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Article: In Egypt, Baha'is face challenges over religious identity and belief; a court ruling on all-important state ID cards stirs a major controversy in Egypt and the Arab world, drawing attention to the plight of Baha'is and larger issues of religious freedom.
- Article from:
- One Country
- Article date:
- April 1, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Baha'i International Community. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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CAIRO -- Normally, a driver's license in Egypt is good for ten years. But when Basma Moussa sought recently to renew hers, officials gave her one that is valid for just a month.
The problem is her state identity card is an old-style paper document, not one of the new computer-generated plastic ID cards that are currently being phased in by the government. Officials want to see the new card before granting a long-term license.
But Dr. Moussa, an assistant professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery at Cairo University, cannot get a new computerized card without lying--which is firmly against her religious principles.
That's because Dr. Moussa is ...