Egypt court upholds Baha'i plea in religious freedom cases

CAIRO
29 January 2008 (BWNS)

In a victory for religious freedom, a lower administrative court here today ruled in favor of two lawsuits that sought to resolve the government's contradictory policy on religious affiliation and identification papers.

The Court of Administrative Justice in Cairo upheld arguments made in two cases concerning Baha'is who have sought to restore their full citizenship rights by asking that they be allowed to leave the religious affiliation field blank on official documents.

"Given the degree to which issues of religious freedom stand at the heart of human rights issues in the Middle East, the world should cheer at the decision in these two cases today," said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations.

"The compromise offered by the Baha'is in these two cases opens the door to a way to reconcile a government policy that was clearly incompatible with international law -- as well as common sense," said Ms. Dugal.

"Our hope now is that the government will quickly implement the court's decision and allow Baha'is once again to enjoy the full rights of citizenship to which they are duly entitled," said Ms. Dugal.

The decisions today concerned two cases, both filed by Baha'is, over the issue of how they are to be identified on government documents.

The first case involves a lawsuit by the father of twin children, who is seeking to obtain proper birth certificates for them. The second concerns a college student, who needs a national identity card to re-enroll in university.

The government requires all identification papers to list religious affiliation but restricts the choice to the three officially recognized religions -- Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Baha'is are thus unable to obtain identification papers because they refuse to lie about their religious affiliation.

Without national identify cards -- or, as in the case of the twin children, birth certificates -- Baha'is and others caught in the law's contradictory requirements are deprived of a wide range of citizenship rights, such as access to employment, education, and medical and financial services.

These problems were highlighted in a report issued in November by Human Rights Watch and the Cairo-based Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR).

"Employers, both public and private, by law cannot hire someone without an ID, and academic institutions require IDs for admission," said the report. "Obtaining a marriage license or a passport requires a birth certificate; inheritance, pensions, and death benefits are contingent on death certificates. The Ministry of Health has even refused to provide immunizations to some Baha'i children because the Interior Ministry would not issue them birth certificates accurately listing their Baha'i religion."

The issuance of birth certificates is at the heart of the first case, which concerns 14-year-old twins Imad and Nancy Rauf Hindi. Their father, Rauf Hindi, obtained birth certificates that recognized their Baha'i affiliation when they were born.

But new policies require computer generated certificates, and the computer system locks out any religious affiliation but the three officially recognized religions. And without birth certificates, the children are unable to enroll in school in Egypt.

The second lawsuit was filed by the EIPR last February on behalf of 18-year-old Hussein Hosni Bakhit Abdel-Massih, who was suspended from the Suez Canal University's Higher Institute of Social Work in January 2006 due to his inability to obtain an identity card because of his refusal to falsely identify himself as either a Muslim, a Christian, or a Jew.

In both cases, lawyers representing the Baha'is have made it clear that they were willing to settle for cards or documents on which the religious affiliation field is left blank or filled in, perhaps, as "other."

This solution is what makes these two cases different from the lawsuit that was rejected by the Supreme Administrative Court last year. In that ruling, the Supreme Administrative Court rejected a decision by the lower that upheld the right of Baha'is to be properly identified on government documents.

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Egypt's Bahais score breakthrough in religious freedom case

1 day ago

CAIRO (AFP) — A Cairo court on Tuesday ruled to allow Egyptian Bahais to leave their religion blank on official documents, in effect restoring their access to jobs, schools and medical and financial services.

The Court of Administrative Justice ruled in favour of two cases seeking to leave the religious affiliation field blank on official documents.

The first case involved a lawsuit by Rauf Hindi, who was seeking legal birth certificates for his 14-year-old twins, Imad and Nancy.

The second lawsuit was filed by Hussein Abdul Messih who was suspended by a university due to his inability to obtain a legal ID paper.

When the government announced five years ago that only Islam, Christianity and Judaism would be recognised as religions on the new compulsory electronic official papers, Bahais were left in legal limbo as they refused to choose between the three religions.

In Egypt, carrying identity papers at all times is required by law.

Without the official ID cards, Egyptians can not apply for jobs, buy property, open bank accounts or register their children in schools. They are also subject to arrest for not carrying valid identity papers.

The verdict is considered a compromise solution after an Egyptian court denied Bahais the right to state their religion on official documents in 2006.

Nonetheless it was welcomed as a victory for religious freedom.

"This is a welcome and significant decision and puts an end to the great injustice faced by citizens who have been victims of the government's arbitrary discrimination based solely on religious belief," said Hossam Bahgat, director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights.

"We call on the government to implement the decision without appeal or delay," he told AFP.

Bani Dugal, the Bahai community's representative at the United Nations, said the verdict should be cheered.

"Given the degree to which issues of religious freedom stand at the heart of human rights issues in the Middle East, the world should cheer at the decision in these two cases," she said in a statement.

"The compromise offered by the Bahais ... opens the door to a way to reconcile a government policy that was clearly incompatible with international law as well as common sense," she said.

"I can finally buy a car!" Ragi Labib, an Egyptian Bahai who has been without valid papers told AFP.

Bahais consider Bahaullah, born in 1817, the last prophet sent by God, while Muslims believe the last messenger of God was the Prophet Mohammed.

Bahaullah was banished and lived 40 years in exile. He died in 1892 and was buried in the Holy Land, close to what is now the northern Israeli port of Haifa.

Of the faith's 12 principles including the unity of mankind, the elimination of all forms of prejudice, gender equality and independent investigation of truth, it is obedience to government that is most highlighted in Egypt.

Egyptian Bahais do not join political parties, take part in demonstrations or hold elections for their spiritual assemblies.

In Iran on Tuesday, 54 Bahais, whose faith is banned in the Islamic republic, were convicted for anti-regime propaganda. Three of them were sentenced to four years in jail, while the rest received suspended terms.

Favorable verdict a victory for Bahais

By Sarah Carr
First Published: January 29, 2008

AFP PHOTO/CRIS BOURONCLE File picture dated Dec. 18, 2006, Egyptian Bahai Labib Hanna (center) holds the Bahai Al-Kitab Al-Aqdas (Most Holy Book) and his national identity card while flanked by his two sons, 20-year-old Hady (left) and 25- year-old Ragy (right), at their home in the Cairo suburb of Maadi.

CAIRO: Cairo’s Administrative Court today recognized the right of Egyptian Bahais to leave the religious affiliation field on birth certificates and identity cards blank.

Landmark verdicts were issued in two cases yesterday. The first suit concerned 14-year old twins Emad and Nancy Raouf Hindi who have been unable to obtain birth certificates. As a result, they have been unable to enroll in school without official documents and their father Raouf Hindi was forced to send them to a British school in Libya.

The second case involved Hosni Hussein Abdel-Messeih, a Bahai student who had to abandon his university studies because he could not obtain a national ID card.

Islam, Christianity and Judaism are the only religions recognized by state authorities in Egypt. Until now, Egyptian Bahais have been forced to list themselves as Muslim, Christian or Jew in order to obtain the official documents necessary for them to access state services such as healthcare and education.

A 2006 Supreme Administrative Court decision held that Bahais did not have the right to list their religion as such on official documents, but neither could they leave the religion field blank.

The effect of the policy was to force Bahais to commit fraud by falsely listing a religious denomination in order to obtain the documents necessary for them to open bank accounts, apply for jobs and enroll in education.

Hossam Bahgat, director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), the human rights NGO that brought the two cases, said, “This is a very welcome decision. It addresses a great injustice suffered by Bahai citizens who face arbitrary and discriminatory practices based on their religious beliefs. We urge that the authorities implement the Administrative Court’s decision,” Bahgat told Daily News Egypt.

While a written verdict has not yet been issued, Bahgat told Daily News Egypt that the Administrative Court’s chief judge stated that even though Bahais do not belong to one of the three religions officially recognized by the state, they enjoy the right to refuse to identify himself as one of these religions. He also said that members of the Bahai faith have the right to access state services.

Egyptian Bahai Labib Hanna told Daily News Egypt that he welcomed the decision but that questions remained about its scope.

“Egyptian Bahais experience problems in obtaining any official document.

The question now remains whether this verdict applies only to birth certificates and national ID cards or whether we will be able to get all documents without problems,” Hanna said.

---

Egypt Baha'is win court fight over identity papers

Tue 29 Jan 2008, 14:53 GMT

By Cynthia Johnston

CAIRO, Jan 29 (Reuters) - An Egyptian court granted Baha'is the right to obtain government identity papers on Tuesday, so long as they omit their faith, in an important ruling for members of unrecognised religions.

Judicial sources said the court had ruled that Egyptian Baha'i Raouf Hindy could obtain identity documents for his teenage twins by putting a dash in the religion line.

The government can still appeal against the judgment which gives members of Egypt's tiny Baha'i community access to official papers largely denied them since 2004. These are needed to enrol in school, marry, drive a car and open a bank account.

"This is the first good news that Baha'i Egyptians and their defenders and supporters received in a very long time," said Hossam Bahgat, whose Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights represented the Baha'is in court.

"It is an end of a very long and unnecessary ordeal for citizens whose only fault is their refusal to be falsely identified or to lie in official documents."

There are between 500 and 2,000 Baha'is in Egypt.

Egypt had previously refused to allow members of the minority faith to obtain documents listing them as Baha'is, nor would it allow them to omit their religion. Baha'is are regarded as heretics by many Muslims, and rights activists say they face systematic persecution in socially conservative Egypt.

Rights groups say Baha'is were often pressured to accept documents labelling them as members of faiths viewed as more palatable in Egypt.

"Today I feel happy ... I asked for something fair. I asked to say that I am not a Muslim, a Christian or a Jew, so put a dash for me. I don't want to lie on government papers. That's all," Hindy told Reuters by telephone after the ruling.

Interior ministry officials had no immediate comment on the ruling and did not say if the government would appeal.

WILL SEEK DOCUMENTS IMMEDIATELY

Bahgat said he would immediately seek to obtain identity papers for the children of the two Baha'i families who brought the case, including Hindy's twins and another Baha'i teenager.

"We also expect the interior ministry to immediately change its policy so that this new policy applies to all followers of the Baha'i faith or any faith that is not one of the three recognised religions," Bahgat said.

While the Egyptian constitution guarantees freedom of religion, in practice officials are reluctant to acknowledge religions other than Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

Baha'is have also sometimes been regarded in the Arab world as disloyal citizens because the faith has its world centre in what is now Israel. Many analysts say a more likely reason for anti-Baha'i sentiment may be the theological differences with Islam. Baha'is see the faith's founder, Baha'u'llah, as the latest in a line of prophets including Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Jesus and Mohammad.

Many Muslims consider Baha'is heretical because they call their faith's 19th-century founder a prophet -- anathema to Muslims who believe Mohammad was God's final messenger.

In 1960, Egypt dissolved Baha'i institutions and seized community assets. (Writing by Cynthia Johnston)

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آخر تحديث: الثلاثاء 29 يناير 2008 17:31 GMT ارسل هذا الموضوع لصديق نسخة سهلة الطبع مصر: بطاقات هوية للبهائيين بدون ذكر الديانة اقرأ أيضا منع البهائيين في مصر من تسجيل ديانتهم 17 12 06 الشرق الأوسط بهائيو مصر: زيارة الى أسرة مصرية بهائية 16 06 06 الشرق الأوسط انتهاك الحريات الدينية: لائحة اتهامات امريكية جديدة 27 11 05 الصفحة الرئيسية المتحولون دينيا يواجهون الرفض في مجتمعاتهم 12 06 03 الصفحة الرئيسية دفن آخر أفراد أسرة مؤسس البهائية 23 01 00 الصفحة الرئيسية حيفا بين الخوف والصبر 20 07 06 الشرق الأوسط أخبار أخرى أول لقاء مصري إيراني رفيع المستوى منذ عقود نجاد يطالب الغرب بمساعدة بلاده نوويا تقرير فينوجراد حول حرب لبنان ينشر اليوم ما هي خدمة RSS؟ تأسست في ستينيات القرن التاسع عشر علي يدي بهاء الله، وهو أحد نبلاء الفرس منحت محكمة مصرية اليوم الثلاثاء أتباع الحركة البهائية في البلاد الحق بالحصول على بطاقات هوية شخصية بدون ذكر انتمائهم الديني فيها، منهية بذلك أربع سنوات من الجدل الدائر حول القضية التي تخللتها أحكام بعدم الاعتراف بالبهائية كدين. وقالت مصادر قضائية أن المحكمة قضت للمواطن المصري البهائي، رؤوف هندي، بحقه بالحصول على وثائق إثبات هوية شخصية لطفليه التوأم، وذلك بترك خانة الدين فارغة من خلال وضع إشارة فيها على شكل خط أفقي صغير (-). وأضافت المصادر أنه بإمكان الحكومة استئناف الحكم الذي يخول البهائيين في مصر الحصول على أوراق رسمية حُرموا منها منذ عام 2004، وكانوا يحتاجونها لتسجيل أطفالهم في المدارس وإتمام معاملات الزواج وقيادة السيارات وفتح حسابات بنكية. وفي مقابلة أجرتها معه وكالة رويتز للأنباء عبر الهاتف بعيد صدور الحكم لصالحه، قال هندي: "أشعر اليوم بالسعاة... لقد طالبت بشيء عادل، إذ طالبت بالقول إنني لست مسلما ولا مسيحيا ولا يهوديا، لذلك ضعوا لي خطا أفقيا صغيرا (-). أنا لا أريد أن أكذب على أوراق حكومية، وهذا كل ما في الأمر." ولم يدلِ مسؤولو وزارة الداخلية المصرية بأي تصريحات بشأن الحكم ولم يقولوا فيما إذا كانت الحكومة ستستأنف الحكم أم لا. "خبر سار" أشعر اليوم بالسعاة... لقد طالبت بشيء عادل. لقد طالبن بالقول إنني لست مسلما ولا مسيحيا ولا يهوديا، لذلك ضعوا لي خطا أفقيا صغيرا (-). أنا لا أريد أن أكذب على أوراق حكومية، وهذا كل ما في الأمر رؤوف هندي، مواطن مصري بهائي وتعليقا على الحكم، قال حسام بهجت، وهو صاحب مؤسسة معروفة باسم "المبادرة المصرية من أجل الحقوق الشخصية" وقامت بتمثيل البهائيين في المحكمة: "هذا أول خبر سار يتلقاه بهائيو مصر والمدافعون عنهم وأنصارهم منذ أمد طويل." وأضاف بهجت: "هذه نهاية لمحنة طويلة لم يكن لها داع وعانى منها مواطنون خطأهم الوحيد هو رفضهم التحديد المزور لهويتهم أو الكذب من خلال الوثائق الرسمية." وقال بهجت إنه سيسعى على الفور إلى استصدار وثائق إثبات هوية لأطفال الأسر البهائية التي أثارت القضية، بمن فيهم طفلا هندي التوأم وطفل بهائي آخر. وتابع قائلا: "نتوقع أيضا أن تقوم وزارة الداخلية على الفور بتغيير سياستها لكي يمكن تطبيق هذه السياسة على جميع أتباع البهائية أو أي عقيدة أخرى ليست من الديانات الثلاث المعترف بها." شطب الخانة يُذكر أن التقديرات تشير إلى وجود ما بين 500 و2000 بهائي في مصر التي رفضت حكومتها في السابق السماع لأتباع هذه الأقلية الدينية بالحصول على وثائق تصنفهم كبهائيين، أو حتى السماح لهم بشطب خانة الدين من الهوية الشخصية. ويقول ناشطو حقوق الإنسان إن البهائيين يواجهون مضايقات و"اضطهاد" في المجتمع المصري المحافظ اجتماعيا، إذ ينظر بعض المسلمين إليهم على أنهم "مهرطقين." هذا أول خبر سار يتلقاه بهائيو مصر والمدافعون عنهم وأنصارهم منذ أمد طويل حسام بهجت، صاحب مؤسسة تمثل البهائيين في المحكمة ورغم أن الدستور المصري يضمن حرية العقيدة، إلا أن المسؤولين في الواقع يترددون بالاعتراف بديانات أخرى غير الإسلام والمسيحية واليهودية. وكان الرئيس المصري السابق جمال عبد الناصر قد حظر ممارسة جميع طقوس العبادة التي يقوم بها البهائيون في مصر، وذلك في أعقاب صدور فتوى دينية مماثلة من الأزهر، وهو أكبر هيئة دينية في مصر. إعدامات في العراق وفي العراق، أصدر الرئيس العراقي السابق صدام حسين أواخر القرن الماضي قرارا يقضي بإعدام من يثبت بأنه من أتباع البهائية. يُذكر أن البهائية تأسست في ستينيات القرن التاسع عشر علي يد بهاء الله، وهو أحد نبلاء الفرس. يقول المهندس يحيى في مقابلة سابقة لـ بي بي سي إن البهائية دخلت إلى مصر منذ حوالي 150 عاما من خلال اثنين من تجار السجاد الإيرانيين. تشير التقديرات إلى وجود ما بين 500 و2000 بهائي في مصر وأضاف أن البهائيين في مصر يتوزعون على طبقات المجتمع المصري المختلفة و ليست لهم مرجعية روحية أو دينية في البلاد. حل المحافل وتقول الأستاذة الجامعية بسمة، وهي بهائية، إنه قبل صدور قرار جمهوري عام 1960 ينص بحل المحافل البهائية ومراكزها الموجودة في البلاد وقبل قيام الثورة عام 1952، كان الملك يرسل مبعوثا خاصا لحضور الاحتفالات البهائية بمحفل البهائيين في حي العباسية في العاصمة القاهرة. تقول الدكتورة بسمة إن بطاقات الرقم القومي المميكنة في مصر شكلت نقطة تحول في حياة البهائيين المصريين حيث لم يسمح باصدار تلك البطاقات إلا بإثبات صاحبها انتماءه لإحدى الديانات الثلاث وهي الإسلام أو المسيحية أو اليهودية. إلا أن الدكتورة بسمة تقول في نفس الوقت إن بهائيتها لم يكن لها أي أثر على فرصتها في التعيين كأستاذة جامعية، لأن الحكومة المصرية لا تمنع ذلك طالما أنها مؤهلة وحاصلة على الدرجة العلمية اللازمة. وفي قضية منفصلة، رفضت محكمة مصرية في القاهرة اليوم الثلاثاء طلبا لشخص تحول من الإسلام إلى المسيحية بتسجيل ديانته الجديدة في خانة الدين في هويته الشخصية. وقالت المحكمة إن محمد حجازي، البالغ من العمر 25 عاما، لم يتبع الطرق القانونية المناسبة التي تمنع الشخص من التحول إلى دين أقدم من دينه الأساسي تحت أي ظرف من الظروف. DH-R, F, A ارسل هذا الموضوع لصديق نسخة سهلة الطبع اقرأ أيضاً: تغطية مفصلة لبطولة كأس الامم الافريقية في رام الله: مشروع فني يحول الجدار العازل إلى نافذة للتواصل بلير في برودواي: سيرة رئيس الوزراء السابق في مسرحية موسيقية

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