The Voice of the Martyrs Canada :: Update: Court grants custody of Christian boys to Muslim father :: Providing Information and Support for Persecuted Christians

Persecution News - Egypt

Seven people killed
(January 07, 2010)

Muslim mobs attack Coptic Christians
(November 25, 2009)

Christian woman kidnapped, believers assaulted
(October 07, 2009)

Update: Convert to Christianity barred from leaving Egypt
(September 30, 2009)

Christian murdered, others wounded
(September 23, 2009)

Two Coptic girls kidnapped by suspected Muslims
(August 05, 2009)

Two Christians arrested following church attack
(July 22, 2009)

Christians attacked by Muslims
(June 30, 2009)

Update: Christian mother retains custody of twin boys
(June 24, 2009)

Update: Court rejects case of convert from Islam
(June 17, 2009)

Update: Christian brothers re-arrested
(June 03, 2009)

Christian man kidnapped by Muslims
(May 20, 2009)

Egypt Profile

Total Area:
1,001,450 sq. km

Population:
81,713,517 (July 2008 est.)

Ethnicity:
Egyptian 98%, Berber, Nubian, Bedouin and Beja 1%, Greek, Armenian and other European 1%

Language:
Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes

Religion:
Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%

Government Type:
Republic

Capital:
Cairo

Population Below Poverty Line:
20% (2005 est.)

Country Reports

Update: Court grants custody of Christian boys to Muslim father

October 08, 2008

^{Mario and Andrew
Photo from}^{Compass Direct}

On September 24, the Appeal Court of Alexandria granted custody of 13-year-old Christian twins, Mario and Andrew, to their Muslim father, who changed their religion to Islam on their birth certificates when he converted to Islam (click here for more details). According to an October 2 report from Compass Direct, the court ruled in favour of their father in spite of Article 20 in Egyptian law, which grants custody of children to their mothers until the age of 15, and a religious ruling from a respected Islamic leader giving her custody. At last report, the boys still lived with their mother but could be taken from her at any moment.