In January 2005, Shafik Saleh Shafik was accused of detaining a 16-year-old girl against her will and of attempting to rape her. Shafik was director of a home for girls in Cairo (click here for more details). Last month, he was convicted of unlawfully detaining the girl, even though her parents had given him custody. He was also convicted of beating her. Shafik was sentenced to one year in prison with hard labour. According to a November 29 report from Compass Direct, he has gone into hiding while his lawyers appeal the verdict on the grounds of court corruption, misapplication of the law and failure to justify the verdict.
(Source: Compass Direct)
Director of Home Goes Into Hiding
- 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 republicLegal system
Mixed legal system based on Napoleonic civil and penal law, Islamic religious law, and vestiges of colonial-era lawsSource: 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.
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Egypt News
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New Appeal Filed for Imprisoned Christian
Dr. Augustin Sam'an
Photo: ADF InternationalIn October 2025, Dr. Augustin Sam'an was arrested and charged with "contempt of Islam" due to the content he shared on his YouTube channel. (More details about his situation are available here.) As a result of the subsequent trial, this Christian scholar/apologist was sentenced on January 3rd to five years of hard labour. Not only were the court proceedings conducted in secret, without due notification given to his family or lawyers, but he was also denied access to legal defence. Finally, Dr. Augustin's lawyers were granted access to the file relating to his case on February 11th.
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Almost 200 More Churches Officially Legalized!
A church in Egypt.
Photo: Flickr / David Hoffman (CC)In 2016, legislation was passed to expedite the approval process for churches in Egypt. Prior to this, congregations that had applied for registration encountered significant opposition over the years, and the construction of new worship facilities was often delayed. Since 2017, however, the committee responsible for reviewing the applications approved an average of approximately 475 churches each year.
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Case Against Believer Adjourned
Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq
Photo: CSWOn April 21st, legal proceedings began in the case against Saeid Abdulraziq, a Christian convert in Egypt. Although the believer has been accused under the country's anti-terrorism laws, advocates believe his arrest is primarily linked to his conversion to Christianity and subsequent involvement in faith-related activities. (To access a previously published report regarding Saeid's case, go to this report.)
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Court Hearing for Christian Convert
Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq
Photo: CSWSaeid Mansour Abdulraziq converted from Islam to Christianity in 2016, joining the Russian Orthodox Church. Immediately following his conversion, he began experiencing harassment and intimidation from his family members, the wider community, and local police. In an effort to find safety, Saeid sought asylum in Russia but was forced to return to Egypt in 2024.
