CAIRO, Egypt — An Egyptian Christian arrested in Cairo for handing out gospel leaflets and held in prison illegally for four days has been released.
Abdel Kamel, 61, was arrested Sept. 23 in downtown Cairo for handing out copies of a Christian leaflet. As they arrested him, police told Kamel it was “unlawful” to hand out religious information on public roads. When Kamel countered that Muslims commonly hand out Islamic literature, police told him it was “more unlawful” for Christians.
Kamel also didn’t have his identification card. Attorney Nabil Ghobreyal said there is no law in Egypt forbidding the distribution of religious material. While in police custody, Kamel said he remained in handcuffs for hours and was thrown to the ground, spit upon and threatened with violence. Kamel said he wasn’t tortured, but when asked to describe his ordeal, he wept uncontrollably.
“Why, when we are [sharing our faith], are we not even allowed to put our view across?” he said. “Why aren’t we treated the same?”
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