A/HRC/16/53/Add.1 courts in order to allow the law to take its course and justice to be done in the ordinary way; • The Egyptian courts will conduct an entirely independent examination of the cases of G. and of the attacks committed in Farshout and will render their verdict in accordance with the Egyptian Criminal Code, if the charges are proven; • To date, there is no official record of the damage done to the property owned by Copts in Farshout, as the report of the local unit tasked by the Office of the Public Prosecutor with assessing the scale of the damage and the value of compensation owed to the aggrieved parties has yet to be issued; • The Farshout city local council held an emergency session at the beginning of the crisis to discuss all possible ways of defusing the tension. The members of the people’s assembly and the elders’ council and with the chiefs and sheikhs of Farshout took steps to mediate between the family of the girl and the Copts of the city. 79. The Government commented that it was clear from the above that the Egyptian authorities did everything necessary to deal with this incident in accordance with the Egyptian law, both by arresting and detaining the person accused of attacking the girl and by arresting the agitators who attacked the property of others. These are the measures acknowledged in the complaint. Therefore, the Government argued that it did not seem clear on what basis the complaint was brought. However, the Government decided to detail all these measures out of a desire to continue the constructive dialogue and communication with the Special Rapporteur. (c) Observations by the Special Rapporteur 80. The Special Rapporteur is grateful that the Government of Egypt replied to the communication of 26 November 2009. The Special Rapporteur would like to refer to a similar case which he took up in a joint communication of 30 November 2010 (see below, A/HRC/16/53, paras. 107-120). 2. Communication sent on 2 February 2010 (a) Allegations transmitted to the Government 81. The Special Procedures mandate holders brought to the attention of the Government information regarding the situation of the family of Mr. Hegazy, who is currently in hiding due to death threats made against them. 82. According to the information received, Mr. Mohammed Hegazy was born in 1982 in Port Said and converted to Christianity in 1998 after a period of intensive study of religion. His Christian name is Bishoy, however, Egyptian authorities have not recognized his name change. In early 2007, Mr. Hegazy attempted to register his change of religion with the Egyptian Interior Ministry, but Ministry officials rejected his request. 83. On 4 August 2007, Mr. Hegazy filed a lawsuit (no. 35647) requesting official recognition of his conversion and to have the details on his identity card changed to reflect his new religious beliefs. Article 47(2) of the Civil Status Law allows a citizen to change his religious affiliation on the ID card “without requiring the approval of the Ministry of Interior’s Civil Status Department” if it is authorized by a “‘competent body’ (jihat alikhtisas)”. However, the Civil Status Department, which issues the ID cards, reportedly obstructs and discriminates against persons who have converted from Islam to Christianity by refusing to make the change in official records or to provide vital documents reflecting the requested change. 18