Written questions, answers and statements

Egypt: Religious Freedom

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Question for Foreign and Commonwealth Office

UIN 119311, tabled on 13 December 2017

Question

Mr Gregory Campbell
Democratic Unionist Party
East Londonderry
Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Egyptian counterpart on encouraging (a) the re-opening of churches and (b) freedom of religious expression in that country.

Answer

Alistair Burt
Conservative
North East Bedfordshire
Commons

Answered on

18 December 2017

We condemn all discrimination against religious minorities and constraints on their freedom to practise their faith. The Egyptian constitution contains protections for Freedom of Religious Belief and it is important that these rights are respected.

We regularly raise our concerns around the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly, which are essential to improving the protection of Freedom of Religious Belief in Egypt, and we will continue to do so.

We welcome President Sisi’s consistent calls for peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims in Egypt. The UK supports continued dialogue between the Church and State, including on the topic of the Church Building Law. We urge the Egyptian authorities to implement the law in a way that enables Christians to exercise their freedom to worship. ​

Answered by

Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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