Al-Hurra TV channel aired on its news program an extensive interview with Mr. Hossam Bahgat, the director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR). This organization has been taking the lead in defending the rights of the Baha'is of Egypt, particularly during the past five years. There is not enough credit that can be attributed to the unrelenting and courageous work this young activist organization has undertaken, particularly doing so while faced with a very strong national current of religious extremism and amidst a hostile public opinion.
The case of the Baha'is of Egypt is not exactly a case that can be seen as a popular cause to defend, especially under these conditions and in a society marred with bigotry and resounding adherence to long-standing misguided dogma. Fortunately, for Egypt's sake, there remain people like these heroic individuals who have taken on such desperate causes and such convoluted cases.
Another person, also a member of EIPR, that has been in the forefront of this struggle--defending the Baha'is--is a young lawyer, named Adel Ramadan, who has selflessly and tirelessly devoted all his legal prowess to the multiple litigations before Egyptian courts, including the Supreme Administrative Court. He has been working very quietly, sticking to his message with great effectiveness and solid outcomes. He has never hesitated or given-up, even under the most disappointing and discouraging times that he frequently encountered during this long-fought battle of good versus evil.
The storm of religious strife lingers over Egypt and the media in the entire region are taking note of the recent unprecedented and exceptional hostilities towards the Baha'is of Egypt. An example of this is an article published in al-Masry el-Youm with a somewhat misleading headline stating, "Baha'i Mass Escape from Sohag." It must be noted that Sohag is a very large Egyptian province with many inhabitants. Yes, there are Baha'is in that province, but no, there has not been a "mass escape" from Sohag. The only ones known to have left the area were those from the infamous village of Showraniyah. This article, published today, was written by Ahmed Shalabi and Abdel Aal Talaat in Arabic, and was then translated into English by the newspaper. The English version is posted below in its entirety.
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