Region | Egypt
Bahais flee Egyptian city after arson
Bahais, a minority estimated at 2,000 in this predominantly Muslim country, have fled the city of Sohag, some 500km south of Cairo, after Muslim militants torched houses belonging to six followers, local media and security officials said on Friday.
- By Ramadan Al Sherbini, Correspondent
- Published: 16:57 April 3, 2009
Cairo: Bahais, a minority estimated at 2,000 in this predominantly Muslim country, have fled the city of Sohag, some 500km south of Cairo, after Muslim militants torched houses belonging to six followers, local media and security officials said on Friday.
Investigations have disclosed that Muslims in the village of Al Shurani in Sohag set the houses on fire after they saw a local Bahai defending the faith on a TV show earlier in the week, according to security sources.
The incident prompted police to cordon off the Nile village as human rights groups expressed concernss that the attack may be repeated elsewhere.
Muslim residents in the village felt humiliated after they were taunted by Muslims in neighbouring villages for having Bahais in their midst, local newspapers reported on Friday.
Around 11 local Muslims, suspected of involvement in the torching, were released, according to legal sources.
Islam, Christianity and Judaism are the only religions recognised in Egypt. But an Egyptian court last month ordered the government not to force the Bahais to indicate a certain religion on their official documents.
The ruling, hailed as a landmark by rights groups, put an end to a five-year legal battle between the Egyptian government and the followers of Bahaism. Due to their faith, the Bahais were unable to get official documents, including IDs and birth certificates, which are necessary in Egypt to have access to healthcare and education.
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