Muslim converts impeded from returning to Christianity in Egypt

A decision by a top Egyptian administrative court to allow 12 Muslim converts to revert to their Christian faith has been appealed to the country’s Supreme Court, further impeding the plaintiffs’ ability to return to their original faith, Compass Direct News reported Wednesday.

Judge Muhammed Husseini has asked Egypt’s top judicial body to review the constitutionality of the lower court’s decision, which had been based on a law, Article 47, which allows conversion. Judge Husseini seeks to show that Article 47 is in fact unconstitutional, as it conflicts with an amendment of the Egyptian constitution that declares sharia, Islamic law, to be the nation’s main source of legislation. Sharia forbids conversion from Islam. The cases of several hundred converts to Islam seeking to return to Christianity have been frozen pending the result of this one case.

For additional coverage of what is proving to be a historic case of Egyptian jurisprudence and religious freedom, click here.