REARRESTED EGYPT CHRISTIANS LIKELY BEATEN
Wednesday, December 18, 2003
REARRESTED EGYPT CHRISTIANS LIKELY BEATEN
Human rights watchdog concerned about new crackdown
By: Stefan J. Bos
Special Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
CAIRO, EGYPT (ANS) -- A leading human rights group
urged believers around the world Wednesday Dec. 17 to pray for the safety of two
rearrested former Muslims who
recently became Christians and "are likely to be subjected to
serious beatings."
In an internet appeal Barnabas Fund, said Aziz Zakher Sarkis and Sharif Kameel
Nazer from Alexandria were detained late Tuesday,
Dec. 16, after being accused of helping Muslim converts to Christianity obtain
new identities.
"Officer Sayed Zaki presided over the arrests and he is known for his
particularly aggressive attitude towards converts. The two are
being held without charge..." said Barnabas Fund in a statement
received by ASSIST News Service (ANS).
"The two Christians were seized without a warrant," Barnabas Fund
said. It came as a major set-back as they were recently released on bail along
with about 20 other Muslim converts to Christianity, many of whom were subjected
to torture and abuse, several human rights groups established.
CHANGING DOCUMENTS
All were originally arrested for changing official documents for former Muslims
accepting Christ as their Personal Savior and Lord with
new names and religious affiliation, according to several human rights
reports monitored by ANS.
While a Christian who converts to Islam in Egypt can receive new ID papers with
a new Muslim name within 24 hours, there is no reciprocal arrangement for a
Muslim who converts to Christianity, forcing many to change cards illegally, say
human rights groups.
"Thus they will always be regarded as Muslims in the eyes of the law
(which) means that female converts to Christianity will be prohibited from
marrying Christian men," explained Barnabas Fund.
CHILDREN PRESSURED
In addition children from Christian parents will be treated as Muslims,
"and educated as such at school, and converts will have to be buried as
Muslims."
The latest arrests have lead to concern that all 22 originally arrested will
face persecution.
"In the wake of this latest development converts throughout Alexandria are
now living in a state of dramatically heightened fear believing they could be
next," the organization added.
Besides praying for their safety, Barnabas Fund also appealed to Christians to
"keep praying that the Egyptian Government will establish genuine freedom
for converts," as it believes that international pressure and prayers work.
CHRISTIAN WOMAN
Earlier this month a 30-year old Egyptian Muslim convert to Christianity, who
made world headlines, was re-united with her family after nearly two months
"of torture while under interrogation," a human rights watchdog said
Monday Dec. 8.
Mariam Girgis Makar, seen as a symbol of suffering endured by converts,
"seemed well" despite the abuse, announced Christian Solidarity
Worldwide (CSW), which investigates the plight of persecuted Christians.
She and her husband Yusef Samuel Makari, 42, were the
first of 22 coverts and supporters to be arrested in late October on
charges of forging identity cards for Muslims wishing to change their names and
religious affiliation from Islam to Christianity.
Analysts have noted a growing influence of Islamic
extremism in mainly Muslim Egypt, despite promises from the government to
tackle the problem. With over 66 million people Egypt is Africa's second largest
country by population, after Nigeria, according to estimates.
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Please pray for these Christians and for their immediate release and a legal breakthrough that could help them - especially during this Christmas Season.
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