An Egyptian school librarian ...

[Brian Yare]

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent ... motin.aspx

An Egyptian school librarian was referred to an administrative court trial on Wednesday for promoting ‎atheist ideas. ‎
In referring the case to the court, the administrative prosecution said that it is not acceptable for ‎a civil servant to express his beliefs about God and religion publicly in newspapers and television, ‎especially considering that he works in an educational institution and should be a good example for students.

Ayman Ramzy Botros, a librarian in his early 40’s who was born a Coptic Christian, was transferred by the ‎education minister to an administrative post in May, the court could ultimately terminate his employment in education.

Botros was among a number of non-religious Egyptians who signed an open letter in ‎September 2013 addressing then-interim president Adly Mansour with the demand to be ‎represented in the committee that was commissioned to draft the 2014 constitution.‎

‎“As Egyptian citizens we all have citizenship rights including running for elections,” the letter read and claimed that atheists represent a considerable ‎proportion of Egyptian society.

It said Athiests include “academics, students, doctors, artists and writers ‎who live both inside Egypt and abroad.”‎

The interim president did not respond to the letter.

Religious bodies in Egypt as well as the government are working on a plan to ”confront ‎atheism” and a number of protocols and agreements were signed in the last few months ‎between Egypt's top religious institution Al-Azhar and the ministries of endowment, culture and ‎youth to face what they describe as a "disturbing phenomenon." ‎

A number of Egyptian Atheists, including Botros, have become vocal lately about their ‎beliefs on television and in newspapers; however officials in the endowment ministry recently stated ‎that the number of atheists in Egypt is 866.‎

Conducting a tally of Athiests in Egypt from official records is impossible since Egyptian law only allows members of Abrahamic religions to register their religious affiliation.‎

‎“We are many but the prejudice against us makes it hard for most of us to talk about their ‎beliefs in public”, said Botros in one TV show. ‎

A few days ago Egyptian police stormed what they described as the "atheists' cafe" in ‎downtown Cairo. The municipal authorities said that the cafe was a place for Satanist ‎atheists. ‎

Botros, who might lose his job in the disciplinary trial, could also face a criminal court trial as ‎the administrative prosecution also said that the education ministry filed a ‎complaint to the general prosecutor against him.


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Sad, but not unexpected