Minority Profile: Egypt's Non-Religious

The Egyptian state has institutionalized harsh treatment of non-religious minorities; atheism is deemed an evil that must be combated.

Non-religious persons have been prosecuted and incarcerated under Egypt’s blasphemy laws for discussing their views on atheism.

Law enforcement officials often fail to intervene to protect non-religious persons from harm.

Atheism is not recognized as a legitimate spiritual or religious choice in Egypt. Non-religious persons (like all Egyptians) may only marry through a religious institution, must choose one of three state-recognized religions on their identification card, and are often treated as criminal or mentally ill.