Service has also just published an article commenting on the Human Rights Watch report. It states the following:

Human rights groups issue report on Egypt

NEW YORK 16 November 2007 (BWNS)

Egypt should end discriminatory practices that prevent Baha'is and others from listing their true religious beliefs on government documents, said Human Rights Watch and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights in a major report released this week.

The 98-page report, titled "Prohibited Identities: State Interference with Religious Freedom," focused on the problems that have emerged because of Egypt's practice of requiring citizens to state their religious identity on government documents but then restricting the choice to Islam, Christianity, or Judaism.

"These policies and practices violate the right of many Egyptians to religious freedom," stated the report, which was released on 12 November 2007.

"Because having an ID card is essential in many areas of public life, the policies also effectively deny these citizens a wide range of civil and political as well as economic and social rights," the report said.

The Baha'i International Community welcomed the report. Read the rest of the article here....

Egypt: the Judge Mocks the Baha’is then Delays his Verdict

Cairo's Court of Administrative Justice convened today to rule on a number of cases including the most recent two litigations brought by the Egyptian Baha'is in their desperate attempts to obtain their civil rights. These two cases were described in this earlier post which reported on the postponement of the verdicts until today's session of 13 November 2007. The first case involves the twin children Emad and Nancy Raouf Hindi; the second case involves university student Hussein Hosni Abdel-Massih.

Yesterday and today, all major world media outlets have published extensive articles on this deplorable situation facing the Egyptian Baha'is. By clicking on the headline tags posted with this article, one can read the full coverage provided in these publications.

The following is a description of the scene in this Cairo court as reported by one of those attending today's session:

"Today was the re-hearing of the two cases of Dr. Raouf Hindy and Hussein Hosni. They were both after each other--in order. Dr. Raouf was first; the judge asked him if he has something new to add. Dr. Raouf repeated the request for 'enabling us to say the truth and not deny our faith.' The judge's reply was a surprise to all who were present, he said 'it is well known that the Baha'is have Muslims and Christians among them, there are Muslim Baha'is and there are Christian Baha'is. Each should state his original religion.' Dr. Raouf stated that he is 'neither Muslim nor Christian,' and the lawyer for the Baha'is stated that 'this is a form of forcing Baha'is to convert,' the judge replied 'the Ministry of Interior is not forcing you to change your belief...forcing would mean to ask you to stop being a Baha'i and believe in something else in your heart. The Ministry only allows three religions to be stated in official documents, but you are free to believe in what you want.'

The judge then did not want to go on with the argument and asked if there are any new documents or memos that any of the parties would like to add but neither of the parties had anything to add. He said the decision will be announced at the end of the session.

He then called for Mr. Hosni, the father of Hussein and jokingly mocked him 'of course you're enjoying what Dr. Raouf is saying' and followed this by saying 'your case is the same, together you will hear about it at the end of the session.'

The attitude of the judge was very disappointing to everyone and it was clear what the verdict will be like.

However, at the end of the session, with the Baha'is sitting--waiting--in court until 5 PM, the judge revealed his decision that a verdict will be announced on 25 December 2007."

There are several issues that must be addressed here:

1) These cases concern real people whose rights are being violated and who continue to suffer on a daily basis. This is not a laughing matter that can be taken jokingly by a respected judge. It is not appropriate or ethical for a judge to mock these innocent and helpless victims.

2) Contrary to what the judge has said, Baha'is are neither Muslims nor Christians. They are Baha'is--many of whom have been so for several generations. If they falsely state another religion on government documents, then they would be in violation of the law, to which the judge is subservient and obligated to uphold and protect.

The application form required for obtaining ID cards states that any false statements will be punishable by imprisonment and monitory fines.

Since Egypt was invaded by Muslim conquerors from Arabia several generations ago, the judge's ancestors were possibly either Coptic Christians, Jews, or even followers of the Pharaoh, would this mean that he must state his religion as one of these three? How would the judge feel if someone forces him to do so?

3) If the Baha'is were forced to state their religion as Christian, Muslim or Jew, what would the judge do if one of these Baha'is, who would have been holding an ID card stating that he is a Muslim, marries the judge's daughter? Would that be acceptable to him then?

4) For a variety of reasons, it is becoming glaringly clear that the Egyptian courts are incapable of solving this identification crisis. The Egyptian government must now step in and produce a satisfactory resolution to the ID crisis facing the Baha'is and the other minorities in Egypt.

Even the Pravda, the preeminent Russian newspaper in its first time covering this crisis, showed its strong interest in this matter by publishing:

Human rights groups wish Egyptian authorities to change their policy of not allowing converts from Islam and members of the Bahai faith to register their religion in official documents.

In a report two years in the making, the New York-based Human Rights Watch and the local Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, or EIPR, described how Egyptians of religious persuasions authorities disapprove of are unable to get birth certificates and identification cards.

Joe Stork, the HRW Middle East deputy chief, said it was a systematic policy to deny documents to members of faiths other than Islam, Christianity and Judaism - the only three religions officially recognized by Egyptian authorities.

ID cards are mandatory here, but persons seeking to have "Bahai" listed as their faith on the card, for example, are denied the document, Stork told reporters in Cairo. Read more here....

Egypt: Urgent Press Release by EIPR & Report of Human Rights Watch

The following Press Release was just published by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) regarding the ID card crisis in Egypt. The two links at the end of this Release will take you to the comprehensive 98 page report of EIPR & Human Rights Watch regarding the ID crisis, titled "Prohibited Identities" in PDF or HTML format. [Arabic version of Report & Arabic version of Press Release].

BBC coverage of the Press Release can be seen here in English & Arabic.


Press Release- 12 November 2007

Egypt: Allow Citizens to List Actual Religion on ID Cards

End Discrimination, Harassment of Baha’is, Converts From Islam

(Cairo, November 12, 2007) – Egypt should allow all citizens to use their actual religious identity when required to list religion on government documents, Human Rights Watch and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) said today. The government’s discriminatory practice of restricting identity to three religions, directed at Baha’is and preventing converts from Islam from listing their true belief, violate many rights and cause immense hardship.

In their 98-page report “Prohibited Identities: State Interference with Religious Freedom,” Human Rights Watch and the EIPR document how Ministry of Interior officials systematically prevent Baha’is and converts from Islam from registering their actual religious belief in national identity documents, birth certificates, and other essential papers. They do this based not on any Egyptian law, but on their interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia. This denial can have far-reaching consequences for the daily lives of those affected, including choosing a spouse, educating one’s children, or conducting the most basic financial and other transactions.

“Interior Ministry officials apparently believe they have the right to choose someone’s religion when they don’t like the religion that person chooses,” said Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa division. “The government should end its arbitrary refusal to recognize some people’s religious beliefs. This policy strikes at the core of a person’s identity, and its practical consequences seriously harm their daily lives.”

All Egyptians, on reaching the age of 16, must obtain a national identification card. This document is essential to conducting transactions as basic as opening a bank account, getting a driver’s license, entering a university, getting a job, or collecting a pension. The Civil Status Department of the Interior Ministry administers these national ID cards as well as other vital records such as birth certificates, all of which require a person to state his or her religious identity. But ministry officials limit the choice to one of the three “revealed” religions – Islam, Christianity, or Judaism. No Egyptian law requires this, but the officials say they are acting on what they understand to be the requirements of Sharia, thus excluding members of Egypt’s Baha’i community.

On similar grounds, these officials refuse to recognize the religious conversion of any Muslim to another religion on identity documents, although Egypt’s Civil Status Law permits persons to change or correct information in their identification documents, including religion, simply by registering the new information. Interior Ministry officials cite the Islamic law prohibition against any “repudiation” of the faith as apostasy to refuse such requests, even from Egyptians who were born Christian, converted to Islam, and want to convert back to Christianity.

“Prohibited Identities” documents how the Egyptian government selectively uses Sharia to deny some citizens their right under Egyptian and international human rights law to exercise religious freedom without discrimination or penalty.

Human Rights Watch and the EIPR interviewed more than 40 victims, lawyers, and religious and community leaders in preparing the report. In addition, the EIPR examined the files of 304 court cases filed by victims and their relatives, as well as higher court decisions and relevant laws. Human Rights Watch’s requests for a meeting with the head of the Interior Ministry’s Civil Status Department were turned down. Human Rights Watch then submitted questions to Interior Minister Habib al-Adli (reproduced as an appendix to the report) but both letters received no reply.

“Our research clearly shows that there is no fixed Islamic law position on the administrative requirements for religious identification in the public records of a modern bureaucracy,” said Hossam Bahgat, director of the EIPR. “Officials should pursue an approach that upholds basic principles of justice and equality, instead of one that directly violates the rights of its citizens.”

The problem has become particularly acute in recent years, after the Interior Ministry began issuing computer-generated documents carrying a unique “national number” (raqam qawmi). Officials say that in the near future, perhaps as soon as early 2008, even persons with valid paper IDs will have to acquire the new computer-generated documents, and that the only options for the religion line will be Islam, Christianity or Judaism.

Many Egyptians interviewed for the report recounted how Interior Ministry officials tried to intimidate or bribe them into identifying themselves as Muslims against their express wishes.

Human Rights Watch and the EIPR urged authorities to exonerate persons convicted for obtaining forged identity documents solely because the government refused to list their actual religion.

“The Interior Ministry’s policy essentially says: ‘If you lie we’ll give you the documents you need, but if you tell the truth about your religion we’ll make your life miserable by withholding them’,” Stork said. “It is punishing people solely on the basis of their religious beliefs.”

Some Egyptians have battled these abusive policies by filing complaints against officials before Egypt’s Court of Administrative Justice. Egypt’s Supreme Administrative Court is scheduled to issue a final ruling on November 17 regarding the right of Christian converts to Islam to re-convert back to Christianity. The court decision is expected to have a major impact on the legal treatment of other forms of religious conversion and on the overall situation of freedom of religion and belief in Egypt.

The quasi-official National Council for Human Rights submitted a memorandum to the government in December 2006 recommending that the government remove religious affiliation from ID cards or reinstate the policy of entering “other” in the line reserved for religion.

“Eliminating the religion line in IDs would send a positive signal of the state’s neutrality regarding the religious affiliation, if any, of citizens,” Bahgat said. “But the root of the problem is the government’s insistence on misidentifying these citizens in the central records. This is what the government needs to address urgently.”

Testimonies from ‘Prohibited Identities’:

“I tried to obtain the national ID card. In the application, I wrote that my religion was Baha’i. The officer refused to accept the application and asked me to present my birth certificate. I showed it to him. It stated that I was Baha’i and so were my parents. He still refused to accept the application and asked me to apply in Cairo. When I went to Cairo, I met an officer called Wa’il who opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a big pile of documents and said, ‘You see, all these applications are from Baha’i who want IDs. You will never ever get them.’ ”

—Nayer Nabil, Cairo

“My ID card says I am Muslim. One option is to get a forged ID, but it’s not an option for me. The children are the key. We moved to Alexandria because it’s a lot bigger; we can disappear. But this can’t continue, for psychological as well as legal reasons. The children’s birth certificates will say Muslim, but they are raised Christian. When they start school, then the problems really start. Religion class starts in the first grade.”

—Name withheld on request, Cairo

“My husband died in 2003. He worked for Al-‘Ameriyya Oil Company. To pick up my pension from the bank or the post office, I need an ID card. I’m supposed to get 70 percent of my husband’s salary, but I’ve gotten nothing since he died. I have to rely on my kids to help me because I have no other income. Everyone should be free. The state should not be responsible for anyone’s religion.”

—Qudsiyya Hussein Ruhi, Alexandria

“State Security tried to persuade us both to be Muslims. We were exhausted, more than 24 hours with no food. When they failed to convince us to become Muslims, they referred us to criminal investigation. From five in the morning until five at night, the State Security grilled us. They said that they would bring forgery charges against both of us.”

—Names withheld on request, Heliopolis

“Without national ID cards issued to Baha’is, suddenly, voila, there are no Baha’is in Egypt.”

—Labib Hanna Iskandar, Cairo

“He said I’d committed a sin against God. He asked why I wanted to go back to Christianity. ‘If you had bad luck with your first husband, you should have found another Muslim man.’ He offered me assistance and favors. ‘I can find you a good Muslim man,’ he said. ‘If it’s financial, we can help you find a job. If you went back to your family for lack of any alternative, we’ll help you find an apartment.’ When I insisted on staying a Christian, he said, ‘Well, we have to start an investigation into the forgery.’”

—Golsen Sobhi Kamel, Cairo

The report is available at:
http://eipr.org/en/reports/Prohibited_ID_1107/english.pdf
Or
http://hrw.org/reports/2007/egypt1107/

All rights reserved © Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
e-mail: eipr@eipr.org

Daily News Egypt: Thorough Coverage of Baha'i Case

A day after Cairo's Court of Administrative Justice postponed its ruling on the Egyptian Baha'i cases until its upcoming session of 13 November 2007, Daily News Egypt, distributed by the International Herald Tribune (IHT), published an article authored by Alexandra Sandels with the headline "Egyptian Baha'is: second class citizens in their own country."

The article is quite comprehensive and touches on all key issues involving the persecution of Baha'is in Egypt. It provides in-depth interviews and describes the current litigations.

"The International Herald Tribune (IHT) is the world's foremost global newspaper. The IHT is the only English-language international paper printed in Egypt and available the same day. Together with the IHT's first-class international news service, Daily News Egypt provides readers with a complete bouquet of all the news they will need."

P.S. If the links above do not work well with Internet Explorer (IE), try a different browser!

Because of problems linking to the Daily News site with Internet Explorer, the entire article is posted below:

"EGYPTIAN BAHAIIS: SECOND CLASS CITIZENS IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY"

By Alexandra Sandels
First Published: October 31, 2007

CAIRO: Shady Samir, a 33-year-old business owner, lost his father two years ago. Yet, he is still paying the yearly taxes on his father’s business as if he was alive. Why? Because his father is Bahai and official Egyptian documents such as the death certificate only recognize the Christian, Muslim, or Jewish faiths.

For Samir’s father to be “officially dead” to the national authorities, he would need to convert and become a Muslim, Christian, or a Jew upon his death.

(Shady Samir’s paper ID card features a dash in the religious faith entry)

Official documents such as identity cards and birth certificates are a survival necessity. Citizens cannot enroll in school, receive medical treatment, take bank loans, or buy a car without their national ID card. Young children cannot even receive vaccinations against diseases without a birth certificate.

Those Bahais who refuse to pose as Christians, Muslims, or Jews are left in limbo, living as stateless people in their own country.

“Egyptian Bahais exist in nature but in the eyes of the state they are non-existent,” said Hossam Baghat, director of the Egyptian Initiative for Human Rights (EIPR).

Dr Basma Moussa, an assistant professor in oral surgery at Cairo University and of Bahai faith, argues that Al-Azhar issued a certificate claiming that she is an apostate, which delayed her tenure for several years.

Ragi Labib, a 27-year-old Bahai student at Cairo University with an easy smile, also struggles in life for refusing to officially adhere to one of the three religions deemed suitable for official documents by the government.

Labib is eager to travel the world and dreams of someday acquiring a passport — the only official Egyptian document that does not require a statement of religious affiliation. That however, can prove a difficult task as well, since the passport application process requires other official documents that state the person’s religious faith.

“While most people dream of having a family, a car, and a big house, I dream of having a passport. It’s ridiculous,” Labib told Daily News Egypt.

The court battle for the rights of Bahais to obtain official documents has been going on for years. In 2004, EIPR reportedly started receiving complaints from Bahais who claimed they were forced to write that they were Muslims, Christians, or Jews in order to obtain official documents.

“I can’t even prove that I am married because the national authorities do not recognize Bahai marriage certificates,” Samir argued.

The Supreme Administrative Court reversed a ruling in favor of the Bahais in December 2006 on the appeal of Egyptian authorities. The new ruling granted the state the right to deny Bahais identity documents recognizing their religious affiliation.

Shortly thereafter, EIPR’s lawyers modified their requests arguing that Bahai Egyptians should at least have the right to obtain documents without having to state religious affiliation at all.

The issue at stake is particularly pressing as Sept. 30, 2007 marked the last day the old handwritten ID cards could be used. Several Bahais still possess the now useless handwritten document where a dash marks the field for religious affiliation — a common procedure practiced up until 2003.

According to Samir, a 2003 internal memo in the Ministry of Interior reversed that privilege, making it impermissible to leave the box for religious affiliation unmarked on the computerized ID card.

On Tuesday, a Cairo Administrative Court postponed its decision in two legal cases concerning the rights of Bahais to be exempted from putting religious affiliation in their official documents.

The lawsuits concern 14-year-old twins Imad and Nancy Raouf Hindi who are still unable to obtain computerized birth certificates unless they claim they are either Muslim, Christian or Jewish. It also concerns 18-year-old Hosni Hussein Abdel-Massih who has been suspended from his university studies as a result of his inability to obtain an identity card.

“We can’t work, we can’t do anything. I don’t know how to live in my own country,” Hussein Hosni, the father of Abdel-Massih told Daily News Egypt.

The father of the twins, Dr Raouf Hind, has been fighting his daughters’ case in court since 2002. He obtained birth certificates for the twins upon their birth in the Sultanate of Oman in 1993 that recognized their true religious affiliation. Problems arose, however, when Hindi sought to exchange the documents for Egyptian birth certificates.

“The clerk told me that I had to select Christianity, Islam, or Judaism as my daughters’ religious affiliations. I told him we are third generation Bahai,” Hindi said in an interview with Daily News Egypt.

When Hindi refused to fill in the field for religious affiliation in his daughters’ birth certificates, he was allegedly told to “go to court.”

“All I am asking from the authorities is to let us leave the field for religious affiliation blank in my daughters’ official documents and not force us to be something we’re not,” Hindi added.

Unable to send his children to school in Egypt, Hindi said his twin daughters attend a British school in Libya where their mother works as a physician.

On one of the court benches sat Medhat Nos, a young Christian blogger and moderator of the Internet blog “7rakat” (Movements). He traveled all the way from Assiut to show solidarity with his fellow citizens.

“We need to defend the human rights of our people regardless of their religious affiliation,” said Nos.

The obstacles facing Bahais also sparked the interest of Egyptian human rights activists who demonstrated in support of the Bahais several times in downtown Cairo last year.

Video clips and pictures from the rallies show large crowds of activists holding up enlarged versions of ID cards belonging to Bahais where the box for religious affiliation is marked by a dash or has simply been left blank.

The issue also caught the interest of freelance moviemaker Ahmed Ezzat. His documentary “Identity Crisis” came out February this year.

A portrayal of the lives of Egyptian Bahais, the film depicts their struggle to become recognized citizens in their own country. So far, Ezzat’s film has been reportedly banned from several Egyptian film festivals, including the Alexandria Film Festival.

“Religion is a controversial topic here. My film was most likely banned to its sensitive content,” Ezzat told Daily News Egypt.

Ezzat maintains, however, that he recently was able to screen it before a group of members of the government-affiliated National Council for Human Rights (NCHR), marking a step forward in the process.

The film begins by depicting the December 2006 court decision denying Bahais the right to state their true religious affiliation on identity documents.

As the verdict is read before the crowded court room, a group of Islamist activists raised their hands towards the ceiling victoriously shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great) while waving the Quran before, stunned Bahais, human rights activists, and reporters.

One of the Muslim activists, Mohamed Salem goes on to say that Bahais are apostates and that “infidels should be killed.”

“How can I be an apostate when I was never a Muslim? I was born Bahai. I am fourth generation,” Samir countered.

While Bahais have lived in Egypt for more than a hundred years, there is no official record of them since President Nasser decided to shut down their national assembly in the 1960s.

“Some put the number of Egyptian Bahai at hundreds of thousands. My guess though is that there are a couple of thousands of us,” Samir said.

The next hearing in the two Bahai legal cases is scheduled for Nov. 13.

Egypt is a signatory of both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, making “protection of citizens from religious discrimination” and “education without distinction on any basis, including religion or belief” legally binding.

Egyptian Baha'is Need to Wait Again for Court Ruling

Cairo's Court of Administrative Justice had a full docket today...all its twenty four cases got postponed!

Looking at the attached docket, it seems that almost every ministry and governmental agency is being sued by someone. Those attending in the court chamber appear to be a mix of individuals who are awaiting to receive some sort of closure on whatever cases they are litigating.

Of course, the Egyptian Baha'is, accompanied by a number of human rights activists and bloggers, are among those attending today's court session.

The following is a message received from one of those attending in court regarding the two cases litigated by the Egyptian Baha'is, described in this previous post. He explains what happened and why it did happen:

"Today was another disappointment...even though it was technically expected by the lawyers. The court postponed the cases to 13 November 2007 in light of the change of three of the judges of the court. October 1st is the date on which judges get shuffled around and promoted. When this happens while they are handling a case, it is technically expected that the case is presented again to the new panel of judges in the form of its final arguments and legal memoranda from both parties. If neither of the parties present any new arguments or documents there will be no retrial and the case remains in its pre-verdict state until 13 November."

What is not clearly understood is: since this change in judges is always expected to happen on the first of October, therefore it is a known fact that the court cannot rule on any cases during this period of time. Why then were these cases placed on the docket for final decisions when it was impossible to produce any such decisions? It appears to be a waste of time and expense for all those involved. It degrades people's emotions, sense of self-worth and dignity.

Egyptian Baha'is: Lawyer's Remarks Before Court Decision

The independent Egyptian daily newspaper "Al-Badeel" published an article in its today's edition regarding the two cases before Cairo's Court of Administrative Justice, scheduled for decision tomorrow, Tuesday, 30 October 2007.

The first case involves the twin 14-year-old Egyptian Baha'i children, Emad and Nancy Raouf Hindi. Their father is demanding the issuance of their Egyptian birth certificates; without which they are unable to attend school or partake in any official transactions.

The second case involves an Egyptian Baha'i university student who has been suspended because of his inability to obtain an ID card. The university mandates that students reaching the age of 16 must have military postponement certificates. In order to be granted such certification, a candidate must produce a valid computerized ID card. Currently, Baha'is in Egypt are prevented from obtaining ID cards.

The article, authored by Khaled Abdel-Rasoul, is titled: "after they have been deprived of education, treatment and work: the Baha'is Hold Their Breath Awaiting Tomorrow's Administrative Court Judgement."

It reports on an interview with attorney Adel Ramadan, who is specialized in freedom of religious belief at the Egyptian Initiative for Human Rights, which had filed the lawsuits on behalf of the Baha'is.

He states that their case is based on specific principles: one is "freedom of religious belief as mandated by the Supreme Constitutional Court [of Egypt]." It states that "no one can be forced to carry a religion that he does not believe in," and that "no one can be punished for believing in a religion that is not approved by the State."

Another important legal argument is "the right to equality for all," pointing to the fact that "Egyptians carrying dual citizenship are able to obtain ID cards that do not state religion on them."

He clarified that the Ministry of Interior's defense memorandum states: "an Egyptian not in possession of another citizenship is under the obligation to choose either Muslim or Christian [under religious classification on Id cards]. This response has astonished [puzzled] the court which demanded that the defense for the [Ministry of] Interior must produce an explanation, which, in turn, was unable to provide any explanation [to the court]."

Ramadan pointed to the fact that "Egyptians carrying other citizenship such as American, Canadian and others, have acquired ID cards and birth certificates for their children that do not contain 'Muslim or Christian' in the religion section." He used an Egyptian proverb that states "he who has a back, is never kicked in the stomach."

Attorney Ramadan anticipates that "the judgement, this time, will be in their [Baha'is] favor." Specifically because what is requested this time "is not to produce ID cards or birth certificates documenting that they are Baha'is," rather they are requesting that the religion section is left blank, or any other option that would assure that they do not enter incorrect information that is in violation of reality, and without being forced to commit "crime of forgery" according to the definition of the law.

He asserted that "they are basing their demands on their right to freedom of belief as guaranteed by the constitution and declared by the the Supreme Constitutional Court--that is equality between all Egyptians."

Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights Prepares for Court

Two critical lawsuits concerning the Baha'is of Egypt will be ruled on by the Court of Administrative Justice in Cairo this coming Tuesday, 30 October 2007.

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), a human rights organization led by Mr. Hossam Bahgat (pictured here), had filed these lawsuits on behalf of the Egyptian Baha'is.

In order to understand the background, the significance and the current status of these lawsuits, below is a Press Release published by the EIPR on 5 September, a day after the court had postponed its decision for the third time. The cases were also described in details in these previous posts.

It is hoped that the court will uphold its revered legal responsibility and duty to guarantee civil rights to all Egyptian citizens--including the Baha'is--as mandated by Egypt's constitution. Any lesser judgement would be in violation of all acceptable norms of justice, human rights and of the Egyptian law itself. Without identification documents, Egyptian Baha'is face dire consequences as they would be considered non-existent in their own homeland. These consequences have been already suffered by many since the enforcement of the 30 September 2007 deadline, by which all Egyptian citizens must have been in possession of the new computerized ID cards.

Here is the press release:

Right to Privacy Program
News Update - 5 September 2007

Court Decisions on Baha'i Egyptians Postponed to 30 October

The Court of Administrative Justice in Cairo decided yesterday to postpone to 30 October its decisions on two lawsuits addressing the rights of Baha'i Egyptians to basic identity documents and education.

The first lawsuit (no. 18354/58) involves the 14-year-old twins Imad and Nancy Rauf Hindi who remain unable to obtain the new computer-generated birth certificates unless they convert to Islam or Christianity. The father of the two children had obtained birth certificates for them when they were first born in 1993 recognizing their Baha'i religious affiliation, but new certificates carrying the national number (raqam qawmi) are mandatory and Baha'i children are unable to enroll in public schools without them.

In December 2006, the Supreme Administrative Court considered a similar lawsuit and found that the state had the right to deny Baha'i Egyptians identity documents recognizing their Baha'i religious affiliation. Accordingly, last January the lawyers of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) modified the requested remedies in the Hindi case so that the issue currently before the Court of Administrative Justice is whether Baha'i Egyptians have a right to obtain documents without any religious affiliation and without being forced to falsely identify as Muslim or Christian.

The second lawsuit (no. 12780/61) was filed by the EIPR last February on behalf of Hosni Hussein Abdel-Massih, born in 1989, who was suspended from the Suez Canal University's Higher Institute of Social Work due to his inability to obtain an identity card recognizing his Baha'i faith. Baha'i students in post-secondary education often face suspension or expulsion because of their failure to obtain ID cards or military service postponement papers.

The Egyptian government has a legal obligation to protect citizens from religious discrimination and coercion under the Constitution as well as international and regional treaties it ratified, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. The government is also obliged to protect the right to education without distinction on any basis, including religion or belief, under the African Charter, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

All rights reserved © Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
e-mail: eipr@eipr.org

Toronto Star on the Baha'i Faith

In its 22 October 2007 edition, the Toronto Star published an informative and objective article on the Baha'i Faith. Among other historical facts, the article reports on the reasons for the presence of the Baha'i world headquarters in Haifa, Israel as follows:

"Of all the places on Earth that might have been chosen as world headquarters for this 160-year-old faith, why did the Baha'i wind up here, on a mountainside overlooking the busiest seaport of the globe's only Jewish state?

'This,' replies Douglas Moore, the church's public relations director in Haifa, 'is where He was a prisoner.'

Moore is referring to Baha' Alla – Arabic for The Glory of God – a Persian nobleman who was born in 1817 in what is now Iran and who went on to become the founder and guiding spirit of the Baha'i faith.

Hounded by the political authorities of the day, Baha' Alla spent most of his life in exile and eventually found himself imprisoned with his family in Akko, now a beach resort north of Haifa. Then it was a filthy, desolate penal colony, a remote outpost of the Ottoman Empire.

Once freed, Baha' Alla instructed his son and successor to build a mausoleum on the slopes of Mount Carmel and there bury the remains of the Bab, another Persian religious figure, who had foretold the appearance of Baha' Alla before being executed in Persia in 1850."

To read the entire story, please click here....

An Egyptian Journalist's View on Tolerance

[Translator’s notes appear in square brackets [ ].]

An Egyptian Baha'i, Mrs. Wafá’ Hindi Halim, sent an email to Dr. Khalid Montasser (a medical doctor and writer for a number of newspapers, including Sawt Al-Umma; to express her sorrow that the fabric of Egyptian society should constitute only two religions, Islam and Christianity; she asks him how their society can reach the goal of accepting “the other” and briefly explains the plight of Egyptian Baha’is. Dr. Montasser has responded by writing this article, which was published by the independent weekly Egyptian newspaper Sawt El-Umma [Voice of the Nation] on 3 September, 2007. The headline reads:

A letter from a Baha’i citizen: we suffer a moral killing and a civilian death

Underneath the picture of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, a lead-line by Dr. Montasser reads:

My acceptance of a Baha’i is [reflects] confidence in myself as a Muslim

The author introduces Mrs. Halim’s letter as follows: “We will not enter civilization or take part in any progress unless we memorize, comprehend and apply this word which was sculpted by Europeans; a word which we translated only in form and assassinated its meaning. The word is TOLERANCE; tolerance and acceptance of the other. We need to understand that the universe is not only for us; that my existence is not necessarily tied to another’s extinction; that the secret of my strength, as a Muslim, is confidence in myself and not fear and mistrust of the other. The concept of two pavilions, one for believers and one for infidels, is an old, out-worn understanding which has been overtaken by civilization; the concept of citizenship must reign and not be set aside. We have to deal with Baha’is through these understandings; no matter how much we disagree with them, they do have the right to life. Society has killed them, morally, when it deprived them of the identification card, birth certificate, death certificate, appointing a lawyer, etc. It is a crime of Nazi-style annihilation that future history—for assuredly progress will be victorious—will not forgive. They [the Baha’is] are not a terrorist organization, they are just ideologically different; this is their only crime. Let us read together the letter from the Baha’i citizen—or rather, non-citizen—Wafá’ Hindi Halim....” [her letter to Dr. Montasser , in which she quotes part of a statement by a civic group calling itself “Egyptians against discrimination”, is then printed in its entirety.]

President Mubarak Calls for Religious Discourse & Tolerance

In a speech posted today on Egypt State Information Service, President Hosni Mubarak "renewed his call for an innovative and elevated religious discourse that concentrates on the essence of the faith, spreads the values of moderation and tolerance and rejects extremism and bigotry."

The headline states: "Mubarak calls for renewal of religious discourse to disseminate the Islamic values of moderation & tolerance and to encircle extremism."

The report concludes with the following: "He said that Egypt is determined to build for its people, both Muslims and Copts, a better future that brings about progress and prosperity to them all. Egypt's people are united and will always remain so, he asserted."

"'We will remain committed to our slogan 'Religion is for God and the Nation is for all'. And we will also remain committed to calls for dialogue among people of different civilizations and faiths, he said noting that the world needs such a serious dialogue that is based on mutual respect and interests and common humanitarian principles for a future world that enjoys peace, amity, stability and justice."

To read the entire report, please click here....

Tribute to the Suffering Baha'is of Iran!

This Poignant Baha'i prayer, revealed in Arabic by Baha'u'llah, was chanted by the stirring voices of the Persian Baha'i youth of Shiraz.



Such inspiring words epitomize the purity of the Baha'i Faith.

Hezbu'llah Publicly Warns Baha'is of Iran

In its valiant efforts, the Muslim Network for Baha'is Rights (TMNBR) continues its unabated defense of the Baha'is in every land where they face persecution.

One of the most recent examples of bringing to light these atrocities, TMNBR reported on another form of intimidation that was publicized by the extremist group "Ummat Hezbu'llah" [people of God’s party].

The following is the full text of the post published on TMNBR:

Hezbu’llah’s warning to Baha’is
October 1st, 2007 by Admin II

The psychological pressure against the Baha’is of Iran reached a new height of hostility recently when on 7 Sept 2007 a public declaration was posted in Najaf-Abad (near Isfahan) from a certain “Ummat Hezbu’llah” [people of God’s party].

This declaration is titled “the first warning”, and begins by calling on “elements of prostituted Baha’is”, “spies of world domination” and “foreign traitors.”

It reads in part: “You thought that we would allow the country of the Imam Zaman [the Imam of the Age] to be a safe haven for you to propagate empty and void ideas authored by western imperialism, and like the idol-worshiping regime of Pahlavi, once again, for you to suck the blood of people and seize control of the nation’s economy.”

It continues, “For as long as the blood of [Imam] Husayn flows through our veins and hope of appearance of the illustrious Lord of the Age remains in our minds, we, the Hezbu’llah, will not allow the elements of the fifth column, who are enemies of Islam and Muslims, to arise and plunder and destroy our Islamic and Iranian beliefs and culture.”

Then there’s this curious statement: “On numerous times we have asked the authorities to stop you, the traitors! However, apparently, they do not have a hearing ear.”

It seems through this statement the perpetrators are attempting to portray their anti-Baha’i activities as non-governmental and representing the will of the people.

This warning-poster concludes with an ominous statement that if the Baha’is do not remain quiet and silent, there will be “another round.” This is a coded message meaning blood of Baha’is will flow.

It is also important to note that the stamp of the local judiciary of Najaf-Abad is on this warning.

A few days after this posting, using heavy equipments and bulldozers, the Baha’i cemetery of Najaf-Abad was completely destroyed, even trees were uprooted. This heinous crime follows a similar wave that took place in Yazd some weeks earlier. And a similar poster was given to the Baha’is of Vilashahr.

On the same subject, a very touching video was just published on YouTube at this link.

Faith in America

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams aired this segment yesterday:


Faith in America: Diversity and division

Last Day for Paper ID Cards in Egypt

While many of us enjoy a state of relative ease and security, there is a segment of the Egyptian population that is in state of fear of the unknown as this day ends and the first of October rolls in.

The Egyptian government has decided that today, 30 September 2007, is the last day on which old paper handwritten ID cards can be used in any official transactions in Egypt. Starting tomorrow every Egyptian citizen must be in possession of the new computerized ID card which also contains a national ID number.

Since the ID card contains a section identifying the religion of its holder, Baha'is of Egypt, thus far, have been unable to obtain the new ID card unless they lie about their religion and enter one of the three approved religions in Egypt (Muslim, Christian or Jewish). Meanwhile the application form required for obtaining ID cards clearly states that any false entries will be punishable by imprisonment and heavy fines.

We can assume that the Baha'is of Egypt would expect one of the following developments in their struggle to survive in their own country as they become non-entity starting tomorrow: a) the deadline will be extended and their paper ID cards will continue to be valid until a solution is reached, b) the government will allow them to leave the religion section vacant, enter Baha'i, insert dashes, or enter "other," c) the government eliminates religious classification from ID cards altogether, or d) the Baha'is would end up suffering "Civil Death," meaning that they would have no rights or privileges under Egyptian law, being left jobless, income[less], education[less], etc....

It is now in the hands of President Mubarak to make a decision that will guarantee civil rights and provide protection for his own citizens.

Ahmadinejad's Selective View of Religious Diversity & Acceptance

The New York Times wrote the following in today's edition:

"[President Ahmadinejad] took questions from a panel that included a Quaker, a Catholic, an Anglican, a Baptist and a representative of the interfaith World Council of Churches."

"The organizers said that they had pressed hard to find a Jewish leader to join the panel of questioners, but that those invited declined because they could not win support from Jewish organizations."

"...the Bahais, a minority religious group that has suffered persecution in Iran, said they supported these efforts at dialogue with the Iranian government. They had been invited to the prior meetings, but the Iranian side refused to come if Bahais were there, said Kit Bigelow, director of external affairs, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahais of the United States."

Read the entire article here....

Based on the various interviews, meetings and panels involving the president of Iran, he had repeatedly used pleasant and inviting words proclaiming his belief in equality of humans, religious harmony and that the mission of all religions is the same as they all come from the same source. However, whenever the question of the Baha'is--being savagely persecuted in Iran--is brought up with him, he would evade the issue by stating that there are only four recognized religions in Iran "Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Zoroastrianism." He did not even acknowledge the existence of Baha'is in Iran, the largest religious minority in that country.

The question Mr. President is: since Iran is such a tolerant nation that respects all human beings, and since Baha'is are a significant segment of your human population, why then do you continue to isolate them, persecute them and deprive them of all their rights? Do you or do you not consider the Baha'is humans? Furthermore, why did you refuse to meet with the Baha'is when you had the opportunity to do so during this panel?

Considering your deep respect for the teachings of your own Faith, one cannot but to expect the best from you: that your deeds must conform to your words.

Here is a perfect example of the President's response to a question regarding the Baha'is of Iran: