Al-Yawm al-Sābi' interviewed a prominent lawyer and legal adviser of the Church, Ramsīs al-Najjār. Al-Najjār participated in the meeting of the Clerical Council held in order to study the Personal Status regulations for Copts, to develop a new list for the Law, including amendments to article 35 from the 1938 Statute, which was already amended in 2008. According to Pope Tawadros, this Personal Status regulations is one of the most important files and he promised a conference for legal advisers, as well as priests, bishops and other members of the Clerical Council in order to discuss the issue. At the end of the conference the Pope told the different districts to send their votes. The Clerical Council suggests the amendments, but the Holy Synod decides whether the amendments will be carried out. Al-Najjār confirms that the Church agreed to the amendments made to the new list.
During the interview, al-Najjār discusses in detail what can be understood from the amendments and explains in particular the changes that have been made to articles relating to adultery, divorce, inheritance, and adoption. For example, the amended articles state that Copts should be allowed to remarry and divorce, something that the late Pope Shenouda had already brought forward in 2004. In 2008 the list was amended, particularly concerning what is said about divorce. Divorce should be permissible in the case of adultery, regardless of the type of adultery committed, but also if no adultery was committed.
Amendments and suggestions for amendments of certain articles have been put forward to the Church and the Pope. Article 35 is particularly important, which has been amended to include the right to adoption, the right to divorce and permission to remarry. In addition to the rights of divorce, Christians believe that male and female have the same right to inheritance and since it does not violate public order or morality, this right should be incorporated in the Personal Status Law. The same applies to adoption, which Christians consider a right of every human being (Michael Fāris, al-Yawm al-Sābi', Apr. 17, p. 2). Read original text in Arabic.
