Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Egypt to end all arbitrary restrictions on religious gatherings, prayers, and practices that restrict the freedom of Muslims as they celebrate Eid al-Fitr.

HRW made the call in a reaction to the country’s recent restrictions on prayers and celebrations during Eid al-Fitr.

It is understood that Egypt’s Ministry of Religious Endowments said the restrictions were imposed on worshipers due to concerns over the spread of Covid-19 in the North African nation.

The religious holiday is celebrated by Muslims worldwide because it marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

‘Egyptian officials have imposed unacceptable restrictions on worshipers as to where and when they are allowed to pray this Ramadan and Eid’, HRW North Africa Director, Joe Stork, said in a statement.

‘Limits on religious practices should only be allowed if they are strictly necessary for public health and safety.

‘These restrictions on the free exercise of religion appear to be completely arbitrary, yet another display of the Egyptian government’s lack of tolerance for free expression across the board’.

Under Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, freedom of religion includes the right to practice one’s faith collectively and in public.

The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which Egypt is a state party, guarantees the free practice of religion, and Article 64 of Egypt’s 2014 constitution also recognises the right to freely practice religious rituals.

Egypt ranked 136 out of 139 countries in the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index for 2021, with abysmally low scores in regulatory enforcement, civil justice, and criminal justice factors.

Freedom House also ranked the Maghreb nation as ‘not free’ in its 2022 Freedom in the World report on political rights and civil liberties, with the North African country earning 18 points out of a possible 100.

Source: HRW

Photo source: Ziad Ahmed/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images