SAID
ABDELRAZEK

Background and Conversion

Said Abdelrazek is an Egyptian national who converted from Islam to Christianity. In Egypt, conversion from Islam is heavily stigmatized and often met with state repression, despite constitutional guarantees of religious freedom. Converts face social ostracism, legal obstacles, and persecution by security services. For Said, the decision to embrace Christianity became the catalyst for his arrest and detention.

The Arrest

On 15 July 2025, security officers arrived at Said's home in Cairo and arrested him. The arrest was tied directly to his religious conversion. No evidence of any criminal activity was presented. He was taken into custody and held in pretrial detention without formal charges for nine months. During this period, Said was subjected to torture.

Detention Conditions and Health

Said is currently held in the 10th of Ramadan Prison, a facility approximately 60 kilometers east of Cairo. Conditions in the prison are harsh, and concerns over Said's health have grown during his prolonged detention. The torture he endured in the early months of his arrest has compounded these concerns. Access to adequate medical care in Egyptian prisons remains severely restricted, particularly for those detained on politically motivated charges.

Legal Proceedings

In April 2026, after nine months of arbitrary pretrial detention, Said was referred to trial before the Terrorism Circuit of the First Criminal Court in Badr. The charges against him are rooted entirely in his conversion and religious beliefs. The use of terrorism courts to prosecute cases related to freedom of religion and belief represents a severe abuse of the judicial system.

Said's first court hearing took place on 21 April 2026. The trial was adjourned to 15 June 2026. The proceedings continue, with Said facing the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence for exercising a fundamental human right.

International Response

Human rights organizations have called for Said's immediate and unconditional release. His detention and prosecution violate Egypt's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Egypt is a party. Article 18 of the Covenant protects the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, including the right to change one's religion or belief. Egypt's use of terrorism charges against religious converts constitutes a flagrant violation of this principle and sets a dangerous precedent for other individuals who choose to exercise their right to religious freedom.