10 years imprisonment for a Christian who married Ex-Muslim
ICC Note
Egyptian laws discriminate against Christians and prohibit conversion of Muslims to Christianity. This case illustrates how Christians are suffering due to the unjust laws of that country and discriminatory practices of its authorities.
March 20, 2008 Egypt (COPTICASSEMBLY OF AMERICA)-Approximately 3 years ago, Bolis Rezek-Allah, a pharmacist met the Muslim convert Enas Yehya Abdel Aziz, loving relationship was established and the couple wanted to get married. The obstacle was the Egyptian law does not allow a Christian man to marry a Muslim woman but the opposite is permitted.
Also, another obstacle was Enas religion on official papers can not be changed legally in Egypt to reflect her new faith as conversion from Islam is prohibited by law, there is no legal procedure which could be followed to officially change her religion from Islam to Christianity. There is an official procedure for conversion to Islam which is rather encouraged by government agencies as the fees for conversion to Islam is waived by the government. As the couple met the obstacle of inability to marry legally in Egypt , the only option they had was to change names and religion on ID to assume a Christian name with the help of an employee of the Civil Registry Office Sheriff Metwali.
The couple later attempted to fly from Egypt but they were caught by police, imprisoned and tortured for a short period during which interrogators beat, insulted and hung the pharmacist by his arms, and accused him of evangelizing Muslims and falsifying legal documents to be release and then taken to court again.
On their Criminal Court hearing at on 9th March 2008, Case No. 12201 2006 North of Cairo Chamber "Shubra", Bolis and his wife enas where given 10 years sentence, the witness of the ceremony his name is Atef was given 10 years imprisonment too as well.
