CAIRO: An Egyptian who converted from Islam to Christianity has launched a bid to have the change recognised officially in what is believed to be the first such case, he told AFP on Thursday.
Coptic rights group the Al-Kalima Centre brought the case on behalf of Mohammed Ahmed Higazi, 25, who said he wanted to have his conversion recognised officially so that his child would be born Christian.
In Egypt, identity cards say whether the bearer is Christian or Muslim, but those who convert to Christianity complain that administrative hurdles prevent them being able to change their official papers.
My wife is pregnant. I want my son to be born within my own religion and for the fact that he is Christian to be written on official papers, said Higazi, who converted at the age of 16 but never sought to have the change officialised because of the hurdles.
This is the first such case in the history of Egyptian justice, said Al-Kalima director Mamduh Nakhla, although this was not immediately possible to confirm independently.
Despite the administrative hurdles, Egypt s top Muslim religious advisor, Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa, last week reaffirmed that Muslims could choose their own religion, although apostasy would still amount to a grave sin.
Another case involving 12 former Christians who converted to Islam and are now trying to revert goes before Egypt s Supreme Administrative Court in September.
