The Coptic Evangelical Church, led by Dr. Safwat al-Bayādī, issued a statement on Egypt’s draft constitution asserting its acceptance of Article II as written in the 1971 Constitution without any changes or amendments.

The chapter on rights and freedoms, however, may include a clear article about non-Muslims’ rights to refer to their religious laws on matters of personal status and election of their religious leaders, according to the statement. [Abū Sirī’ Imām, al-Ahrām, July 15, p. 4] Read original text in Arabic