Live updates from the trial of suspects in the Naga Hammadi shooting of Copts
Today, 13 February, is the first hearing in the trial of the three suspects in the shooting of Coptic Christians in Naga Hammadi last month. The trial is held before an Emergency State Security Criminal Court in the southern city of Qena.
Court Decision Grants Long-Awaited Custody of Twins to Christian Mother: The decision is a welcome step forward but also a missed opportunity
The decision by the Court of Cassation to grant custody to Kamilia Lotfy of her sons Mario and Andrew Ramsis after their father converted to Islam is a welcome end to her five-year legal battle, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) said today.
Court Upholds Decision to Release Detained Qur'ani Blogge
Egypt's Supreme State Security Emergency Court today issued a final ruling ordering the release of detained Qur'ani blogger Reda Abdel-Rahman, who has been in administrative detention under the Emergency Law since October 2008 on the grounds of his religious beliefs. The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) urged the Ministry of Interior to release the blogger without delay.
EIPR Calls for Detained Qur'ani Blogger's Immediate Release
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) today called for the immediate release of Reda Abdel-Rahman, a 32-year old blogger who was detained by the Ministry of Interior on 27 October for being a "Qur'ani"*. EIPR lawyers filed a complaint yesterday calling on the Public
Samalut's Sectarian Violence: Fighting Impunity is the Only Way to Reconciliation
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) today released the preliminary findings of its inquiry into the sectarian violence that took place in the village of Al-Tayeba, located in the Samalut district of Al-Minya Governorate, on Friday, 3 October. The violence left one dead and four injured and involved arson and the destruction of homes, land and property.
Violations by Security Agents Threaten Violence against Copts in Beni Soueif Village
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) cautioned today about the possible outbreak of sectarian violence in the village of Deshasha, located in the district of Sumusta in the Governorate of Beni Soueif, after police used violence on Sunday, 17 August, to prevent village Copts from repairing the only church in the village.
Abu Fana: Reconciliation is No Substitute for Justice
Reconciliation efforts following the armed assault on the Abu Fana Coptic monastery in Minya last May must not lead to impunity for the perpetrators of serious abuses, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) warned today.
New Report Finds Rising Sectarian Tensions in Egypt since April
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) today issued its second quarterly report on freedom of religion and belief in Egypt, documenting developments in the area of religious freedom during the months of April, May and June of 2008.
Preparatory Hearing Held at Supreme Constitutional Court on Religious Conversion Case
Legal experts of Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) yesterday held a first preparatory hearing on the new lawsuit (case number 92/30) concerning the constitutionality of a legal provision that allows citizens to change their religious affiliation in public records.
On Coptic Personal Status Laws: State is Responsible for Protecting Right to Marry and Found a Family
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) today called on the state to assume its legal responsibility to protect and fulfill the right of all citizens to marry and found a family, a right enshrined in the Egyptian constitution and international human rights law.