Khaberni - Israeli media outlets launched a coordinated attack on Egypt following the Court of Cassation's ruling to annul the recognition of Baha'i marriage, in an attempt to exploit the issue religiously and politically.
The Israeli news channel "i24NEWS" stated that the issue of Baha'i rights in Egypt has resurfaced following a recent ruling by the Egyptian Court of Cassation, which ruled against recognizing a marriage contract between two Baha'i citizens and annulled previous rulings that had officially recognized the marriage.
The Hebrew channel added that the court affirmed in its rationale that Baha'ism is not considered one of the officially recognized celestial religions in the state, which are Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.
It was noted that based on this, Baha'ism cannot be included in official civil status documents, considering this a matter of public order in the country, as stated in the ruling.
i24NEWS reported that the details of the case date back to a lawsuit filed by a woman in 2020 to certify a marriage contract dated from 1981, registered under the Baha'i faith, before a family court ruled in her favor, which was then challenged by the Ministries of Interior, Justice, and the head of the Civil Status Department, with the Hebrew channel adding that the ruling sparked reactions from rights groups.
It was mentioned that a representative of the Baha'i International Community at the United Nations in Geneva called for regulatory frameworks that guarantee civil rights of Baha'i citizens, including documenting marriage, affirming that this is linked to human dignity and family stability.
The Israeli channel alleged that Baha'is in Egypt have faced challenges for years related to the proof of marriage and the inclusion of religion in official documents, in addition to difficulties in allocating cemeteries and restrictions on certain community activities, adding that the legal controversy over their religious and legal status in the country is ongoing.
i24NEWS noted that observers in Tel Aviv see that the issue reflects broader problematics related to the balance between public order considerations and freedom of belief and civil rights, in a time where calls for regulatory solutions that ensure a minimum of administrative rights without changing the legal framework for official religions are escalating.
It is noted that Baha'ism is a religion founded by Baha'u'llah in Iran in the 19th century, which believes in the unity of God, unity of religions, and unity of humanity. Egypt does not recognize Baha'ism as an officially recognized celestial religion, limiting recognition to the three religions: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, thus creating legal and administrative challenges for followers of this religion in Egypt regarding official documents, proof of marriage, burial, and other civil rights.
Meanwhile, this religion exists in Israel, which hosts the global center of Baha'ism in Haifa city, the shrine of Bab, the founder of the Baha'i faith, in addition to the Baha'i Gardens listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
