ISTANBUL, Turkey (Morning Star News) – A noted convert in Egypt who was sentenced to five years in prison for documenting attacks on Christians has won a partial victory on appeal, but he remains in jail because of prior blasphemy charges. An appeals judge on Sunday (Dec. 28) found Bishoy Armia Boulous, 31, previously known as […]
Noted Convert from Islam in Egypt Wins Partial Appeal but Remains in Jail
Two of three charges dropped against Bishoy Armia Boulous, formerly Mohammed Hegazy.
December 31, 2014 By - Leave a Comment
How to Read a Persecution News Story
Pray – if you can figure out how.
November 1, 2014 By - 6 Comments
(Morning Star News) – Any of you who regularly follow persecution news may find that it gets hard to read after a while. In response to reader requests on how to deal with so much horrific news – one becomes either despondent or desensitized – I’ll share how I handle it. The horror of some […]
One Year after Historic Attacks, Egypt Has Yet to Aid Christians
Few church buildings restored as Copts struggle to rebuild their lives.
August 18, 2014 By - Leave a Comment
ISTANBUL (Morning Star News) – One year after the attacks, Mina Thabet can still see the ruins in his mind; a seemingly endless series of scorched, hollowed-out church buildings, schools, homes and businesses stretching out across Egypt. On Aug. 14, 2013, thousands of Muslims began a four-day rampage throughout the country seeking revenge for the military-backed, […]
Noted Convert in Egypt, Released in Appeal, Quickly Imprisoned Again
Mohammed Hegazy, now called Bishoy Armia Boulous, faces 2009 charges.
July 23, 2014 By - Leave a Comment
ISTANBUL, Turkey (Morning Star News) – A noted convert in Egypt released on bail this week for the appeal of his disputed conviction for “inciting sectarian violence” was quickly imprisoned again on equally controversial charges from 2009 of “defaming Islam,” his attorney said. Local security officials on Monday (July 21) turned Bishoy Armia Boulous, previously known […]
Copt Convicted of ‘Blasphemy’ in Egypt for ‘Liking’ Facebook Page
Severity of sentence shocks Christian community, free speech advocates.
June 25, 2014 By - 3 Comments
ISTANBUL, Turkey (Morning Star News) – A young Christian man in Upper Egypt accused of blaspheming Islam for “liking” a Facebook page was sentenced Tuesday (June 24) to six years in prison, shocking the Coptic community and other Facebook users. Judge Hazim Hany of Armant Criminal Court found Kerolos Shouky Attallah, 29, of Al-Mahamid village near […]
Noted Convert in Egypt, Formerly Known as Hegazy, Sentenced to Five Years in Prison
Bishoy Armia Boulous convicted for photographing unrest.
June 19, 2014 By - Leave a Comment
ISTANBUL, Turkey (Morning Star News) – A judge in Egypt yesterday sentenced Bishoy Armia Boulous – formerly Mohammed Hegazy, the first Egyptian to try to legally change his religious identity on his official ID – to five years in prison, his attorney said. The 31-year-old Christian received the prison term and a fine of 500 Egyptian […]
Coptic Teacher Loses Appeal, Sentenced to Prison in Egypt for ‘Blasphemy’
Falsely accused woman likely to remain in permanent exile, advocates say.
June 17, 2014 By - Leave a Comment
ISTANBUL, Turkey (Morning Star News) – A Coptic woman has lost her appeal of what human rights activists call a false conviction for blaspheming Islam and has been sentenced to six months in an Egytian prison. The appellate court ruling, handed down on Sunday (June 15), shocked the Christian woman, 25-year-old Demyana Abd al-Nour, her family […]
Commitment to Egypt’s New Constitution Questioned after ‘Blasphemy’ Charge
Christian on trial for ‘liking’ Facebook page run by converts from Islam.
June 10, 2014 By - Leave a Comment
ISTANBUL, Turkey (Morning Star News) – Charges of “blasphemy” against a Christian in Egypt for “liking” a Facebook page run by converts from Islam call into question the government’s commitment to a new constitution guaranteeing freedom of belief and thought, rights activists said. Kerolos Shouky Attallah, of Al-Mahamid village near Luxor, is accused of violating Article […]
Lawyers Press for ‘Insanity Defense’ in Killing of Christian Woman in Egypt
Attorneys undeterred by psychiatric evaluation saying confessed killer is mentally fit.
May 26, 2014 By - Leave a Comment
ISTANBUL, Turkey (Morning Star News) – Lawyers for a Muslim accused of stabbing a Coptic woman to death in Egypt are persisting with a claim of innocence by reason of insanity, in spite of a psychiatric evaluation that found he was fit to stand trial. Confirming fears of human rights activists who said attorneys for Mahmoud […]
Christian Teacher in Exile Awaiting Appeal of Her ‘Blasphemy’ Case in Egypt
False accusations in climate of hostility drive young woman to France.
May 2, 2014 By - 1 Comment
ISTANBUL, Turkey (Morning Star News) – One year after Muslim extremists in Egypt accused her of committing blasphemy during class, a Christian teacher who suspected she would not get a fair trial remains trapped in exile. Demyana Abd Al-Nour, 25, a first-year social studies teacher at Sheikh Sultan Primary School in a village in Upper Egypt, fled […]