The Christian-born convert to Islam who later reverted to Christianity, Bishay Farag Bishay, has been denied identity documents proving his new status. Bishay was among the 15 Christian re-converts in whose favour the Supreme Administrative Court ruled last month, stipulating their right to official documents citing their Christian religion. The court, however, ruled that their religion should be cited as ‘Christian, previously proclaimed Islam as his/her religion’. The Civil Register Office said that the computerised system of ID cards only allowed a one-word entry—Muslim, Christian, or Jew—in the religion box. In order to enter more than one word the system must be modified. Naguib Gabraïl, Bishay’s lawyer, said he will contest the court ruling on grounds that it involves a ‘gross flaw’.
On the other hand, Islamist lawyer Abdel-Megid al-Enani has also contested the ruling on grounds that it violates the second article in the Constitution, which stipulates that Islam is the State religion and Islamic sharia or legal code the principle source of legislation.