In Egypt there is precedent for targeting political activists by calling into question their sexual orientation. “Will this be used for foreigners to punish them for their political inclination or activities?” Abdel Hameed asked after the ruling. Lawyers who work on LGBT cases suggest the government is targeting the already vulnerable community to distract from the stagnating economy and unstable political situation. Similarly, “violating public morality” is another vague charge that can cover a wide range of "offenses" that are not specifically criminalized. While homosexuality as such is not illegal under the law, since November 2013, about 150 people have been arrested on charges related to “debauchery” - a vague term that has been used to target men who have sex with men. It comes amid the harshest crackdown on Egypt’s LGBT community in years. While disturbing, the decision it not all that surprising. “There are articles in the law which allow the Ministry of the Interior either to deport or prevent foreigners from entering the country if they are doing something ‘against public morality.’” “We’re not sure if this ruling will be used as a legal precedent to deport or prevent foreigners from entering the country,” said Dalia Abd El-Hameed, gender and women’s rights officer with the Egyptian Institute for Personal Rights. It basically gave the government the right to ban “homosexual foreigners” from entering the country by upholding an earlier decision to ban a Libyan citizen from re-entering Egypt.The man had been arrested in October of 2008 on charges of engaging in “homosexual practices” and deported, according to el-Masri el-Youm newspaper. Rule of law must be upheld, and must include security services nationwide serving every community without discrimination on the grounds of religion.CAIRO, Egypt - An Egyptian court this week set a disturbing precedent. We echo the Bishophric of Samaloot in condemning the imposition of reconciliation meetings as a replacement for the rule of law because they impose ad-hoc, unjust and often un-constitutional conditions on the victims of sectarian violence and perpetuate impunity for the perpetrators. “The torching of Coptic homes in Kom El Loofy underscores once more the urgent need for Egypt’s House of Representatives to enact a law regulating the construction and renovation of houses of worship in a manner that guarantees the right of Christians to worship in community with others. Commenting on the incidents in Egypt, CSW’s Senior Press officer Kiri Kankhwende said, “We are deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the murder of Father Mousa, and our thoughts and prayers are very much with his family, friends and congregation.” According to reports by the Egyptian Ministry of the Interior, Father Raphael Mousa of the Mar Girgis Church in Arish was having his car fixed when gunmen shot him. In unrelated news, on 30 June a Coptic priest in North Sinai was shot dead in an attack claimed by the Sinai branch of Daesh (Islamic State). Abu-Sefein Church in the village of Arzbet Rafla.įollowing the attacks, 25 people were referred to the General Prosecution on 1 July.ĬSW recently reported a similar attack on Coptic-owned homes and buildings near Alexandria in response to false allegations that a local man building a house for his son was in fact building a church. Christians in the village currently have to travel eight kilometres to attend the St. The statement also called for the approval of an outstanding application for permission to build a church on land owned by the parish, which was made over ten years ago. However, in a statement on the incident the Bishophric of Samalout insisted that a reconciliation meeting must not occur before the rule of law is applied. The police arrested dozens of suspects after at least four homes had been set on fire, and the Governor of Minya ordered those involved to submit to a reconciliation meeting led by local religious elders. According to the Egypt Today newspaper (El Masri El Youm) in spite of this declaration around 300 Muslim villagers torched Mr Khalaaf’s house and other Christian properties. Prior to the arson, Mr Ashraf Khalaaf had been summoned to the local police station to sign a statement to the effect that the construction work underway on his land was not for a building that would be used for the purposes of worship. Four houses belonging to members of the Coptic community in Kom El Loofy village in Samalout, Upper Egypt were torched on 30 June by a mob responding to rumours that a church was being built on land owned by a Coptic man and his brother.
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