Summary of building churches bill after the three churches agreement

The summary of the law that regulate the construction and renovation of churches after the three Egyptian churches representatives approved and signed on the final draft of the bill that will be presented to the house of representative for voting.

Article 235 in the section of general and transitional provisions of 2014 constitution «the House of Representatives in the first convening session after working with the new constitution law to issue a law that regulates the construction and renovation of churches in order to ensure that christian exercise religious rites freely.

The final draft includes eight articles that begins with definitions of the church, the altar, the community and the governor.

The second article of the law: to take into account that the Church that is requested a license to be built and its’ outbuilding is to commensurate with the number and needs of the Christian citizens in the region that the church will be built in, taking into account population growth rates. It is permissible that the church consists of more than one of the following: altar, tribune, nave, more than a bowl, baptism fount and minaret.

Article III of the law, the legal representative of the community to submit a request to the competent governor to get a certificate that state that there is no problem to held the work that need to be licensed. Administrative direction has to give the request applicant a receipt that confirm that they received his request in that day. The request must be attached with property documents and necessary documents that show the nature, place and borderline of requested work, and all other documents that the housing minister will determine in a period of 60 days from the date of this law. In all cases, request will not be accepted if the documents needed is not complete.

Article IV of the law confirm that the legal representative of the community can submit a request to the governor for a certificate that there is no objection to demolish and rebuild a licensed church or a church that it’s issue has been resolved in accordance with the provisions of this law, and that by following the set procedures. The law requires that the governor has to consider the request for construction, demolition or renovation of the church and respond within a period of four months.

The law states that the competent governor to decide on the application referred to in Articles (3) and (4) of this act after coordinating with the concerned parties in a period not exceeding four months from the date of submission, and notify the applicant by a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt the outcome of checking the request.

In the case of rejection of the application the reason of rejection must be justified.

Article VII of the law states that doing any of the work being the subject of the certificate referred to in Articles (3) and (4) of this Act, to be done after obtaining a license from the competent administrative authority of the planning and organization affairs in accordance with the construction provisions promulgated by 119 Law for the year 2008 and its implementing regulations, not inconsistent with the provisions of this law.

The certificate of absence of objection to do the work is consider one of the document needed to extract the license, the license shall be issued on behalf of the religious community.

Article VIII confirmed that is licensed as a church every building where christian rite and services are held at the time of working with this law, after the confirmation of structural safety of the building according to a report from a construction consultant engineer, and the legal representative of the community to submit a payroll of these buildings to the competent governor within six months from the date of this law.

It may not be allowed to prevent or stop the rituals and religious activities in any of the churches or outbuilding mentioned for any reason.