Over the last week and immediately after the Easter holiday, six Christian girls disappeared and several stories about their disappearance started to be heard. If the girl is 18 years old, she immediately converts into Islam and if not, her disappearance continues till she is 18 year old. Meanwhile, her family suffers on daily basis not knowing if their daughter is dead or alive. At the end, they know that their daughter is converted into Islam and is married to a Muslim man.
Indeed, the freedom of belief should not be negotiable, but the law should not serve the majority against the minority. First of all, we should answer the question: Is there freedom of faith for Christians in Egypt?
I am surprised that Al-Azhar accepts the conversion of Christian boys or girls into Islam, which is a violation of the law, because the Civil Code does not allow the minors to decide on their own unless he or she reaches twenty-one years old. Moreover, the minors can decide on their own when they reach 18 with the permission of the guardian.
The question remains why this right to decide who converts to Islam belongs exclusively to Al-Azhar? The government should answer this question since they should be caring for national unity and equality among Egyptian citizens.
Another question: is there a freedom of faith for Christians in Egypt? According to Article 64 of the Egyptian Constitution that grants Freedom of belief and not freedom of religion, which are different in this case. The only freedom of religion granted in this case is freedom of converting to Islam!
This is a fact accepted by the government, which was proven when a Muslim young man from Port Said converted into Christianity before he was arrested and tortured and forced to convert back to Islam! People should be equal before Law and freedom of religion should be for all.
