Egyptian Christian detained at airport

Sherif Muhammad was
detained one week ago
and has not been heard
from since.

One week ago, Sherif Hassan Abdelwahab Muhammad, an Egyptian Christian, and his British wife were detained at the Cairo Airport following a trip from the United Kingdom, reports Middle East Concern (MEC). While on their way to passport control, the couple was approached by a plainclothes security official who asked Sherif, a UK resident, to identify himself. Upon stating his name, Sherif was detained. MEC says that no one has heard from Sherif since November 9.

Sherif’s wife, Emma, was asked to hand over her passport and plane ticket. She was then escorted to another room. She was issued a boarding pass for return to the UK on the same plane that brought the couple to Cairo. She has received no word of her husband’s whereabouts, nor any explanation of his detention or possible deportation.

Sherif has been detained in Egypt on numerous occasions since his conversion to Christianity 19 years ago. During these detentions, he was only questioned about his conversion and the peaceful exercise of his Christian beliefs, including his relationship with other Christians.

He has never been charged with any crime under Egyptian law.

International law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Egypt is a state party, clearly states that everyone has:

• the right “to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice” and
• “either individually or in community with others and in public or private, manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.”

Please consider calling, writing or emailing the Ambassador of Egypt to Canada and petition his intervention in this case to ensure that Sherif’s human rights, as well as his right to peacefully exercise his belief in Jesus Christ, are respected.

Shamel Nasser
Ambassador of Egypt to Canada
Egyptian Embassy
454 Laurier Avenue East
Ottawa, ON  KIN 6R3
Tel: 613-234-4931, 613-234-4935
Egyptemb@sympatico.ca

You can also email the offices of the following individuals:

H. E. Muhammad Hosni Mubarak
President of Egypt
webmaster@presidency.gov.eg
Please address him as “Excellency.”

Habib Ibrahim El Adly
Ministry of the Interior
moi@idsc.gov.eg
Please address him as “Minister.”

Play pray for Sherif and his wife. Pray for Sherif's protection and release. Pray that God would fill the two of them with peace. Pray for the authorities involved that God would move and cause them to release Sherif immediately.