Human Rights Watch criticized what it described as "arbitrary restrictions on religious gatherings, prayers, and rituals during the last ten days of Ramadan and upcoming Eid celebrations," and called on the Egyptian Ministry of Endowments to end all these restrictions.
The human rights organization said in a statement that Egyptian officials imposed unacceptable restrictions on worshipers regarding the place and time of prayer in the month of Ramadan and Eid.
The statement added that religious practices may not be restricted except for the utmost necessity with regard to public health and safety.
He pointed out that the Egyptian Minister of Endowments, Muhammad Mukhtar Gomaa, used social media to issue a complete ban on seclusion and tahajjud prayers.
He said that despite Juma'a's reversal of the decision to ban the Tahajjud prayer on April 25 after a violent reaction on social media, restrictions are still imposed on seclusion, sermons, and Eid celebrations.
The Egyptian government sends inspection committees to mosques at night, to make sure that Muslims do not perform the Tahajjud prayer in the last ten days of Ramadan and that the houses of God are empty of worshipers!!
pic.twitter.com/OvTgGhPeeg
— Jamal Sultan (@GamalSultan1) April 23, 2022
The statement quoted Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at the organization, as saying that these restrictions on the freedom to practice religion are completely arbitrary, and are further evidence of the Egyptian government's lack of tolerance for freedom of expression in all areas, as he put it.
Minister Gomaa had said that the restrictions were due to fears of the spread of the Corona virus.
At the beginning of Ramadan, the government did not set limits on the number of people allowed to attend large gatherings or celebrations indoors or outdoors.
On March 27, the Egyptian Cabinet announced that it would allow mosque events, wedding parties and celebrations in “closed hotel halls” during the month of Ramadan, “provided that precautionary measures are adhered to.”
The inspector of the Ministry of Awqaf in Egypt in the city of Helwan ends the Qiyam prayer after the sixth rak'ah amid the weariness and grumbling of the worshipers, and he tells people to pray in your homes and that Tarawih prayers have not been legislated in mosques and that he implements the instructions of the Minister of Endowments not to exceed a specific time while preventing prayers #Tahajjud and #Itikaf pic.twitter.com/CqpJcU9omX
— Hossam ElBanna (@hossamelbannaeg) April 24, 2022
On April 14 last, Gomaa announced that the Eid al-Fitr sermon should not exceed 10 minutes instead of hours as usual, and on April 19 Hisham Abdel Aziz - a senior official at the Ministry of Endowments - banned Eid prayers in the streets and public squares, and said that the Eid prayer Al-Fitr must be held only in mosques chosen by the ministry and not in all mosques.
The organization said in its statement that the security forces arrested on April 21, journalist Safaa Al-Korbiji, a former employee of the Radio and Television Magazine, after she posted a video on social media complaining about restrictions on the Eid Al-Fitr sermon, and calling for the sermon to continue for 7 hours.
She added that on April 24, officials took her to the State Security Prosecution, who accused her of spreading false news and joining a banned group.