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.
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.
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.
Egypt: “Re-Conversion” Decision Is a Welcome Step
Government Should Protect Converts from Discrimination, Harassment
Egypt: Allow Citizens to List Actual Religion on ID Cards
End Discrimination, Harassment of Baha’is, Converts From Islam End Discrimination, Harassment of Baha’is, Converts From Islam
Egyptian Government Must Release Two Detained for Shi'ite Beliefs and Torture Statements
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) and the Hisham Mubarak Law Center (HMLC) today urged the Ministry of Interior to immediately release two Egyptians detained for belonging to Shi’ite Islam and criticizing the government’s torture and detention policies. The two rights groups also called on the Public Prosecutor to drop all charges brought against the two men for their peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of belief and expression.
