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Egypt: Student gets three years for insulting Islam

Jan 11, 2015 1:34 pm By Robert Spencer

Egypt High CourtIn the enlightened West, Karim al-Banna would never have been sentenced to prison for insulting Islam. He just would have been excoriated as a racist, bigoted Islamophobe, and shunned by all decent folk.

As the global jihad fire spreads, this becomes increasingly absurd.

“Egypt student gets 3-year jail term for atheism,” AFP, January 11, 2015:

Cairo (AFP) – An Egyptian court has sentenced a student to three years in jail for announcing on Facebook that he is an atheist and for insulting Islam, his lawyer said Sunday.

Karim al-Banna, a 21-year-old whose own father testified against him, was jailed by a court in the Nile Delta province of Baheira on Saturday, lawyer Ahmed Abdel Nabi told AFP.

“He was handed down a three-year prison sentence, and if he pays a bail of 1,000 Egyptian pounds ($ 140 or 117 euros) the sentence can be suspended until a verdict is issued by an appeals court,” Abdel Nabi said, adding that an appeal was to be heard on March 9.

Abdel Nabi said his client’s father had testified against his son, charging that he “was embracing extremist ideas against Islam”.

Banna’s name had appeared in a list of known atheists in a local daily after which his neighbours harassed him, said Ishaq Ibrahim, a researcher on religion and beliefs at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights.

When Banna went to file a complaint against them at a police station, he was accused of insulting Islam and arrested, said Ibrahim, who has been tracking Banna’s case.

Banna has been in custody since November.

In December 2012, a 27-year-old blogger, Alber Saber, was sentenced to three years in jail on charges of blasphemy.

And last June, a Coptic Christian man was sentenced to six years in jail for insulting Islam.

The authorities have stepped up measures, including organising workshops, to counter atheism.

Egypt’s constitution outlaws insults against the three recognised monotheist religions — Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

That’s a joke, of course, since Egypt’s media is full of antisemitism.

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Filed Under: Egypt, Featured, free speech, Islamic supremacism Tagged With: Karim al-Banna


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Comments

  1. Peter Buckley says

    Jan 11, 2015 at 1:39 pm

    “The authorities have stepped up measures, including organising workshops, to counter atheism.”

    Best of luck with that one. Egyptians are slowly finding their voice:

    http://www.irtiqa-blog.com/2013/10/growing-open-atheism-in-egypt.html

    Islam is going down the pan….

  2. DeusLoVult says

    Jan 11, 2015 at 1:42 pm

    I guess they’re afraid that people will damage Mohhamed’s noble reputation of pedophilia, rape, mass murder, and bestiality.

    • MrIpe says

      Jan 11, 2015 at 3:46 pm

      What if everything is put into questions. I think no question can be an insult according to any law.

      – was Muhammad a pedophile when he did “thighing” with 6-years old Aisha?
      – was Muhammad a murder as he killed people himself?
      – did Muhammad have sex with nearly a dozen women in one day?
      – did Muhammad sex with his slave-girl in his wife’s bed?
      – did Muhammad marry the divorced wife of his own adopted son?
      – did Muhammad marry a woman after having her husband tortured and killed?
      – did Muhammad allow his followers to rape their female captives?
      – did Muhammad allow his followers to hire prostitutes?
      – did Muhammad promise his followers a paradise of eternal erections, which they will use to endlessly deflower their virgins?
      – if the answer to those quiestions is yes according to the islamic texts, do you think Muhammad is a perfect example for a peaceful, unselfish and modest person?
      – are you a hypocrite?

      • john spielman says

        Jan 11, 2015 at 6:21 pm

        interesting whether a question can be an insult?
        the real issue is when I cross the line: according to Islamic sources, muhammed pbuh* WAS demon possessed mass murderer thief liar, misogynist and pedophile pervert!!!
        pbuh* -perpetual banishment unto hell!
        so do I deserve to be killed by faithful muslims”?

  3. terry says

    Jan 11, 2015 at 1:56 pm

    “Egypt’s constitution outlaws insults against the three recognised monotheist religions — Islam, Christianity and Judaism.”

    It’s amazing how profound western mainstream media distortion of reality in Muslim majority countries and about Islam is.

    Not only in Egypt but in the whole Islamic world you can hurl insults on and call Christians and Jews, the “Kuffar”, names and nobody will dare to contradict you, let alone arresting you, and you may even be joined by others in your hateful chant. I know that because I had over the years several friends from Egypt and other Islamic countries, and lived for sometime deep in the middle of Muslim communities.

  4. mortimer says

    Jan 11, 2015 at 1:58 pm

    Disagreeing with Mohammed in public is a crime. You can do it privately between friends, but if a Muslim complains, you go to jail without a conviction and get tortured by the guards for being an apostate.

    • EmHotep says

      Jan 12, 2015 at 1:14 am

      Same as Turkey. We have it here too …

  5. Angemon says

    Jan 11, 2015 at 2:05 pm

    Banna’s name had appeared in a list of known atheists in a local daily after which his neighbours harassed him, said Ishaq Ibrahim, a researcher on religion and beliefs at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights.

    When Banna went to file a complaint against them at a police station, he was accused of insulting Islam and arrested, said Ibrahim, who has been tracking Banna’s case.

    Being harassed = insulting islam. I guess it complies with islamic law – non-muslim can’t testify against muslims.

    “Abdel Nabi said his client’s father had testified against his son, charging that he “was embracing extremist ideas against Islam”.”

    This should come as no surprise – islam teaches that loyalty to islam supersedes loyalty to anything else, including family:

    quran 60:4
    There has already been for you an excellent pattern in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, “Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allah . We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allah alone” except for the saying of Abraham to his father, “I will surely ask forgiveness for you, but I have not [power to do] for you anything against Allah . Our Lord, upon You we have relied, and to You we have returned, and to You is the destination.

  6. Salah says

    Jan 11, 2015 at 2:12 pm

    After 14 centuries of brainwashing we cannot expect overnight changes. Yet Egypt *is* changing for the better.

    Ahmed Hussein Al-Harqan is an atheist Egyptian human rights activist.

    Harqan has been among the few non-believers in Egypt, who has dared to speak openly about being atheist and Harqan has appeared on several Egyptian talk shows to speak about non-religious rights. In a TV-show on the channel Al-Kahera Wal-Nas on October 21, 2014, Harqan explained why he had become an atheist and said that Islam is a “harsh religion,” which was being implemented by ISIS and Boko Haram. They are doing “what the Prophet Muhammad and his companions did,” said Harqan.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Harqan

    • St. Croix says

      Jan 11, 2015 at 3:01 pm

      Is Harqan still in jail in Egypt? Since being thrown in the clink, as well as his pregnant wife and a friend who were raising their voices against the tyranny, I have not heard about their case.

      • Salah says

        Jan 11, 2015 at 3:10 pm

        Ahmad and Saly Harqan, and their friend Kareem Jimy were released and charges against them were dropped.

  7. Walter Sieruk says

    Jan 11, 2015 at 2:14 pm

    Being sent to to prison for “Insulting Islam” is once again proves that Islam has not real arguments to uphold it and that it’s such a weak religion that it can’t stand up to criticism.

  8. Jon says

    Jan 11, 2015 at 2:38 pm

    $140US is his bail? I’m gonna do some more research and see if I can’t spring this guy from Canada. What an absolute POS this guy’s father is.

    • St. Croix says

      Jan 11, 2015 at 3:09 pm

      Great idea. I’m sure many would chip in if there’s a way.

      Meantime it is par for the course that parents turn against children who “defect” either by becoming atheist, turning to another religion, or just questioning some of the inconsistencies of Islam. One ex-Muslim doctor (who was speaking at a conference with Robert Spencer) said that when he tried to reach out to his mother after leaving Islam via a phone call she said “I can’t wait to drink your blood.” One of the many horrific testimonies I’ve heard from ex-Muslims regarding familial love vapourizing once they leave Islam.

      Of course the Qu’ran says that is the thing to do; blood ties no longer matter in case of apostasy–except that the onus is then on the family of the apostate to bring him round, or else kill him/her. Hence the many honour killings.

    • ManchesterLad says

      Jan 11, 2015 at 3:14 pm

      Not really the poor guy’s fault. He’ll have been brainwashed from birth and is quite likely in-bred. The cultural pressure to support their ‘religion’ – come what may – is immense and maybe he cannot afford to make a stand and risk his family being murdered, ostracised and his daughters and young boys raped.

      Islam really is a cancer on a society it infects.

  9. Richie says

    Jan 11, 2015 at 6:28 pm

    How and why is Islam deserving of any respect? Its a death cult that deserves only scorn and ridicule

  10. Jen says

    Jan 11, 2015 at 9:14 pm

    There’s something wrong with the posting on the comments section..The comments don’t show up…

    From the counter-jihad blog- http://www.barenakedislam.com/

    In the enlightened West:
    “Christian man sentenced to one year in jail for speaking out against Islam” — Ezra Levant – Eric Brazau jailed 1 year for hating Islam — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVwfoAl7GSM — Published on 7 Jan 2015

    “If Eric Brazau had any lingering doubt about how seriously Torontonians take the matter of their vaunted tolerance, it may have been dispelled Tuesday when a judge sentenced him to an extra year in jail for stepping into an apparent crucible of Canadian values: a subway train.”

    Related Stories from Bare Naked Islam:

    “Oh, CANADA! When did you abandon your right of free expression to the Muslim infiltrators?”
    http://www.barenakedislam.com/2013/03/21/oh-canada-when-did-you-abandon-your-right-of-free-expression-to-the-muslim-infiltrators/

    “Oh, CANADA! Follow-up on the man who was arrested in Toronto for peacefully protesting Islam”
    http://www.barenakedislam.com/2013/03/23/oh-canada-follow-up-on-the-man-who-was-arrested-in-toronto-for-peacefully-protesting-islam/

    “Oh, CANADA! How could you sentence a man to 9 months for handing out flyers with the truth about Islam?”
    http://www.barenakedislam.com/2014/04/02/oh-canada-how-could-you-sentence-a-man-to-9-months-for-handing-out-flyers-with-the-truth-about-islam/

    • terry says

      Jan 11, 2015 at 11:32 pm

      Thanks for posting these links, Jen. I opened them and I found that http://www.barenakedislam.com/2013/03/21/oh-canada-when-did-you-abandon-your-right-of-free-expression-to-the-muslim-infiltrators/ is especially poignant.

      It’s really scary to see the fast pace of change in the hierarchy of western values. Just few years ago, it was unimaginable that freedom of expression would ever be touched, it was under full law protection, let alone being persecuted for stating obvious facts about Islam!

      Really, we are living in very special times and a completely f**ked up world!!

      • Jen says

        Jan 12, 2015 at 2:48 am

        Yes…I feel the same way…It is happening too quickly. To go to prison for telling the truth, is a sign of how much our freedoms are being eroded. It’s hard to believe we have mosques preaching hatred for non-Muslims and calling for our extermination while truth tellers are being arrested! It’s all upside down. This is why I pester people in this country to talk about Islam as much as they possibly can- while they still can- because while we have a more conservative government, our leader is all about ‘multiculturalism’ and ‘diversity’ as much as anyone it would seem; judging by his past comments about immigration and his criticism of a politician who made a comment against Islam. Some people who view themselves as ‘conservative,’ and free from all of this, still seem to harbour the PC/MC affliction. It is the types of things being taught in our education system and pushed through our institutions which is so much to blame for helping to dismantle common sense and cultural identity so people have a poor BS radar and were too all-embracing which means they didn’t awaken soon enough. With a strong sense of cultural identity, it is much easier to recognise when a foreign invader is beginning to encroach on your way of life because the boundaries are strongly demarcated. In the west’s case though, we tended towards ‘tolerance’ and ‘understanding’ and moving the fence posts to accommodate those who do things differently to us and feeling ‘guilty’ if we weren’t nice or understanding enough. As though, an outsider groups’ inability to fit in, must surely be due to our own inadequacy in making them feel welcome; rather than looking at the group itself, and examining whether there was something especially wrong with them.

        • terry says

          Jan 13, 2015 at 12:55 pm

          “to talk about Islam as much as they possibly can- while they still can-”

          That’s exactly what I am doing regularly, these days. The other day I was in a restaurant and I saw two separate men reading news papers about the Charlie Hebdo attack. I used the occasion to talk to each one of them separately about what needs to be done in the west to counter this act of intimidation.

          I use every possible occasion to talk to strangers and inform them about Islam, Jihad, their threat to our societies, what should we do or any mix of the previous. I also have to remind my grown up children regularly of this threat, facts about Islam and what should be done, given the daily barrage of deception, cover up or confusion they receive from their academic institutions, mainstream media and their abundantly Islam ignorant colleagues and co-workers.

          In addition, after watching, few months ago, on YouTube, the beheading of a very young Christian man, In syria, by some of those devout Muslims, simply because he was a “Kaffir”, I promised myself to make the plight of Christians in Muslim countries known to as many churches and people as I can. I already informed some churches in that regard and I will continue to do so.

          While doing that, I am open to all other possibilities and reserve my right to all options. People in the west should know by now, that Islam has declared war on the whole non Islamic world, to bring it into submission and it’s in the final phase of conquering and bringing the west into complete submission!

          As a very young man, I never submitted, after studying and learning about Islam, literally inside out. I will never submit to this anti human satanic cult of death, never!! Kiss my a**!

    • Angemon says

      Jan 12, 2015 at 6:46 am

      Jen posted:

      “There’s something wrong with the posting on the comments section..The comments don’t show up…”

      Do you get a “Your comment is awaiting moderation” warning? I notice I get one of those when I post several links at once.

  11. Jen says

    Jan 11, 2015 at 9:15 pm

    From the counter-jihad blog- http://www.barenakedislam.com/

    In the enlightened West:
    “Christian man sentenced to one year in jail for speaking out against Islam” — Ezra Levant – Eric Brazau jailed 1 year for hating Islam — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVwfoAl7GSM — Published on 7 Jan 2015

    “If Eric Brazau had any lingering doubt about how seriously Torontonians take the matter of their vaunted tolerance, it may have been dispelled Tuesday when a judge sentenced him to an extra year in jail for stepping into an apparent crucible of Canadian values: a subway train.”

    Related Stories from Bare Naked Islam:

    “Oh, CANADA! When did you abandon your right of free expression to the Muslim infiltrators?”
    http://www.barenakedislam.com/2013/03/21/oh-canada-when-did-you-abandon-your-right-of-free-expression-to-the-muslim-infiltrators/

    “Oh, CANADA! Follow-up on the man who was arrested in Toronto for peacefully protesting Islam”
    http://www.barenakedislam.com/2013/03/23/oh-canada-follow-up-on-the-man-who-was-arrested-in-toronto-for-peacefully-protesting-islam/

    “Oh, CANADA! How could you sentence a man to 9 months for handing out flyers with the truth about Islam?”
    http://www.barenakedislam.com/2014/04/02/oh-canada-how-could-you-sentence-a-man-to-9-months-for-handing-out-flyers-with-the-truth-about-islam/
    ……………………….

  12. Jen says

    Jan 11, 2015 at 9:18 pm

    From the counter-jihad blog- http://www.barenakedislam.com/
    ……………………………….

    In the enlightened West:
    “Christian man sentenced to one year in jail for speaking out against Islam” — Ezra Levant – Eric Brazau jailed 1 year for hating Islam — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVwfoAl7GSM — Published on 7 Jan 2015

    “If Eric Brazau had any lingering doubt about how seriously Torontonians take the matter of their vaunted tolerance, it may have been dispelled Tuesday when a judge sentenced him to an extra year in jail for stepping into an apparent crucible of Canadian values: a subway train.”

    Related Stories from Bare Naked Islam:

    “Oh, CANADA! When did you abandon your right of free expression to the Muslim infiltrators?”
    http://www.barenakedislam.com/2013/03/21/oh-canada-when-did-you-abandon-your-right-of-free-expression-to-the-muslim-infiltrators/

    “Oh, CANADA! Follow-up on the man who was arrested in Toronto for peacefully protesting Islam”
    http://www.barenakedislam.com/2013/03/23/oh-canada-follow-up-on-the-man-who-was-arrested-in-toronto-for-peacefully-protesting-islam/

    “Oh, CANADA! How could you sentence a man to 9 months for handing out flyers with the truth about Islam?”
    http://www.barenakedislam.com/2014/04/02/oh-canada-how-could-you-sentence-a-man-to-9-months-for-handing-out-flyers-with-the-truth-about-islam/
    ……………………………………………..

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