CAIRO: A Christian mother filed a lawsuit in the Administrative Court on Tuesday demanding that her 15-year-old twin sons’ religion be changed back to Christianity in official documents.
The next hearing will be held on Jan. 19, 2010.
Andrew and Mario were forced to follow their father’s religion when he converted to Islam five years ago.
Based on a ruling by the Court of Cassation, Camilia Lotfy Gaballah gained custody of her children last April.
Egypt’s custody law gives the mother custody over kids until they are 18, but when they reach 15, they are allowed to choose which parent they prefer to live with.
According to the custody ruling, “It is the right of the children to choose their religion at the age of 15 according to the Hanafy Islamic school of thought.
“We requested that the twins’ religion be changed [to Christianity] in official documents since they never converted but were forced to when their father officially converted to Islam, their lawyer Naguib Gobrael told Daily News Egypt.
“We cited the Cassation Court order which stipulates that they have the right to choose their religion at the age of 15 and renders the administrative authority’s right to change their religion without their consent illegitimate. That is why we will present the testimony of the twins in court to affirm that they never converted to Islam, he added.
The twins face problems at school because of their religion, according to Gaballah.
“The school administration was forced to prohibit them from attending both Islamic studies classes and Christianity classes. This will affect their final grade since the religion class grade will not be calculated, Camilia told Daily News Egypt at the court hearing.
“The Cassation Court that granted custody to their mother stipulated that they have the right to choose their religion at the age of 15, said Hossam Bahgat, head of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights.
“The lawsuit calls for changing their religion back to Christianity in official documents and dismissing the Civil Rights Authority’s decision to change it, he added.
