Coptic Bishop Ordains Coptic Twins as Church Deacons in Defiance of their Enforced Islamization

The photos of the ceremony of the twin boys' ordainment was published on most Coptic advocacies' sites, as well as a congratulations statement for the children on that occasion, issued by the Union of Coptic European Human Rights Organizations, stating that the ordainment comes as a polite and silent defiance to the enforced conversion to Islam of the twin boys, and is not in disrespect to Islam, but a victory for the freedom of will.

Ms Camilia Gaballah, mother of the twins said that she did not attend her sons' ordainment ceremony due to being in Germany to attend the conference in order to present the case of the children.

The mother of Andrew and Mario said: "The conference was organized by the International Society for Human Rights in Bonn, and attended by the President of the European Parliament who made many recommendations among which were to send a letter to the German Foreign Ministry to request the Egyptian government to stop "the persecution of Copts", to apply the law, and to activate it in the area of religious freedoms".

Camelia filed recently an appeal to the Attorney General contesting the court's decision regarding the custody of the children, which was accepted, and the case is still before the courts.

Admins Note

The dilemma of this mother started when her former husband left her in 1999, converted to Islam to remarry a Muslim women, and then went on to marry a second and a third (since Islam allows four wives at a time). At that time Camellia requested and obtained her civil and Church divorce.

Once Camellia obtained her divorce from Church, her former husband started a war against her. He used the corrupt legal system in Egypt, which always sides with the Muslin convert party against the Christian one.

Andrew’s and Mario’s story caught the attention of the media when they declared publicly that they are Christians and will defy any ruling to change that. During a school test in the mandatory Islamic religion in May

2007 - Students have to pass Religion exams to be promoted to a higher-class - the twins answered none of the questions. On his blank answer sheet Andrew wrote "I am Christian" and Mario wrote: "My religion is Christianity". They failed the exam and had to re-take it, but again insisted on writing these single phrases.

The long-running case of the twins exemplifies the problem but is in no way unique; there are hundreds of cases pending in front of the courts for children in the same position as Mario and Andrew.

Attorney-General Accepts Appeal for Judicial Review in the Case of Coptic Twins http://voiceofthecopts.org/en/breaking_news/attorney-general_accepts_appeal_for_judicial_review_in_the_case_.html

Renewed Egyptian Police Harassment against a Mother and her Twins http://voiceofthecopts.org/en/news/renewed_egyptian_police_harassment_against_a_mother_and_her_twin.html