The court of Cassation, the highest court in Egypt, has upheld a lower court’s decision to sentence Muhammad Mahmoud Abdullah, better known as Abu-Islam, and his son Islam to five years in prison each for disdain of Christianity.
Abu-Islam, aided by son, had in September 2012 ripped and burned a copy of the Bible while participating in a demonstrations in front of the US embassy in Cairo to protest against the US-produced film ++The Innocence of Muslims++. The film was seen by Muslims as insulting to Islam. Abu-Islam went as far as to threaten to do obscene deeds with the Bible.
Whereas scores of Christians in Egypt have been throughout the few past years sentenced to prison for disdain of Islam, this is a very rare case when a Muslim is sentenced for disdain Christianity. Disdain of religion is a crime punishable by law in Egypt.
Watani International
24 March 2015