[REVISION HISTORY]

Detention of Egyptian Christians over TikTok video

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2026-10-24 14:25 UTC → 2026-10-27 01:16 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Six Christian youths, aged between 17 and 23, ~~were detained~~ remain in detention in Egypt’s Minya Governorate following the posting of a TikTok ~~video.~~ video on October 4. The video parodied a scene from the 2018 film ‘Khalawis’ involving prisoners performing Muslim prayers. Although the original posters deleted the content, a local resident reposted it, inciting ~~backlash~~ online hostility and ~~reports~~ calls for violence against the men and their families. To prevent potential communal violence, relatives and church representatives delivered five of the men to ~~authorities by villagers. The detainees~~ the Samalout Police Station on October 6, under the understanding they would be released once local tensions subsided. However, the group remains in custody facing the Supreme State Security Prosecution. They face charges including “using religion to spread extremist ideas, contempt for religion, and insulting a religious confession,” as well as “exploiting” and “insulting” the Islamic religion. Human rights organizations, including the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) and Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), have called for their release. EIPR noted that a judge extended the group’s detention for 15 days without the presence of defense lawyers. ADF characterized the incident as part of a broader pattern of discrimination against Egypt’s Christian ~~minority.~~ minority and noted that the film used in the video had previously received official censorship approval.

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