E/CN.4/2006/5/Add.1
Page 31
2003, the Secretary of State for the Interior referred to security reasons and
prohibited the completion and resumption of the use of the church.
Tensions between the religious communities persisted. When, on 3 December
2004 the Coptic community obtained the permission to use a hall for their
religious ceremonies from the Social Ministry, angry villagers attacked it and
Coptic shops, pharmacies, houses and cars.
Communication sent on 1 November 2005
119. The Special Rapporteur was informed that, since May 2005, Ms. Lavinia
Mihaela Zah , of Romanian origin, was denied entry to the Egyptian territory
although she had received citizenship on 3 November 2003 following her marriage
with an Egyptian citizen (marriage in Romania on 12 August 2000, Egyptian marriage
certificate on 6 February 2001). When she returned to Egypt on 11 May 2005 after
having given birth in Romania, she and her baby were held at the airport of Cairo on
the orders of the State Security Police for 27 hours before being put on a plane to
Romania without having had access to her husband. According to information
received, the reason behind entry denial could be related to the position of her
husband as full time minister with the Maadi Community Church, registered under the
Protestant Synod.
Observations
120. The Special Rapporteur is concerned that she has not received a reply from the
Government concerning the above mentioned allegations. The Special Rapporteur
urges the Government to ensure compliance with paragraph 4(c) of Resolution
2005/40 of the Commission on Human Rights, which provides that States will review,
whenever relevant, existing registration practices in order to ensure the right of all
persons to manifest their religion or belief. She would also like to draw attention to
paragraph 10 of the same Resolution, in which the Commission on Human Rights
emphasized the importance of a continued and strengthened dialogue among and
within religions or beliefs, encompassed by the dialogue among civilizations, to
promote greater tolerance, respect and mutual understanding.
121. The Special Rapporteur would also like to take this opportunity to remind that
she has still not received a reply from the Government further to her letter asking for
an invitation to visit Egypt to assess the situation of freedom of religion or belief.
Eritrea
Urgent appeal sent on 13 April 2005 with the Special Rapporteur on torture
122.
The Special Rapporteurs were informed that, on 13 March 2005, Pastor
Kidane Weldu, of the Mulu Wengel (“Full Gospel”) Evangelical Church was
arrested in Asmara, and continued to be held incommunicado in the 2nd Police Station.
It was believed that he was arrested solely be cause of his religious beliefs. In view of
his alleged detention incommunicado, concern was expressed that he might have been
at risk of torture or other forms of ill-treatment, particularly in order to abandon his
faith.