The man’s name is Said Abdelrazek. He converted from Islam to Eastern Orthodox Christianity in 2018. There are other cases of converts to Christianity being persecuted in Egypt but this is one of the most extreme, and it is before the Egyptian courts this month.
In much of the world, it is assumed that a person’s religion is inherited from his or her parents. Even where religious communities seem to be co-existing, getting along, people think that for someone to change their religion is a threat to society. This is a problem for anyone converting to Christianity.
“Egyptian authorities interrogated him about his religious beliefs and pressured him to reconsider his faith, monitor other converts, and asked him to delete his social media accounts.”
“In July 2025, Egyptian authorities detained Abdelrazek again without a warrant after he resumed posting about his religious beliefs online. On July 22, Egypt's Supreme State Security Prosecution charged him with ‘contempt for Islam,’ joining a banned terrorist organization, inciting unrest, and disseminating false information. During detention, authorities and inmates physically and psychologically abused Abdelrazek for his conversion.”
This quotes are from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.
“Egyptian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release him, as he is detained solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of religion and belief.”
--Amnesty International Canada
“According to an October statement from Abdelrazek’s lawyers relayed by Coptic Solidarity, the court had scheduled prosecution and defense arguments for 3 November.”
--Coptic Solidarity
Sources
Said Abdelrazek
This is the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, an agency of the US gvernment.
Egypt: Christian Convert Faces Life Imprisonment or Death Sentence for Leaving Islam
idicentre.org is the Ideological Defense Institute
Egypt: Tortured convert on trial for his religious beliefs
This is Amnesty International Canada
Lord Alton Presses UK Government on Detained Egyptian Christian Convert - Coptic Solidarity
Lord Alton Presses UK Government on Detained Egyptian Christian Convert - Coptic Solidarity
In much of the world, it is assumed that a person’s religion is inherited from his or her parents. Even where religious communities seem to be co-existing, getting along, people think that for someone to change their religion is a threat to society. This is a problem for anyone converting to Christianity.
“Egyptian authorities interrogated him about his religious beliefs and pressured him to reconsider his faith, monitor other converts, and asked him to delete his social media accounts.”
“In July 2025, Egyptian authorities detained Abdelrazek again without a warrant after he resumed posting about his religious beliefs online. On July 22, Egypt's Supreme State Security Prosecution charged him with ‘contempt for Islam,’ joining a banned terrorist organization, inciting unrest, and disseminating false information. During detention, authorities and inmates physically and psychologically abused Abdelrazek for his conversion.”
This quotes are from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.
“Egyptian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release him, as he is detained solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of religion and belief.”
--Amnesty International Canada
“According to an October statement from Abdelrazek’s lawyers relayed by Coptic Solidarity, the court had scheduled prosecution and defense arguments for 3 November.”
--Coptic Solidarity
Sources
Said Abdelrazek
This is the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, an agency of the US gvernment.
Egypt: Christian Convert Faces Life Imprisonment or Death Sentence for Leaving Islam
idicentre.org is the Ideological Defense Institute
Egypt: Tortured convert on trial for his religious beliefs
This is Amnesty International Canada
Lord Alton Presses UK Government on Detained Egyptian Christian Convert - Coptic Solidarity
Lord Alton Presses UK Government on Detained Egyptian Christian Convert - Coptic Solidarity
