By Coptic Solidarity –
On January 3, 2026, Augustinos Samaan was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment with hard labor, with immediate enforcement.
Samaan had been held in pretrial detention in Case No. 21896 of 2025 (El Basatin Misdemeanors), where he faced charges of contempt of religion and misuse of social media. His family and legal team were expecting a ‘routine’ hearing on January 6, 2026 to renew his detention, as the last renewal session he attended took place on December 23, 2025.
On January 5, the family contacted an additional attorney, Mr. Saeed Fayez, to attend the anticipated detention-renewal session and support the defense team, particularly in light of allegations that Samaan had been assaulted by fellow detainees.
Family members and attorneys proceeded to El Basatin Court in Maadi to attend the renewal session. They were surprised to discover that Samaan’s name did not appear on the docket. Upon inquiry, they learned that he had already been referred to trial, without any notification to either his lawyers or his family.
The case had in fact been heard in a session on December 27, 2025, then adjourned to January 3, 2026, when the court issued its judgment sentencing Samaan to five years’ imprisonment with hard labor, with immediate enforcement and payment of court costs.
To date, the defense has not been granted access to the case file, nor has it been afforded a genuine opportunity to exercise the right of defense or to represent the defendant before the court. These circumstances raise serious concerns regarding fair-trial guarantees and the fundamental right to defense as enshrined in the Egyptian Constitution and domestic law.
In a statement, Mr. Saeed Fayez’s law office placed these facts before public opinion and the relevant authorities, emphasizing that respect for the right of defense, the publicity of judicial proceedings, and the ability of attorneys to perform their duties without obstruction constitute the very essence of justice and a fundamental guarantee of the rule of law—regardless of the nature of the charges.
The legal team affirmed that it will continue to pursue this case within a legal and human-rights framework, in a manner that safeguards procedural integrity and the protection of fundamental rights.
An appeal hearing has been scheduled for 26 January 2026.
Coptic Solidarity expresses its deep concern at what appears to be a farcical exercise of justice in Egypt. Beyond the discriminatory application of Egypt’s “derision of religion” law—which in practice is used exclusively to protect Islam—this case exemplifies a total disregard for the most basic legal and procedural guarantees.
Coptic Solidarity urges governments and legislative offices to call on Egypt to:
- Immediately release Augustinos Samaan and overturn his conviction
- Guarantee the right to defense, transparency, and fair trial standards
- End the use of blasphemy (“contempt of religion”) laws to silence peaceful expression
- Uphold constitutional and international commitments to freedom of belief and expression
Background
Augustinos Samaan, 37, is a Coptic researcher specializing in comparative religion. Through scholarly work and online educational content, he peacefully discussed religious issues and responded to anti-Christian incitement—activities protected under international human rights law. For this, he has been imprisoned.
He has been detained in connection with a misdemeanor case for “contempt of religion”(blasphemy), Case No. 21899 of 2025 (El Basatin Misdemeanors).
In the early hours of October 1, 2025, at approximately 1:30 a.m., a group of masked special-forces officers arrested him. During the arrest, security forces confiscated his laptop, mobile phone, a large number of books, and several personal papers.
Following investigations conducted by the National Security Sector, and after an ordeal that reportedly included torture, Samaan was initially charged with “joining a terrorist organization” and “spreading false news.” These charges were later amended to “contempt of religion” under Article 98(f) of the Penal Code.
On October 11, 2025, his detention was renewed for 15 days pending investigation by the El Basatin Summary Prosecution. Since then, his detention has been renewed repeatedly in 15-day increments. He remains held in El Basatin Police Station lockup, alongside detainees accused of offenses such as drug trafficking and theft.
