Three Coptic Christian Teens, Accused of Insulting Islam, Face Egyptian Court

By Katherine Weber, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, February 02, 2016

Christians leave after Sunday service at the Al-Galaa Church at Samalout Diocese, in Minya governorate, south of Cairo, May 3, 2015. Copts have long complained of discrimination under successive Egyptian leaders and Sisi's actions suggested he would deliver on promises of being an inclusive president who could unite the country after years of political turmoil. However, striking out at extremists abroad might prove easier than reining in radicals at home. Orthodox Copts, the Middle East's biggest Christian community, are a test of Sisi's commitment to tolerance, a theme he often stresses in calling for an ideological assault on Islamist militants threatening Egypt's security. | (Photo: Reuters/Stringer)

Three Coptic Christian teens are set to stand trial in Egypt this week over allegations that they insulted Islam.

The three teens, all in high school, are scheduled to appear in court in the southern city of Minya this Thursday after they appeared in a video that allegedly mocked Islamic prayers and verses from the Quran.

The teens are shown in the video pretending to slit each other's throat, presumably to mock ISIS.

The teens' lawyer, Maher Naguib, told the Associated Press that his clients' teacher, who is Christian, is also facing trial under the same charges.

Naguib has told local media outlets that the teens' actions should be taken as the foolish antics of young men, saying: "This is all because of random and spontaneous action by some youngsters inside a bedroom and for only few seconds."

The lawyer also argued that the boys were forced to hide in their homes after the video was released "to avoid insults, beating and harassment" from the local community.

According to Fox News, if the three teens are found guilty, they could face up to five years in a juvenile detention center for violating the country's strict blasphemy law. The boys' teacher would be forced to serve his sentence in prison.

Coptic activists have also come to the defense of the teenagers, with Mina Thabet, a researcher at the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, telling Fox News that the boys' actions were harmless.

"They are some kids who decided to have fun in a private place," Thabet said, adding, "They were on a trip with their teacher, but somehow rumor got out that they'd thrown down the Quran, and had insulted Islam, so that led to their arrests."

The students had reportedly been on an overnight school trip with their teacher when they were filmed in a hotel room.

"They use some words that are used in Muslim prayers, but they are in no way being disrespectful to Islam," Thabet continued, adding, "and even if they were, they should have the right to free speech – but in Egypt we have this law."