By Vivek Thiagarajan
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

BASRA, Iraq- A reporter and his translator were kidnapped at gunpoint in the Qasr al- Sultan Palace Hotel Sunday morning in Basra.  Two SUVs took the men to an unknown place. The men worked for the American television broadcasting channel, CBS.  CBS issued a statement that “[a]ll efforts are under way to find them” and for safety and privacy reasons CBS requested that no one would “speculate on the identity of those involved.” (New York Times)

However, a police source told an independent Iraqi news agency, Voices of Iraq, that the man kidnapped is Richard Butler. The British reporter is a free lance photographer who followed stories throughout the Middle East and Africa, according to his personal website.  He was one of the few photojournalists that covered the Baath party’s fall in early 2003.

The executive director of Committee to Protect Journalists, Joel Simon, expressed his concern for the journalist.  “We are deeply concerned for the safety of our colleagues, and hope they are located swiftly and able to resume their important work covering this critical story.”

“Iraq is the most dangerous country in the world for journalists and the deadliest conflict for the press in recent history. Journalists face incalculable risks in order to bring us the news about what is happening on the ground there.” (AFP- Two CBS journalists missing in Iraq)

The protection of the press is very important.  The media’s presence can prevent some atrocities from possibly happening, because of the media’s immediate accountability.  Thus, it is essential for these men to be returned safely to their families in order to ensure that they and other reporters can safely continue their missions to prevent future unnecessary tragedies from happening.

For more information, please see:

ADNkronos International- Iraq:British Photographer kidnapped in Basra- 11 February 2008

AFP- Iraq launches hunt for kidnapped journalists- 12 February 2008

AFP- Two CBS journalists missing in Iraq- 12 February 2008

Aswat Aliraq (Voices of Iraq)-  British journalist, interpreter kidnapped in Basra-12 February 2008

Guardian Unlimited- British reporter kidnapped in Basra- 12 February 2008

Los Angeles Times- CBS News journalist, Iraqi translator abducted in Basra- 12 February 2008

New York Times- CBS Reports 2 Journalists Missing in Iraq- 12 February 2008

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – Egypt’s highest civil court ruled on Saturday that 12 Coptic Christians who had converted to Islam could reconvert to Christianity. The decision was a happy ending to a bitter yearlong battle over the Egyptian government’s policy of discrimination against religious converts. Rights groups such as Human Rights Watch and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), however, believe the government should take further steps to cement religious freedom in Egypt.

The court overturned an April 2007 lower court decision that forbade the 12 Muslims from returning to Christianity because leaving Islam is considered apostasy in the predominantly Muslim state. Although there is no Egyptian law against converting from Islam to Christianity, conservative sentiment in recent years has led the government to forbid converts to return to Christianity. Interestingly, lower courts have ruled in favor of conversions in the past, but Saturday’s ruling was the first in a high court.

With its decision, the Coptic Christians are going to receive their ID cards – which all adults are required to carry in Egypt – properly identifying them as Christians. However, the court left the group vulnerable to discrimination by mandating their former religion be noted on official documents. Human Rights Watch and the EIPR warned the government that any such public reference could subject converts to social stigma and discrimination.

Also, Saturday’s ruling may not have widespread effect many are hoping for. Judge Mohammed el-Husseini said that the 12 should not be considered apostates since they were born Christian. Many interpret this ruling as the court’s attempt to limit its ruling on those converts who were born Christian and not lifelong Muslims. Therefore, the ruling will not necessarily bring change for other Muslims who wish to convert.

Still, Mamdouh Nakhlah, a lawyer who represented the 12, described the ruling as “victory for human rights and freedom of religion in Egypt.” “This will open the door for many others to return to Christianity,” he said.

Coptic Christians represent up to 10 percent of Egypt’s 76 million population. They are known to convert to bypass the strict rules of their church, which bans divorce or to marry a Muslim woman. Without the official ID cards, they cannot apply for jobs, buy property, open bank accounts or register their children in schools.

For more information, please see:

The New York Times – Egyptian court allows return to Christianity – 11 February 2008

Compass Direct News – Converts win case but may face discrimination – 11 February 2008

Human Rights Watch – “Re-Conversion” decision is a welcome step – 11 February 2008

AFP – Egypt allows converts to revert to Christianity on ID – 9 February 2008

Associated Press – Egypt court upholds Christian conversion – 9 February 2008