Release International report on Bishoy Boulos, a Christian convert who remains in jail for reporting attacks on churches and trying to change his religious ID.

Bishoy Boulos - still in jail for wanting his Christian identity recorded on his ID card
Bishoy Boulos - still in jail for wanting his Christian identity recorded on his ID card

An Egyptian Christian who reported attacks against churches is still behind bars a week after other journalists were pardoned.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced the release of two Al Jazeera journalists jailed after reporting unrest. They were on a list of 100 people pardoned ahead of the current UN summit in New York.

But one broadcaster who remains behind bars is Bishoy Boulos - a convert to Christianity who was imprisoned for reporting attacks against churches.

Release International, which serves persecuted Christians around the world is calling for his immediate release.

'It's great news that high-profile journalists were set free,' says Chief Executive Paul Robinson. 'But Bishoy Boulos remains in jail for reporting on attacks against Christians - and for asserting his claim to be a Christian. Egypt must set Bishoy free and deliver on its promise to guarantee full religious freedom.'

Bishoy Armia Boulos is also known by his former Muslim name, Mohamed Hegazy. He was arrested on December 4, 2013, in the Egyptian city of Minya.

The security service claimed he was working for The Way TV, a Coptic, Christian-owned, US-based religious television channel. They accused him of contributing to a 'false image' that there was violence against Christians in Minya.

The charge asserted that reporting the burnings of churches and attacks against Christians would in some way 'harm the national interests of the state'.

Two related charges were dismissed on appeal. Bishoy should have been released in May. But then a second charge was levelled against him of blasphemy against Islam. And that case is still under investigation.

'Bishoy's continued detention probably has more to do with his earlier conversion from Islam than to any alleged offence connected with reporting,' says Paul Robinson. Robinson is the Chief Executive of the UK-based Release International, which supports persecuted Christians around the world.

'Release rejects the charge that reporting church burnings somehow created a 'false image' of the troubles facing Christians in Egypt,' he adds. 'Minya has been the site of numerous well-documented attacks on Christians, church buildings and Christian-owned properties. A fact-finding visit by Release International in 2013 confirmed reports that scores of churches had been burned.'

According to Bishoy's lawyer, his client has been badly beaten in Tora prison, as well as being dragged across a concrete floor. His head has been shaved, a punishment normally reserved for violent criminals.

The blasphemy charge for which he is awaiting trail is linked to his attempt to change his religious identity from Muslim to Christian on his official ID card. Bishoy has faced a long history of opposition, harassment and detention for asserting that right.

Born in 1982, Bishoy converted to Christianity in 1998. After his conversion he was arrested several times and tortured to try to make him recant his faith in Christ.

He received international media attention in 2007 as the first Egyptian Christian convert to file a lawsuit to try to change his religious status.

As a result, he was threatened with death. Islamic scholars demanded his execution and the Minister for Religious Endowments publicly affirmed the legality of executing Muslims who converted to Christianity.

Bishoy's wife, Christine, also changed her faith. According to press reports, parents on both sides of the family threatened to kill the couple, who have been ostracised by other family members. They had to go into hiding with their daughter, Miriam.

No family members have been to visit Bishoy in prison. And Release partners say his family has not contacted him since his conversion.

Bishoy's lawyer asserts that the time allotted for investigations into the 'blasphemy' charge has now elapsed. He has filed a formal complaint with Egypt's attorney general about his client's treatment and continued detention.

'Bishoy's case casts doubt on assurances of religious freedom in Egypt's new constitution, and reflects the continuing vulnerability of Christians in Egypt - especially those from a Muslim background,' says Paul Robinson.

Release has launched the campaign #everyright to call on the Egyptian government to make good its pledge of religious freedom for all, which is guaranteed in the constitution.

'The continued persecution of Bishoy Boulous reveals two things,' says Paul Robinson: 'the authorities are reluctant to face the truth about continuing attacks against Christians, and converts to Christianity remain at serious risk despite the country's new constitution, which is supposed to protect religious freedom.

'Unless there is a clear mechanism to enforce the rights of the country's Christian minority, those rights are likely to remain every bit as theoretical as they have been in the past,' he adds.

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

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi pardoned 100 prisoners, including TV journalists from Al Jazeera, last Wednesday. Observers point out their release came the day before the President was due to attend the United Nations summit of world leaders in New York, and on the same day that France announced an arms deal with Egypt. CR

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.