WRITTEN QUESTION E-2884/03 by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Persecution of Christians in Egypt.
Date: 2003-09-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Christian, EU relations, Egypt, arrest, diplomatic relations, human rights, identity document, religious discrimination, violence

C 88 E/118

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

(2004/C 88 E/0125)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2884/03

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 September 2003)

Subject: Persecution of Christians in Egypt

Is the Commission aware of the recent arrest at Cairo airport of two Egyptian Christians, Malak Cuirguis
Fahmay and his wife Sarah Mikhail Lahzy (formerly known as Naglaa Hussein Ibrahim), a convert to
Christianity, on the grounds that she had forged her identity card in order to reflect her new identity as a
Christian as a result of the official policy of preventing converts from Islam to Christianity from changing
their name and religion in their papers? Does the Commission regard such a policy as a fundamental
breach of human rights and, if so, has the Commission raised this with the Egyptian government as well as
the arrests at the airport and the treatment of the accused?

Is the Commission also aware of concern on the part of the Egyptian Coptic community about systematic
intimidation directed against members of their community and of the failure of the government to and
police to offer proper protection, of which the murder of twenty-one Christians in El-Kosheh in January,
2000 was the most tragic expression, and, if so, has the Commission raised with the Egyptian government
the issue of the safety of the Coptic community in Egypt?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(21 October 2003)

In previous answers to Written Question E-2086/03 by Mrs Kinnock (1) and E-2557/03 by Mr Evans (2),
the Commission has reiterated its awareness of the problems faced by the Egyptian Christian community
and in particular of the case of Malak Cuirguis Fahmay and his wife Sarah Mikhail Lhazy. They were
accused of having illegally altered her identity documents to reflect her change of faith. The Commission
understands that the Criminal Court of Northern Cairo will examine their case by the end of October
2003.

The Commission, together with the Member State Embassies in Cairo, have made representation to the
Egyptian Government on several occasions with respect to human rights issues involving the Egypt Coptic
community. The Honourable Member can be assured that the Commission will continue to follow their
case and to raise these issues with the Egyptian Authorities when and as appropriate.

(1) See page 65.
(2) OJ C 51 E, 26.2.2004, p. 257.

(2004/C 88 E/0126)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2889/03

by Samuli Pohjamo (ELDR)
and Mikko Pesälä (ELDR) to the Commission

(29 September 2003)

Subject: Need for a minimum import price for, and import duty on, Norwegian salmon and rainbow trout

In recent years, Norway’s production of salmon and rainbow trout has grown in an uncontrolled manner,
leading to substantial overproduction, viability problems and a wave of bankruptcies among Norwegian
fish farmers. It is cheaper to dump farmed salmon in the EU at prices equivalent to half of production
costs than to pay the waste disposal charges which would be levied for the destruction of the excess
product in Norway. There have also been repeated instances of Norwegian salmon escaping from pens,
endangering valuable natural salmon stocks in the River Teno, for example, which remains in a natural
state.

The EU is currently defenceless against the flood of imports, as the minimum import price which used to
apply to salmon has been abolished and a minimum price for rainbow trout is only at the planning stage.