I spoke in a previous article about the regulations of personal status of non-Muslims, especially the Coptic Christians. They only accept divorce for reasons related to committing adultery. Another regulation was issued in 2008 by General Congregation Council headed by Pope Shenouda III. The regulation presented new causes of divorce including what was considered signs of committing adultery. This regulation canceled others that were permitting divorce in the courts for reasons other than committing adultery like being absent for more than 5 years without knowing if the spouse is dead or alive, or harming the spouse physically, or the spouse can’t stand the other party anymore and are already abandoned her or him for more than three years.

In December 3, 2012, the Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Turkey in a historic visit as described by Russian media. There is no doubt that the two countries were at odd for centuries before the two empires lost their power in 1917 and in 1923. Yet, the conflict continued in the Second World War. Then, Turkey joined NATO after years of its inception in 1948. Turkey supported the camp of the west in the battle of the Cold War. However, with the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 and the disintegration of the Soviet Union in December 1991, the two countries signed on May 25, 1992 a treaty that determined the principles of their relations and the mutual respect.

Many Copts have been talking about the civil marriage as a magical solution to personal status cases that Christians have been suffering from. However, marriage in Egypt is usually performed by Muslim or Christian clergy according to the Egyptian law. I believe that Civil marriage for Muslims and Christians may cause several problems including inheritance laws and polygamy.