Christian persecution concerns rise in Egypt as State Department presses religious freedom

A series of violent attacks on Egyptian Christians, including the incarceration of a man who converted from Islam to Christianity, prompted the U.S.State Department to urge that religious freedom be respected in the Muslim-majority country of Egypt.The situation of the Christian minority in Egypt has implications for religious freedom in the northern African nation that receives $1.3 billion in annual funding from the U.S.Raymond Ibrahim, an expert on Christians in the Muslim world, wrote on the website of the Gatestone Institute, that "Said Mansour Rezk Abdelrazek, a Muslim convert to Christianity, has become one of Egypt's most prominent religious freedom cases.NIGERIAN PASTOR HIGHLIGHTED BY TRUMP SAYS HE’S NEXT AFTER MILITIA KILLS HIS RELATIVES"After embracing Christianity in 2016, he endured years of harassment, detention, and abuse.

On April 13, prosecutors referred him to a terrorism court, while his lawyers were denied access to the case file.He remains imprisoned, with advocates reporting torture, physical abuse, denial of adequate medical care, and repeated postponements of his trial."In another case, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) reported that a mob of Muslims tossed stones at a church in Upper Egypt on July 8, injuring Christians and causing damage to the building and a priest’s car.Just days later, a group of men attacked Father Matta Roushdy, 49, a priest at the Virgin Mary and Saint Abanoub Coptic Orthodox Church in Dahab, South Sinai Governorate.REPORT DETAILS RISING PRESSURE ON UNDERGROUND CATHOLICS AS CHINA DENIES CRACKDOWNA State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that President Trump has stated that "America will always defend the right of every person to live out their faith openly, freely, and without fear." The spokesperson added that "Religious freedom is a fundamental American value.

We aspire for all others to enjoy the same freedom, protection, and benefits."However, there has been some progress in comb...

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