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Coptic Christian Arrested
Confirmed
In Short: Christian Solidarity reported that Sherif Wagih Fahmi, a 41-year-old Coptic engineer, was arrested in Alexandria for Facebook posts criticizing forced Islamic education of non-Muslims.
Egyptian authorities have sentenced Augustinos Samaan, a Coptic Christian scholar and YouTuber, to five years in prison and hard labor for his online videos teaching about and defending the Christian faith.
Samaan, who regularly posts videos to a channel with over 100,000 subscribers, was charged with ‘misuse of social media’ and ‘contempt of religion,’ both falling within the broader category of blasphemy offenses.
Kelsey Zorzi, Director of Advocacy for Global Religious Freedom at ADF International, stated, “Prosecuting Augustinos’ peaceful expression is a clear violation of religious freedom. Sharing content about your faith online should never lead to criminal punishment.”
Background
Egyptian authorities have sentenced Coptic Christian scholar and YouTuber Augustinos Samaan to five years in prison and hard labor for his online videos teaching about and defending the Christian faith.
What's confirmed
- Egyptian authorities have sentenced Augustinos Samaan, a Coptic Christian scholar and YouTuber, to five years in prison and hard labor for his online videos teaching about and defending the Christian faith.
- Samaan, who regularly posts videos to a channel with over 100,000 subscribers, was charged with ‘misuse of social media’ and ‘contempt of religion,’ both falling within the broader category of blasphemy offenses.
What's still developing
- Coptic Christian Sherif Wagih Fahmi was arrested in Egypt on Oct. 5, 2026 for his Facebook posts. (Screenshot from Coptic Solidarity video) LONDON ( Morning Star News ) – Authorities in Egypt arrested a Coptic Christian this month for Facebook posts criticizing forced Islamic education of non-Muslims, while six young Copts detained over a TikTok video have been ordered released.
- Egyptian Security officers arrested Sherif Wagih Fahmi, a 41-year-old Coptic engineer, from his home in Alexandria on Oct. 5 and have been holding him incommunicado over his Facebook posts, according to Coptic Solidarity.
- Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent TRIPOLI/CAIRO ( Worthy News ) – A young Egyptian Coptic Christian has died in Libya after being tortured by armed kidnappers for refusing to renounce his faith in Jesus Christ and convert to Islam, according to relatives and people familiar with his family.
- The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Central Giza announced that an unidentified non-Christian man entered the Church of the Virgin Mary in the village of Barak al-Khiyam, within the Diocese of Giza, at approximately 6:00 a.m. on Thursday, claiming that he had come to pray.
- The perpetrator was arrested, and security forces rushed to the church.
Sources
- ADF International link
- Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate link
- BBC link
- Houstonpublicmedia link
- Middle East Forum link
- Morningstar News link
- Protestia link
- Religion News Service link
- Worthynews link
- Roysreport link
- Haitiantimes link
- Copticsolidarity link
- USA Today link
- Middleeasteye link
- WarpBeat — background on Coptic Christian Scholar Sentenced to Five Years for Online Videos link