Release campaign calls for full freedom of religion in Egypt.

Release International

With the news that an Egyptian Christian has been jailed indefinitely for sharing his faith with Muslims, Release International is pressing Egypt to make good its guarantee of freedom of religion for its dwindling Christian minority.

Release, which supports persecuted Christians worldwide, is calling on the Egyptian government to follow through on changes to the constitution, which guarantees full religious freedom for all its citizens.

The Release campaign #EveryRight includes an online petition, which can be signed at releaseinternational.org

'Two years ago, scores of churches were burning across Egypt and Christian homes and businesses were being targeted by Islamists. Today, despite the changes in the constitution, Christians still face discrimination. They are still being jailed for blasphemy, and that has to end,' says Paul Robinson, the Chief Executive of Release International.

The latest case concerns 35-year-old Medhat Isha, who risks being detained indefinitely on a false charge of blasphemy.

Medhat, from Minya in Upper Egypt, was arrested on August 7 for allegedly evangelising Muslims in a Cairo suburb. The day after his arrest, a judge amended the charge against Medhat to 'defamation of a revealed religion' and ordered him to be detained for a fortnight.

On Monday the detention order was extended for a further 15 days and Medhat's lawyer Rafik Rafaat fears it could be extended indefinitely.

Rafik believes Muslim extremists are pressuring judges to crack down on Christian evangelists. Muslims in Egypt are allowed free rein to hand out religious literature in public, including Korans. Medhat's next hearing is scheduled in about two weeks.

There are other cases like this.

On July 11, three Christians were arrested in Alexandria for handing out bags of dried dates containing a statement about God's love. All three were released on bail.

Christian convert Bishoy Boulos is another accused of blasphemy.

Bishoy is also known by his former Muslim name: Mohammed Hegazy. When Mohammed became a Christian and tried to change the religious status on his identity card, he was jailed, received death threats and had his home set on fire.

'We have suffered a lot because our ID states we are Muslims and we are living as Christians,' he said. 'I decided to have that fight, to ask for my right to change my religion on the ID.'

Bishoy Boulos was jailed for reporting the persecution of Christians. Other journalists were also imprisoned, but have since been released. But Bishoy has now been accused of blasphemy.

Another Christian was sentenced for six years for liking a facebook page set up to support Christians. Kerolos Shouky Attalah was charged with insulting Islam.

And a Christian teacher was sentenced for six months after being accused by her pupils of blasphemy. Dimyana Abd Al-Nour was accused of comparing Mohammed to the Coptic Pope.

'This long-line of legal abuses highlights continuing persecution against Christians in Egypt - despite changes in the constitution,' says Paul Robinson of Release. 'Discrimination is deep-rooted and the government must act to change the culture to secure the freedoms it proclaims.'

Advocates of progress point to the recent jail sentences for 69 rioters who set fire to a church in Kerdasa, Cairo.

But many of those rioters who were sentenced to life were tried in their absence and never found. Others who have attacked Christians plead insanity - and are never brought to justice.

Since the church burnings in 2013, thousands of Christians have left Egypt, adding to the growing exodus of Christians from the Middle East.

'Egypt has taken steps in the right direction,' says Paul Robinson of Release. 'But it's a long journey and full religious freedom is still a long way off. Help us encourage Egypt to keep on track towards full religious freedom - and to keep going - by signing the petition at releaseinternational.org.

'Although thousands of Christians have left the country, Egypt's Coptic community is still the largest Christian presence in the Middle East. It would be a tragedy if they felt compelled to leave. Release is calling on Christians everywhere to stand with them. And we're appealing to the Egyptian government of President al-Sisi to make good their promises on religious freedom. To make it possible for the country's Christians to stay.'

To download a radio report on the future facing Christians in Egypt, please click the link.