- Young Coptic Christian scholar convicted under blasphemy laws for peaceful online expression of his faith.
- Appeal filed to overturn his conviction; ADF International is providing legal support and calls for urgent enforcement of religious freedom protections.
CAIRO (27 APRIL 2026) – Egyptian authorities have sentenced Augustinos Samaan, a Coptic Christian scholar, and YouTuber, to five years in prison and hard labor for his online videos teaching about and defending the Christian faith.
Samaan, who regularly posts videos to a channel with over 100,000 subscribers, was charged under Article 98(f) of the Egyptian Penal Code, the country’s primary blasphemy provision, through allegations of “misuse of social media” and “contempt of religion.” Both charges fall within the broader category of blasphemy offenses, which criminalize speech deemed offensive to Islam.
Samaan is now standing for his right to religious freedom, filing an appeal on Friday, April 24, to overturn his conviction.
“Prosecuting Augustinos’ peaceful expression is a clear violation of religious freedom. Sharing content about your faith online should never lead to criminal punishment. Everyone has the fundamental right to peacefully express their faith. We hope that Egypt will reverse this egregious conviction and release Augustinos.”
“Prosecuting Augustinos’ peaceful expression is a clear violation of religious freedom. Sharing content about your faith online should never lead to criminal punishments,” said Kelsey Zorzi, Director of Advocacy for Global Religious Freedom at ADF International. “Everyone has the fundamental right to peacefully express their faith. We hope that Egypt will reverse this egregious conviction and release Augustinos.”
Samaan was first arrested in October 2025 for his online videos, which are largely academic in nature, seeking to answer common questions about Christianity. Some of Samaan’s videos explore the differences between Christianity and Islam, often including philosophical and theological criticisms of Islam.
His case is part of a broader pattern rather than an isolated incident. Since August 2025, dozens of individuals have been arrested in Egypt in connection with online religious content, including young people posting on social media, converts speaking about their faith, and individuals engaging in religious discussion or critique. This pattern suggests that the application of blasphemy laws is expanding beyond isolated cases to encompass a wider range of religious expression, particularly where that expression is perceived as conflicting with Islam.
Samaan’s religious expression online ultimately led to his arrest under Egypt’s blasphemy laws. With legal support from ADF International, Samaan is appealing his conviction.
Religious Freedom in Egypt
Christians make up about 10%-15% of Egypt’s population, yet they continue to face systemic persecution for their faith, including discrimination, violence, and imprisonment. Though Egypt’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, the use of blasphemy laws has persisted in the country, perpetuating further persecution of Coptic Christians.
Samaan’s case is part of a wider crackdown on online content deemed offensive to Islam. He is one of dozens of religious minorities who have been criminally prosecuted and imprisoned for posting allegedly blasphemous content on social media since August 2025 alone.
One other such case is that of Abdulbaqi Saaed Abdo, a Christian father of five, who was imprisoned on charges of “blasphemy” for peacefully sharing his beliefs in a Christian Facebook group. With support from ADF International, Abdo was released from prison and has relocated safely to another country.
“The Egyptian government is increasingly monitoring the online activity of Christians and other religious minorities, while more people are being imprisoned simply for expressing their beliefs through social media. We call on the government to reverse course and honor its commitments to protect religious freedom and freedom of expression,” Zorzi added.
ADF International advocates for religious freedom for Christians and religious minorities in Egypt and across the world.
