Egyptian YouTuber Jailed for 5 Years Over Christian Faith Discussion

Egyptian Christian⁣ YouTuber Sentenced to Five Years of Hard​ Labor

A Christian YouTuber in Egypt, Aughustinos⁢ Samaan, has‍ been sentenced ​to five ⁤years of hard labor for defending Christianity online, according to the Foundation ⁤for Defense‌ of‍ Democracies (FDD). ⁤ The ‍conviction stems from⁢ charges of “contempt of religion” and “misuse of social media” ​related to content he⁣ created.

Background on Aughustinos Samaan

Samaan operates a YouTube channel with approximately 100,000 ​subscribers, where he responds to⁢ anti-Christian content prevalent in Egypt. He is also a researcher specializing in​ Christian ⁤apologetics and​ comparative religion. His ‌work aims to provide reasoned responses to criticisms‍ of Christianity and ⁢promote religious⁤ understanding.

Details ‍of the Arrest and Trial

Samaan was initially arrested in October 2023 ​and ‍detained‌ for 15 days pending investigation. ⁤This detention was repeatedly extended,‌ ultimately leading to months of imprisonment. ​Mariam Wahba, a research analyst with ‌the FDD, highlights a pattern within the Egyptian legal system where prolonged pretrial detention effectively punishes individuals before‌ a trial takes ‌place.

Egyptian ⁢law sets ⁢limits on pretrial detention – six months for misdemeanors, 18 ⁢months for felonies, and 24 months for serious crimes. Though, ‍prosecutors frequently renew two-week detention orders under the guise of ongoing investigations, circumventing these limits. This practice mirrors the‍ case of Egyptian-American‍ Mustafa Kassem, who died in custody in 2020 after five years of pretrial detention.

The trial itself was criticized for lacking due⁣ process.⁤ According to Coptic Solidarity, Samaan’s⁢ defense team was ⁢denied access to the case file and⁣ a fair opportunity to present a defense. This raises ⁢serious concerns about the violation of fair