Source: www.persecution.org
Date: August 21, 2024
Egypt (International Christian Concern) — A prominent Christian activist recently launched a hunger strike, protesting the Egyptian government’s treatment of him while he’s in prison.
Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo, a vocal proponent of freedom of speech and conviction in the Middle East, is awaiting trial for comments he made in 2021 as part of a private Facebook group about Islam and Christianity. He has been separated from his wife and five children for more than two years. Another Christian, Nour Girgis, is also awaiting trial for comments he made as part of the same Facebook group.
Originally from Yemen, Abdo moved to Egypt seeking religious asylum protection. The hunger strike is a desperate attempt to bring attention to his case as his health is suffering.
“He has now completed two years, eight months in pretrial detention, which is in violation of Egypt law,” his wife recently said in a statement. “My husband suffers from heart, liver, and kidney diseases, and his health condition is deteriorating. He started a medication strike two weeks ago and plans to escalate to a full hunger strike gradually over the next month in protest of his unjust and arbitrary detention.”
Authorities charged Abdo with joining a terrorist group, having contempt for Islam, and discriminating against Islam. In April, prison authorities denied him medical treatment for chest pains. He is currently being held at the 10th Ramadan Prison in Egypt.