Court Decision on Conversion a Setback for Religious Freedom
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) today regretted the decision by the Court of Administrative Justice (CAJ) against the right of Christian converts to Islam to revert to their original faith. The EIPR described the decision as yet another setback for the legal protection of the right to freedom of religion and belief.
Parliamentary Committee Should Reject Terror-Related Constitutional Amendment
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) warned against the suspension of fundamental constitutional rights in the name of fighting terrorism.
Negligence Apparent Cause of Death for Woman Living with HIV
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) today called upon the Ministry of Health to launch an urgent investigation into the death on 25 January of Samia*, a 33-year-old woman who was living with HIV. According to information received by the EIPR-which has been following her case closely-Samia did not die of AIDS-related illness.
Government Must Find Solution for Baha'i Egyptians
Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court today found the government may not recognize the Bahai'i faith in official identification documents, leaving Baha'i Egyptian citizens unable to obtain necessary documents that must include a citizen's religion, such as birth or death certificates and identity cards.
Supreme Admin Court to Consider Interior Ministry's Appeal against Baha'is on Saturday
On Saturday, 2 December 2006, the First Circuit of the Supreme Administrative Court will consider the merits of the Interior Ministry's appeal against a lower court decision that found Egyptian Baha'is had the right to obtain birth certificates, identity cards and other official documents that recognized their faith.
Judicial Report Recommends Supreme Admin Court Uphold Muslim Women's Right to Wear Niqab
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) today welcomed the report of the State Commissioners Authority (Hay'at Qadaaya Al Dawla), presented to the Supreme Administrative Court (SAD) yesterday, 11 November. The advisory report found that preventing women from wearing the niqab, or face-covering veil, in public violated their rights to personal freedom, freedom of belief and non-discrimination.
Expulsion of Veiled Students from University Hostel Arbitrary and Discriminatory
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) today condemned the decision by Helwan University's President to expel female students who choose for religious reasons to wear the niqab, or face veil, from the university's hostel. The EIPR also regretted the statement by the Minister of Higher Education in support of the decision, which violates the constitutional protections of equality, religious freedom and personal liberty.
Removing Religion from National IDs a Positive but Symbolic Step, Respect for Freedom of Religion the Only Way to Confront Problems
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) today expressed support for the proposal to remove religion from national identity (ID) cards. The proposal will be discussed tomorrow at a workshop organized by the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR). Although a positive step, the EIPR warned it would not end discrimination faced by citizens in obtaining necessary official documents because of their religious affiliation.
Legal Workshop Participants Discuss Human Rights and HIV/AIDS
The Health and Human Rights Program of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights organized a two-day workshop on the 'Legal Dimensions of HIV/AIDS and Human Rights in Egypt'.
Release of Islamic Scholar Detained for his Religious Views
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) today announced that the Interior Ministry has released Islamic scholar Metwalli Ibrahim Metwalli after spending nearly three years in administrative detention under the Emergency Law for the religious views he had expressed in unpublished research in Qur'anic studies and Arabic linguistics.
Court Ruling in Favor of Egyptian Baha’is a Victory for Freedom of Religion
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) today welcomed the ruling issued by the Administrative Court on 4 April, which found that Baha’i Egyptians have the right to have their religion recognized in official documents, reaffirming a similar ruling issued 23 years ago.
Supreme Administrative Court to Set Precedent in Niqab Cases
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) today welcomed the decision of the Supreme Administrative Court (the Court) to refer the issue of women's freedom to don the niqab (face veil) in public places to the Court's Chamber of Uniform Principles.
Mandatory HIV Testing of Prisoners would Violate their Human Rights…MBs urged to give priority to treatment and prevention
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) said today that respect for human rights is essential for a successful response to HIV/AIDS. The organization urged the People's Assembly (PA) to give priority to providing healthcare services to prisoners living with HIV/AIDS rather violating their rights by subjecting them to mandatory testing and isolation.
12 Egyptian Rights Groups Demand International Fact-Finding Team on Killing of Sudanese Protestors
Twelve Egyptian human rights organizations today sent a letter to Louise Arbour, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights demanding an international fact-finding team to investigate the violent removal by Egyptian security forces of Sudanese protestors in Cairo's Mostafa Mahmoud Square on 30 December, 2005, which left dozens of the protestors dead.
UN Religious Freedom Investigator Requests Visit to Egypt
Government Should Grant Immediate Access
Interior Ministry Refuses to Recognize Citizens' Religious Affiliations
Today the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) accused the Interior Ministry of violating the rights of Egyptian citizens wanting to adopt Islam or Christianity. Despite the fact that a number of them have obtained final court rulings in their favor supporting their conversion, the Ministry continues to fail to recognize their new religious affiliations.
Detainee Goes on Hunger Strike after Two Years’ Imprisonment for Writing Unpublished Theological Research Paper
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) today called for the immediate and unconditional release of Metwalli Ibrahim Metwalli Saleh, 51, who started a hunger strike on 11 June 2005 in protest against his continued detention despite an order for his release issued by the Prosecutor-General’s office nearly tw