Religious identification of two boys in Egypt restored to Christianity

Mario and Andrew
(Photo: Compass Direct News)

A positive development has ended a long running case concerning a Christian family in Egypt, reports Middle East Concern. This development follows the Supreme Administrative Court's July 3 ruling in favour of those seeking to have their religious registration officially changed back to "Christian." The ruling applies to any who were originally registered as "Christian," but whose registration was subsequently changed to "Muslim" (whether voluntarily or involuntarily).

On several occasions since 2007 we have requested prayers for Kamilia, an Egyptian Christian, and her twin sons, Mario and Andrew. The twins' religious registration was changed to "Muslim" by their father following his divorce from Kamilia. Although Kamilia won a long-running custody battle in 2009, a court ruled in 2010 that the twins' religious registration should remain "Muslim." Kamilia submitted an appeal (for more information, click here).

The twins have now been issued with new identity cards that state their religious registration as "Christian." This was made possible because July's Supreme Administrative Court ruling explicitly overrode all previous rulings.

One implication of having these amended identity cards is that the twins should now be treated as Christians within the education system. In 2008 they were held back for a school year after refusing to take an end-of-year examination for the Islamics class. As Christians they should be exempt from those classes.

More than 2,500 people were part of the application to the Supreme Administrative Court. It is not known how many have received their new identity cards.

Egyptian Christians thank us for our prayers. Please continue to pray!

• Pray that Kamilia, Mario and Andrew will be able to live normally, and the twins' education will be uninterrupted. 
• Pray that the numerous other Christians in similar positions will quickly and efficiently receive identity cards stating their religious registration as "Christian."
• Pray that the rights of all Egyptian citizens will be respected. 
• Pray that all officials involved will love mercy, act justly, learn about Jesus and choose to follow Him. 

For more information on the persecuted Church in Egypt, visit our Egypt Country Report.