Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo, a Christian convert from Yemen, has been released after enduring three years of imprisonment in Egypt. Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo was released on January 25, 2025; he was detained in 2021 for participation in a private Facebook group discussing Christian faith and Islamic theology. Having fled his home country due to death threats after converting to Christianity, Abdo sought refuge in Egypt, only to face further persecution.
Imprisonment: Legal Struggles and Advocacy Efforts:
Throughout his imprisonment, Abdo faced severe conditions and significant health complications affecting his heart, liver, and kidneys. The final six months of his detention were particularly harrowing as he initiated a hunger strike in protest of his unjust imprisonment. Despite his suffering, Egyptian authorities continued to detain him under accusations of “blasphemy terrorism,” emphasizing the extreme measures taken against individuals who choose to change their faith.
His legal case remains open while Abdo has been released, leaving his future uncertain. His freedom was largely secured through the efforts of the advocacy group ADF International, which submitted his case to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Their intervention played a crucial role in shedding light on the unjust treatment Abdo faced and the broader issue of religious persecution in Egypt.
Following his release, Abdo shared his harrowing experience, stating, “I endured many hardships in prison. It isn’t right that a government should tear me away from my family and keep me in these awful conditions only because of the faith in which I peacefully choose to believe.” His son, Husam Baqi, echoed this sentiment, condemning the persecution of religious minorities: “It is hideous that individuals are not allowed to believe and express their beliefs freely and are imprisoned or killed for their faith.”
A Wider Issue of Persecution:
Christian persecution and societal discrimination continue to be serious concerns, leaving many converts vulnerable to legal action, imprisonment, and even violence. His ordeal features the urgent need for international attention and advocacy to ensure that religious freedom is upheld for all individuals, regardless of their beliefs.
As Abdo and his family attempt to rebuild their lives, his case serves as a recap of the ongoing challenges that Christian minorities face in parts of the world where faith choices remain a matter of life and death.
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