• 08:23
  • Friday ,08 November 2013
العربية

Identity articles 'imposed by Salafis,' Orthodox representative claims

By-Almasry Alyoum

Copts and Poliltical Islam

00:11

Friday ,08 November 2013

Identity articles 'imposed by Salafis,' Orthodox representative claims

Bishop Paul, representative of the Orthodox Church in the 50-member Constituent Assembly, has rejected articles dealing with Egypt's national identity - as mentioned in the first section of the constitution.

“The Al-Azhar and the Salafis imposed those articles on us,” he claimed. “Nobody consulted us [about them].”
 
“We also reject the interpretation of Article 219,” he added.
 
Committee spokesperson Mohamed Salmawy argued that Bishop Paul agreed to the interpretation. “He stepped back from replacing the term 'non-Muslims' with 'Christians and Jews' in Article 3,” he added.