High-Profile Convert Jailed for 'Inciting Strife'


Pray that God will protect Mohammed,
as well as his wife and children.

Mohammed Hegazy, a well-known Christian campaigner for religious liberty, has been detained in Egypt for allegedly inciting "sectarian strife." Sources are concerned that the 31-year-old believer may be enduring torture in prison.

Mohammed (now widely known by his Christian name, Bishoy Armia Boulous), was arrested on the morning of December 4th at a café in Minya, Upper Egypt. Security forces claim he had been working for a Christian satellite TV channel and contributing to a "false image" that there is violence being perpetrated against Christians in Minya.

Those familiar with the case argue that Mohammed's arrest had nothing to do with any reporting work but was rather the result of ongoing retaliation for his conversion to Christianity. After embracing the Christian faith in 1998, he was arrested many times. On one occasion, the imprisoned believer was severely tortured for three days.

In August 2007, Mohammed was the first Egyptian to ever file a legal suit to change his religious identity on his ID card. The court later ruled against him on the grounds that Sharia (Islamic law) forbids conversions from Islam. In April 2010, an appeals court suspended the case indefinitely. (For more information on his case, click here.)

As a result of his conversion and attempts to change his ID card, Mohammed has received multiple death threats, forcing him, his wife and their two children into hiding. His family is reportedly now living in an undisclosed country in Europe.

As our brother-in-Christ faces yet another grueling trial because of his faith, pray that God will grant him needed strength and grace for each moment. May he echo the Apostle Peter's determination to obey the Lord regardless of what mere man says (Acts 5:29). Ask the Lord to also be especially near to his wife and children so that peace may reign in their hearts during this difficult time.

  • Country Information

    Population
    109,546,720 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Egyptian (99.7), other (0.3)

    Religion (%)
    Islam (90), Christianity (10)

    Leader
    President Abdelfattah Said El-Sisi (2014)

    Government type
    Presidential republic

    Legal system
    Mixed legal system based on Napoleonic civil and penal law, Islamic religious law, and vestiges of colonial-era laws

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for Egypt

    Pray on behalf of those who are facing economic and social challenges because of their Christian faith. Ask the Lord to provide for their spiritual and practical needs – further strengthening and emboldening them so they can effectively share the message of the Gospel with others in their communities. May the hearts of those who hear it be open and receptive to the wonderful truths contained in God’s Word.

Egypt News

  • Christian Convert Charged with Terrorism
    Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq is casually leaning to the side and smiling.
    Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq
    Photo: CSW

    On July 22nd, Egyptian authorities formally charged Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq (a convert from Islam to Christianity) with joining a terrorist organization, stirring unrest and spreading false information. Since converting to the Christian faith in 2016 and joining the Russian Orthodox Church, Saeid experienced persistent rejection from his family and community, as well as intimidation from local police. Despite these challenges, he regularly shared his newfound faith with those around him.

  • Prisoners Released After Years of Detention
    Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo
    Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo
    Photo: ADF International

    Originally from Yemen, Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo was forced to flee to Egypt in 2014 after being subjected to violent attacks because of his conversion to Christianity. Then, in 2021, Abdulbaqi was arrested by Egyptian officials following an interview he did for a Christian television program addressing the topic of persecution in Yemen. Additionally, he was identified as a member of a Facebook group for those who had converted from Islam to Christianity. Nour Gerges, an Egyptian Coptic believer who also participated in the same Facebook group, was arrested at the same time.

  • Three Christians Hospitalized After Stabbing
    Three crosses on Coptic steeples are silhouetted against the sun on the horizon.
    Domes of a Coptic Church building in Egypt.
    Photo: Flickr / Andrew A. Shenouda (cc)

    Three Christian men were hospitalized after being brutally attacked on November 5th in Ashruba, a village located within the Minya province of Upper Egypt. This is only the latest incident to occur amid a recent surge of sectarian violence throughout the region.

  • Christian Homes and Businesses Burned
    A water truck is working to douse a fire.
      

    Late into the evening of April 23rd, Islamic militants set fire to several homes and shops owned by Coptic Orthodox Christians in the village of Al-Fawakher, which is located in Egypt's southern Minya province. Although the attackers attempted to prevent the occupants from leaving their burning homes, thankfully there were no reported fatalities.