Archbishop Gary Beaver Requests Government of Egypt to Treat Muslims and Christians Equally

Christians in Egypt are struggling for the simplest of human rights, the freedom of belief and the freedom of worship.

Egypt’s Islamic government does not accept the changing of religion from Islam to Christianity, although the right is accepted by the Constitution of Egypt, it is rejected by Islamic Law.

Islamic law is the main source for the Egyptian Constitution: Article 2: “Islam is the state religion, Arabic the official language, and the principles of Islamic Law the main source of legislation.”

Under legislation, converts are considered as apostates, who need to repent within three days, or could face execution. The Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Al-Azhar, changed the punishment to repentance to be carried out for the rest of the apostate’s life. This may include imprisonment for life or being placed under surveillance by the Security Police for however long one remains a Christian.

Archbishop Gary Beaver stated in an official letter to the President of Egypt “Christians are thrown into the middle of the Constitution and the legislation. The dilemma of the freedom of belief guaranteed in Egypt’s Constitution, and the judgment for apostasy in Islamic Law, is clearly contradictory.

The Egyptian Penal Code states that whoever blasphemes or disdains a heavenly religion MUST be brought before the courts. By “heavenly religion” it refers only to Islam.

By the present legal system, a person who chooses a religion other than Islam can be accused of blasphemy.

Archbishop Gary Beaver urged the Government to offer all its citizens equal rights, as given by the Egyptian Constitution and by all the international declarations and treaties of human rights worldwide. The “Doing Hard Time for God” project petitions the Egyptian Government and all human rights organizations all over the world to stop the torture, illegal detention, security surveillance and incitement of families against religious converts.

In his letter, Archbishop Gary highlights “In the face of the rising number of converts, the government of Egypt has no choice but to respect the desire of thousands of Muslims to embrace Christianity. Citizens do not want this to be only an inner, secret faith, but a totally embracing one, so that they are able to worship freely.