Baha’is still awaiting new identity papers

In Egypt, Baha’is, a religious minority group, are still unable to obtain the identity papers promised to them in a landmark court ruling earlier this year, Reuters reported Wednesday.

The unrecognized group should be able to obtain identity cards if they omit their faith from the ID, an Egyptian court ruled in early January. However three months later, Baha’is are still without the necessary identity documents, which are needed to marry, drive a car, or enroll in school.

The group was encouraged when the Egyptian government did not file an appeal over the court’s decision, however they are frustrated that action has not yet occurred in their favor. Baha’is have been denied proper documents since 2004.

“Many Muslims regard Baha’is, who number between 500 and 2,000 in Egypt, as heretics,” the article notes. “Rights activists say they face systematic persecution in socially conservative Egypt, the most populous Arab country.”

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