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Egypt

• Teen Sentenced to 15 Years

  
  Fadi's case was heard at the juvenile court in Banha.
  Photo: World Watch Monitor

  A 15-year-old Christian boy has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexual assault, even though forensic reports showed no evidence of a crime. His mother says her son, Fadi, is innocent and was targeted because their militant Muslim neighbours, whose eight-year-old son was the alleged victim, "don't like Christians."

  Fadi's lawyer, Naguib Gabriel, who is head of the Egyptian Union for Human Rights, was "surprised" at the verdict and the extensive length of the sentence because Fadi "didn't commit any crime." In June of last year, the results of a forensic examination of the eight-year-old boy showed no evidence of sexual activity.

  Fadi's case was brought to the juvenile court in Banha, the capital of the Qalyubia Governorate, in November 2016. After several hearings, he was pronounced guilty on January 28th, 2017. Fadi's mother, Hanaa, told sources that after receiving the forensic report she thought their ordeal was over, only to be "shocked" to learn the charges against her son remained.

  "If Fadi was a murderer, the sentence wouldn't be this long," announced their representing lawyer. "He is a child and didn't commit any crime. The judge's verdict wasn't related to law, but faith. He said he was not convinced about the forensic report and believed the allegation." Fadi's family are appealing against the verdict. Their appeal will begin on March 7th, 2017. To learn more about the persecution of Christians in Egypt, check our country report.

  Thank you for praying on behalf of Fadi and his family, as well as the lawyer mediating on behalf of this case during the appeal process. May God strengthen their faith, helping them to trust Him with the outcome. Pray that they will be comforted in knowing that regardless of the court's response to their appeal, He will somehow use these circumstances for greater good -- sovereignly working out His higher plans for their lives and His ministry of salvation in the lives of Fadi's accusers.

• Fatal Attacks Against Christians

  
  Ishak Ibrahim
  Photo courtesy of Ishak's family
  via World Watch Monitor

  The murder of another Christian in Egypt, this time in the centre of the capital, makes this the fifth tragic death over a 13-day period. Ishak Ibrahim Fayez Younan, 37, was found dead by his brother on January 16th at the victim's temporary residence in the old part of Cairo. He leaves behind a grieving wife and two children, ages 10 and 12.

  Ishak's death bears similarities with the other slain Christians over the two-week period. Each had their throat cut, while money and other valuables were left behind. (Although police did report that robbery was the motive behind at least one of the murders.) Ishak was murdered in the flat he rented while working at a factory that supplies soft drinks to supermarkets. His wife and two children were at the family home in El-Sheikh Zaied, a village in Upper Egypt, at the time of the attack.

  "The murderer didn't steal his money or anything from the flat, which indicates that the motive was not theft," states Ishak's brother Magdy, who immediately notified the police. Officials arrived promptly at the crime scene to conduct their investigation and take fingerprints.

  "My brother had no enemies; he was a very simple man and peaceful," explains Magdy. "He left his wife and children to work in Cairo to support them. His family will now face difficulties as he was the primary breadwinner." For more information on persecution in Egypt, please visit our Egypt Country Report.

  Ask the Lord to greatly comfort, encourage and strengthen each grieving family member, friend and fellow believer associated with those who were slain in Egypt for their faith during recent weeks. May these surviving loved ones not lose heart (2 Corinthians 4:16), but rather draw closer to Him who promises to be especially near to the brokenhearted during their time of need. Pray that they will be greatly reassured by the many promises contained in God's Word -- turning their mourning into inexpressible joy over the anticipation of being reunited with their loved ones in eternity (where they will never ever be separated again) and, most glorious of all, finally meeting their blessed Saviour face to face!

• Case Relating to Mob Attack Dropped

  
  President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
  Photo: www.kremlin.ru via
  Wikimedia Commons

  Prosecutors have thrown out a case brought by an elderly Christian woman against several members of a militant Muslim mob who stripped her of clothing and forced her to parade naked through the streets, announced the woman's lawyer. Last May's assault in the central Minya province began after rumours spread that the son of the 70-year-old woman was intimately involved with a Muslim woman -- a taboo in majority Muslim and conservative Egypt.

  According to the victim's lawyer, prosecutors cited that there was a lack of sufficient evidence. "It's a calamity," the lawyer says of the prosecutors' decision to throw out this case. "The preliminary investigation heard testimonies supporting her account from family members and policemen at the scene." Another case against the alleged perpetrators, who were also involved in violence targeted against Christian homes, remains ongoing.

  The victimized woman, Souad Thabet, stated in an interview conducted by an American-based TV station that she and her family are unable to return home because of ongoing threats from Muslim extremists in the village. Despite the threats, local authorities are pressing the family to take on the responsibility of reconciling with the people of her community.

  At the time of the attack, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi called for the culprits to be held accountable, giving the military a month to restore property damaged during the violence -- at no cost to the owners. However, "the government is allowing the oppressors to walk free on the streets," states the woman in the televised interview. "This is the village that we were born and raised in.... How can we be the victims, and not be able to return to our village and homes?"

  Discrimination against Christians, who make up about ten percent of the population, is subtle in big cities like Cairo or Alexandria, but much more pronounced in provinces like Minya where they are a sizable minority.

  Pray that Souad will be well-supported and cared for by fellow Christians in her community. Ask the Lord to help her overcome this disappointing outcome, as well as the humiliation she suffered when the incident took place. May Souad receive renewed strength and protection through her relationship with Christ, committing the outcome of the next court case to the Righteous Judge who will ultimately render justice for His people. Also intercede for President el-Sisi, and all others having governmental and judicial authority in Egypt, that they will be granted wisdom as they deal with cases involving the persecution of Christians.

• Attack on Cairo Church Kills Dozens

  
  Two of the 26 victims of the recent bombing.
  Photo: World Watch Monitor

  A bomb ripped through a section reserved for women at Cairo's main cathedral during the Sunday morning worship service on December 11th, 2016, killing at least 26 people and wounding more than 50. The blast, which occurred in a chapel adjacent to the main church building, marked the deadliest attack against Egypt's Christian minority in years.

  Egyptian security officials, quoted by state media, said that an explosive device containing about 26 pounds of TNT had been placed in the chapel. It went off during the service at around 10 a.m. Most of the dead and wounded were women and children, confirmed Sherief Wadee, an assistant minister for health, during a television interview. The country's president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, declared three days of mourning.

  There was no immediate claim of responsibility, although the attack bore the hallmark of Islamist militants who have previously targeted minority Christians over their perceived support for the president's government. (Since the compilation of this report, a suspect has been identified.) It was the second major attack in the Egyptian capital within three days, marking a jarring return to violence after months of relative calm. An Islamist militant group claimed responsibility for an explosion on December 9th at a security checkpost that killed six police officers. For previous reports on persecution in Egypt, note the "Persecution News" section at our Egypt Country Report.

  Ask God to minister to the many wounded and grieving victims of these recent attacks. May those who have lost loved ones find great comfort in the fact that Christ is victorious over death (1 Corinthians 15:50-58). Pray that the injured will be healed by His miraculous intervention, also working through the skills and experience of the medical professionals caring for them. Additionally, intercede for the authorities as they continue their investigations, in hopes that the perpetrators of these atrocious crimes against humanity will be brought to justice and repentance. In the interim, pray for the protection and continued ministry of the church in Egypt so that many more will turn to Jesus, acknowledging Him as their Saviour and Lord.

• Christians Devastated by Mob Attack

  Christians in the Upper Egypt village of Al-Nagameesh have been left devastated after a mob armed with petrol bombs went on a rampage, destroying homes and businesses. The attack on November 25th was apparently triggered by suspicions that local Christians had turned a community centre into a church.

  The community centre, which was also destroyed by fire, had become the focal point for Al-Nagameesh's Christian minority that gathered there for funerals, weddings and sometimes prayer. There is no church facility in the village where these believers can gather.

  Three days before the attack, a local pastor held a ceremony at the centre to mark the first anniversary of his father's death. The next day, extremists handed out leaflets claiming Christians had turned the centre into a church and urging other militant Muslims to attack it. They cut off the village water supply in advance and blocked the firefighters' routes so the fires could not be controlled.

  Tensions have been worsened by the country's new legislation, which passed in August, imposing further restrictions on the building of churches in Egypt. For more information on the persecution of believers residing in this nation, please visit the country profile.

  Pray that God will provide for all those whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed or damaged in this recent attack. May local officials take firm action by clamping down on extremism, ensuring that such attacks do not go without reasonable consequences. Continue to intercede for members of the government, in hopes that they will uphold the religious rights of minorities throughout Egypt. Of course, we also need to intercede for the perpetrators who are desperately in need of God's life-changing ministry and salvation.

  Important Note: Since the compilation of this week's Persecution & Prayer Alert, we have received news that additional bombings have taken place in Egypt -- one of them targeting a church in Cairo. Please join us by upholding the numerous injured victims, as well as the families and friends of those who did not survive the attacks. (More information will be provided in a future report.) Such incidents of persecution serve as ongoing reminders of the need to uphold our Christian brothers and sisters during these perilous times.

• Nearing ''Breaking Point'' Due to Relentless Persecution

  
  Flickr / fusion-of-horizons

  According to a report by The New York Times, Christians in areas of Egypt that are largely dominated by Muslim militants continue to suffer from violence and humiliation. These believers are under constant threat of their houses and other properties being burned down, or possibly being mugged while walking along the streets. Even church buildings are not spared as they are desecrated and marred with hate graffiti written on the walls.

  The New York Times also cited data from Coptic Christian officials, indicating that the Christian community has suffered 37 attacks within a span of three years. This figure does not include the 300 previously made attacks which took place immediately after the former Islamic president, Mohamed Morsi, was ousted from power in 2013. With these continued attacks, Bishop Makarios is concerned that the persecution is becoming too much for the believers to handle: "We are at a breaking point," the church leader openly admits.

  The relentless persecution experienced by Egypt's Christians is making it difficult for them to follow the advice of Coptic Pope Tawadros II which is to shun the protests for now. What's more disheartening, according to Bishop Makarios, is that perpetrators of such attacks are being freed. "Every one of them is released," he explains. "Not a single one has been punished, and that's what really upsets the believers." For other reports on persecution in Egypt, click here.

  Pray that these Christians will receive the strength and encouragement they need to stand firm before their oppressors. Also include the country's Muslim background believers in your prayers, asking God to provide them the right opportunities to share Christ's love with their family members and neighbours. Intercede on behalf of the church in Egypt as a whole, asking the Lord to unify the hearts of His people, even though they represent various Christian denominations. Last but not least, pray for a strong and trustworthy government that will act in the best interest of all its people, ensuring justice and protection for citizens who are being targeted and victimized.

• Legal Battle Ends with 'Return to Islam'

  
  Mohamed Hegazy with his lawyer.
  Photo: World Watch Monitor

  Mohamed Hegazy battled with the Egyptian courts for nine years in order to be officially recognized as a Christian. His fight has just ended -- with his apparent decision to return to Islam. Please pray for 34-year-old Mohamed who has endured relentless persecution since trying to change the religious status of his ID card to "Christian." He announced his return to Islam in a video recently posted on YouTube.

  Mohamed, who had been behind bars intermittently since December 2013, was charged with "protesting without permission" and "defamation of religion." On June 29th, the court finally ordered his release on bail but it took an additional month before he was actually freed. During the ordeal, his lawyer, Karam Ghobrial, was deliberately ensnared in red tape, and Mohamed himself was transferred between several different police stations.

  In his YouTube video, Mohamed utters the Shahada, the Islamic proclamation of allegiance, and then delivers an apparently well-rehearsed statement: "I say this out of my complete free will. I am not being held by any agency, nor am I under any pressure of any kind."

  Mohamed Hegazy changed his name to Bishoy Armia Boulous after he became a Christian at 16 years of age. He has been imprisoned twice, tortured and beaten repeatedly in jail; and his young family was forced to go into hiding. Previous reports on his situation, including a video clip, are available here.

  Release International's CEO, Paul Robinson, states: "We must pray for Mohamed Hegazy. We do not know what he has gone through recently, added to all that he has suffered since his conversion to Christianity. God knows his heart."

  Pray that Mohamed and his family will experience the God of all love and compassion, whose mercies are new every morning. May he receive inner peace and rest from the turmoil of his battered soul, as well as greatly needed healing and restoration – spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. Also intercede for his lawyer, Karam, who has paid a high price for defending his client through the ordeal. Pray that God will strengthen and protect him too. Finally, please uphold others of our extended Christian family in Egypt who are suffering great duress, that they will not be worn down by harassment and persecution but rather further strengthened and encouraged to stand firm in their faith.

• Muslim Neighbours Help Extinguish Church Fire

  
  A fire-damaged Egyptian church, one
  of many attacked by Muslim militants.
  Photo: Barnabas Aid

  In the early hours of July 16th, flames and smoke engulfed the only church building in the Egyptian village of Al-Madamoud, which is located east of Luxor. Before firefighters arrived, in a spirit of cooperation not typically witnessed in Egypt (where many churches have been destroyed by militants), Muslim and Christian villagers worked together to extinguish the blaze.

  Despite their efforts, the whole interior of the building was destroyed. The next morning, Safwat Samaan, the director of the human rights group Nation Without Borders, was able to visit the scene. Members of the congregation crowded into the blackened shell of the building with great sadness over the devastation. "It broke my heart to see old men, eyes full of tears, and women wailing," he reports.

  Members of the congregation are now concerned that local authorities will claim the fire was merely accidental, which has been the case of so many other church building fires. This was the ruling involving a church within Luxor that caught fire on April 20th under mysterious circumstances.

  Authorities claimed that the Luxor fire was the result of either unattended candles or a short in a wire -- even though there was no evidence of candles, and a church attendant had turned off the main electrical line to the building. Similarities between the fires of the burned churches indicate the possibility that a serial arsonist may be targeting churches in the Luxor area.

  As the congregants of these destroyed churches now deal with the devastating loss of their cherished places of worship, pray that God's comfort, peace, strength and grace...will be tangibly experienced in their lives. May their heavy hearts be uplifted over the fact that they can worship Jesus anywhere, and not even the loss of their buildings can stop them. As the Lord directs them with the rebuilding of their churches, pray that He will also build up their faith -- so that their mission in reaching others of the community will be strong and effective. This includes their ministry to the individual(s) who may be responsible for the fires.

• Reformers Seek to Remove Blasphemy Law

  Reformers in Egypt's parliament want to have a controversial blasphemy law removed from the constitution, but the Ministry of Justice is trying to block their efforts. The law has frequently been used to prosecute people who seem to criticize Islam, and it's also misused to persecute minorities such as Christians.

  The Ministry of Justice opposes any repeal of the blasphemy law, claiming it helps stop the spread of "strife and division." However, reformers say the statute is contrary to the constitution. Additionally, the law is vague, giving judges too much discretion to issue harsh punishments.

  Since Egypt's new constitution was passed in 2014, there have been many controversial prosecutions of Christians, while extremists who attacked Christian communities were allowed to act with impunity.

  Earlier this month, hundreds of Muslims gathered in Qaryat Al Bayda village, south of Alexandria, and vandalized property belonging to Pastor Karas Nasr's church. Security forces didn't intervene to stop the attack, but instead arrested six Christians on accusations of planning to illegally build a church.

  In 2014, there were two high-profile cases in which the blasphemy law was used against Christians. Dimyana Abd al-Nour, a 27-year-old teacher, was sentenced to six months in prison for comments she allegedly made in a history class; and 29-year-old Kirollos Shawqi Attallah was given a six-year sentence merely for "liking" a Facebook page for Christian converts. Other reports may be found at the Egypt Country Report.

  Please pray that the blasphemy law will be repealed, and that the government of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will choose to support freedom of religion. Uphold all who are being unjustly imprisoned in Egypt at this time, asking the Lord to grant them the strength they need to endure until their release. Continue to pray for the protection of Pastor Karas and his congregation, especially those who have been arrested and falsely accused.

• Teen Released in the Midst of Plaguing Phenomenon

  Celebrating the return of Anthonius Photo: World Watch Monitor

  On the morning of April 5th, a 13-year-old Christian boy was kidnapped in Upper Egypt. After a ransom had been paid in exchange for his freedom, the young teen was safely released 12 days later. Anthonius Farag was snatched outside his school early that morning in the village of Mansheyyit Manbal (near Matay, which is about 230 kilometres south of Cairo). On the same day of the kidnapping, the perpetrators released a Muslim child after identifying the student's religion by his name, but sped away in a vehicle forcefully retaining the Christian teen.

  This latest case is not isolated. According to the Coalition of Coptic Egypt (CCE), a concerned advocacy group, the Upper Egyptian province of Qena alone saw no less than 72 cases of kidnapping, extortion and related violence against Copts during the period of 2011 to 2014 (the most recent figures received by the advocacy group for this province). Victims targeted in the kidnappings ranged from children to the elderly.

  Targeted violence against Copts has also occurred elsewhere in the country. During a two-year period leading up to July 2015, CCE representatives state that "127 Coptic families were forced to leave Rafah, Sheikh Zuweid and al-Arish after a rash of attacks." This phenomenon is plaguing the Egyptian northeastern Sinai Peninsula where an apparent Islamist insurgency caused by militants has been taking place. Additional reports on persecution -- including informative video documentaries -- are available here.

  As fellow believers, we can share in the joy of Anthonius' family and friends who are rejoicing over his safe release from captivity, giving thanks to God for protecting his life. At the same time, please join us in praying for other Christians in Egypt who are experiencing tremendous challenges due to persecution. Thankfully, the Lord will fulfill His promises by making the wrongdoings of others "right," using what the enemy has meant for evil to bring about greater good in the lives of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). May the transforming love of Jesus touch the hearts of Egyptians who are opposed to Christianity so that they, too, may know of His tender loving mercy.