Jan 31, 2025

USCIRF Welcomes Release of Two Religious Prisoners of Conscience Imprisoned on Blasphemy Charges in Egypt

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes the release of Abdulbaqi Said Abdo and Nour Gerges. Both men were arrested in 2021 on blasphemy charges. Abdo, a Christian convert from Yemen, was in pre-trial detention for publicizing his conversion online. Gerges is an Evangelical Christian charged with purportedly leading a Facebook group for those wishing to convert from Islam to Christianity. While Abdo and Gerges are no longer in detention, the Egyptian authorities have not formally dropped the charges against both men.

“We are pleased with the release of Abdulbaqi Said Abdo and Nour Gerges after being unjustly detained on blasphemy charges,” said USCIRF Commissioner Mohamed Elsanousi. “While USCIRF is heartened that Abdo and Gerges were released, Marco Girgis and Ahmed Mohamed remain imprisoned on blasphemy charges. The U.S. government must advocate for their immediate release.”

“We call on the Trump administration to impress upon the Egyptian government that greater protections are needed for all religious communities in Egypt,” said USCIRF Commissioner Meir Soloveichik. “The U.S. government should urge the Egyptian government to repeal Article 98(f) of its Criminal Code, which criminalizes blasphemy.”

In its 2024 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate Egypt as a “Special Watch List,” or SWL, country for engaging in systematic and ongoing violations of religious freedom.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected]