Press Releases

6 August 2008

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.

21 July 2008

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.
 

8 July 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.

27 May 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.

10 February 2008

Egypt: “Re-Conversion” Decision Is a Welcome Step

Government Should Protect Converts from Discrimination, Harassment

2 December 2007

Egypt Shi’ite Activists Released

The Ministry of Interior released Egyptian Shi’ite activist Mohamed El-Derini yesterday after two months in administrative detention under the Emergency Law, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) and the Hisham Mubarak Law Center (HMLC) said today.

12 November 2007

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

 

4 October 2007

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.

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.

15 July 2007

Detained Qur'anis Must be Immediately Released

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) today reiterated its call for the immediate release of five men held in administrative detention since late last May because of their religious views. The EIPR also urged the Public Prosecutor to order a prompt investigation into the allegation that at least one of the detainees was subjected to beatings and threatened with rape while in detention.