Tag: Mohammed Hegazy

Egypt convert’s legal limbo finally brings him ‘back to Islam’

August 2, 2016 Egypt Apostasy, Islamic extremism, Mohammed Hegazy, Port Said

During Hegazy’s periods of incarceration, he was subject to different forms of abuse.World Watch Monitor Egyptian lawyer Karam Ghobrial was clearly distraught as he talked about the saga both he and his client, once Muslim-turned-Christian Mohamed Hegazy, have endured over the past month. That was before Hegazy – the . . . Read More

Al-Azhar: to leave Islam is ‘treason’

June 22, 2016 Al-Azhar, Apostasy, Cairo, Converts, Egypt, Islamic extremism, Mohammed Hegazy, Ramadan, Sharia, Sunni

To convert away from Islam is “treason” that should carry the death penalty, according to Sunni Islam’s topmost religious authority. “The penalty for an open apostate, departing from the community, is well stipulated in Sharia,” Al-Azhar’s Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayyib declared on Egypt television last week. “An apostate must be . . . Read More

‘Losing my religion’ – why it’s so hard in the Middle East

April 26, 2016 Burial, Children, Education, Marriage, Middle East, Mohammed Hegazy

Why is the Middle East the way it is? There are many ways to approach answering this question. The book ‘Identity Crisis’ by Jonathan Andrews, a former researcher for Middle East Concern, a group of Christian charities which all work across the region, provides “a unique and timely perspective on . . . Read More

Egyptian convert still in jail having served his time

June 22, 2015 Egypt Apostasy, Converts, Egypt, Human rights, Islamic extremism, Mohammed Hegazy

Having spent most of his adult life either harassed, in hiding, or in jail, former Muslim now Christian Mohamed Hegazy can expect more of the same. Hegazy, who has been in prison since December 2, 2013, is known to be the first Egyptian to openly seek a change from Muslim . . . Read More

Bureaucratic delays put Egyptian convert’s appeal at risk

January 29, 2015 Egypt Apostasy, Blasphemy, Egypt, Mohammed Hegazy

After weeks of judicial runaround, Egyptian lawyer Karam Ghobrial has managed to find and visit his client, Egypt’s most publicly-known Christian convert Mohammed Hegazy, in Cairo’s Tora Prison. The whereabouts of Hegazy, the first Egyptian Muslim to, in 2007, fight a legal case to change his religious identity to Christian, . . . Read More

Egypt’s Hegazy sentenced to one year in prison

December 30, 2014 Egypt Apostasy, Converts, Egypt, Islamic extremism, Minya, Mohammed Hegazy, Upper Egypt

Mohammed Hegazy, the first Egyptian citizen to attempt to change his legal religious identity from Muslim to Christian, was sentenced to a year in prison on one charge and acquitted of two other charges at a Dec. 28 hearing in the Misdemeanor Court in Minya, Upper Egypt. According to Mideast . . . Read More

Lawyer: ‘Egyptian convert’s arrest linked to leaving Islam’

December 9, 2014 Egypt Egypt, Minya, Mohammed Hegazy, Sharia, Upper Egypt

The first Egyptian citizen to attempt to change his legal religious identity from Muslim to Christian, Mohammed Hegazy, has been in jail for a year now, awaiting a verdict on separate misdemeanor charges, due on Dec. 28. Hegazy faces a five-year prison sentence if an appeal court upholds his conviction . . . Read More

Jailed Egyptian convert awaits appeal hearing

November 12, 2014 Egypt Egypt, Mohammed Hegazy, Port Said

Hegazy’s lawyer Karam GhobrialWorld Watch Monitor A jailed Egyptian Muslim convert to Christianity is scheduled Sunday, Nov. 16 to appeal his conviction on a misdemeanor — if he can get to the courtroom. But according to his lawyer, prison and security police officials have not confirmed they will permit . . . Read More

Egyptian convert appeals 5-year sentence for misdemeanor

June 26, 2014 Egypt Converts, Luxor, Mohammed Hegazy

Mohamed Hegazy, left, with his lawyer, Karam Ghobrial.World Watch Monitor An Egyptian man who captured video of clashes between Muslims and Christians has been sentenced to five years in prison. Mohamed Hegazy was convicted June 18 for failing to obtain permission to film demonstrations in the Egypt’s Minya governate, . . . Read More

Egyptian convert arrested for ‘inciting sectarian strife’

December 13, 2013 Egypt Apostasy, Mohammed Hegazy

An Egyptian Christian has been arrested, purportedly for his work with a US-based Arabic language Christian satellite television channel which is shown in Egypt, as well as across the Middle East, North Africa, America and Canada. Bishoy Armeya was the first Egyptian Muslim convert to Christianity who then sought official . . . Read More

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