Sheikh Sa’eed Abdel Azim, one of the Salafist Call leaders, accused on Tuesday the constitution-drafting body of entrenching sectarianism by adding a text that says, “Jews and Christians have the right to refer to their religious laws and appoint their spiritual leaders” to the second article of the constitution.

In a statement reported by the Middle East News Agency, Abdel Azim said he believes that this addition paves the way for foreign interference in Egypt’s internal affairs.

It was enough to say that Islamic Shari’a is the main source of legislation because it will consequently protect the rights of Christians and Jews in referring to their laws in personal affairs, he said.

Foreign countries apply the personal affairs law on all of their citizens no matter their religions and nationalities, Abdel Azim stated.

If this text is added to the constitution’s second article it will create a state of controversy, he added.