Abd Adel Bebawy was arrested in his home village of Minbal on July 6 after posting an image of God, the angel Gabriel and a verse from the Quaran on Facebook. 

The day after his arrest, according to International Christian Concern, a mob of Islamic hardliners gathered in Minbal and attacked the homes of several Christians

The village has made it clear since then that Bebawy and his family are no longer welcome.

When the court originally passed a prison sentence on Bebawy on 27th November, his legal defence team believed that they would succeed in the appeal. His defence lawyers argued that no material evidence was presented against Abd. They further argued that Abd had reported his Facebook account as hacked in July and the Facebook post in question was immediately deleted. 

One lawyer who advised on the case said: “We were thinking that the appeal will end up setting Abd free, and we were thinking who will compensate Abd for the months detained in prison until we reached the appeal time. Who will compensate his family, who have left the village and his kids moved to another school?”

The number of blasphemy cases in Egypt has increased since 2016. Many of these cases involve on social media and can carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison. 

Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager for the Middle East, said: “The verdict of the appeal court is extremely disappointing and worrying, as it further ingrains violations of religious freedom into…

The Cabinet member, Jeremy Hunt, launched a review on Boxing Day that would look into how much Christians are being persecuted in parts of the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

There have been attacks on the Egyptian Coptic church, Christians in Pakistan and there have been killings of church members in Nigeria, all this year.

Hunt said he wanted to make sure the UK was doing everything it can and using the ‘full weight’ of the foreign office.

The review will be presided over by Rt Revd Philip Mounstephen, Bishop of Truro.

When asked whether the foreign secretary agreed with the Archbishop of Canterbury’s statement that Christians were on the verge of extinction in the Middle East and that the UK should take more refugees, Hunt replied: “He makes this very striking observation that a few years back the population in the Middle East was about 20% Christian, that’s declined to about 5% Christian.

“We obviously look at individual refugees on a case-by-case basis but what we want to understand is whether we are using the weight of the foreign office network to support the plight of minorities in general and make sure Christians are one of those minorities we are looking at and doing everything we can.”

The Conservative minister was asked about Asia Bibi, the Pakistani woman who was almost sentenced to death this autumn, accused of blasphemy against the Islamic prophet…

The Roman Catholic nun passed away on Boxing Day at a care home close to the Carmelite Monastery in Quidenham, Norfolk, where she lived.

Jonty Claypole, the BBC’s director of arts, said: “Sister Wendy had a unique presentation style, a deep knowledge of and passion for the arts.

“She was a hugely popular BBC presenter and will be fondly remembered by us all. We’re thinking of her loved ones at this time.”

Born in South Africa in 1930 and raised in Scotland, Sister Wendy anchored a series of popular art shows on the BBC, including Sister Wendy’s Grand Tour (1994).

Sad news. Sister Wendy Beckett, writer, art critic and presenter of a much loved and popular series of BBC programmes about painting has died.

— David Sillito BBC (@DavidSillitoBBC) December 26, 2018

According to her publicist, Sister Wendy died from a combination of old age and health problems.

Xinran Xue, a close friend, said: “It is very sad news. Many people see her as a religious person and she was far more than that.

Like so many others, I adored #SisterWendyBeckett. Faithful, funny and wise, she revealed for millions the beautiful vocation of the contemplative life and of the Catholic sister. May she rest in peace with the God of beauty, whom she served so well. https://t.co/j8mLEUthTP

— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) December 26, 2018

“It’s a huge loss for the art world. She was a brilliant…

iPhone and iPad users can no longer download the software, which was produced by Living Hope Ministries (LHM) – a Texas-based group offering one-on-one pastoral counselling and mentoring.

A petition was started by the gay rights group Truth Wins Out which accused the app of saying gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are “sick”.

The organisation’s executive director Wayne Besen said: “We thank Apple for exemplifying corporate responsibility and taking swift action to remove a dangerous app that stigmatizes and demeans LGBT people.

“Ex-gay programmes are consumer fraud and cause significant harm to the people they purport to help.”

Founded in 1989, LHM describes its mission as to “proclaim God’s truth” and promote “sexual and relational wholeness”.

Its website goes on to say: “LHM proclaims a Christ-centred, biblical world-view of sexual expression rooted in one man and one woman in a committed, monogamous, heterosexual marriage for life.

“Anything less than this ideal, falls short of God’s best for humanity.”

Apps found to contain “defamatory, discriminatory, or mean-spirited” content – including such references to sexual orientation – face being penalised under Apple’s app rules.

Ricky Chelette, the executive director of LHM – which is not related to a UK-based…

Police said the blast occurred at around 7am outside the Orthodox church of Agios Dionysios in the upmarket Kolonaki area of the capital, ahead of a Christmas holiday service to mark St Stephen’s day.

The two victims were taken to hospital.

Neither of the two men suffered injuries that are life-threatening, according to police and church officials.

Fr Symeon Voliotis, an aide at the archbishop’s office, told state-run ERT television that the caretaker found the explosive device at the front entrance of the church, moved it and alerted police.

“Any action that threatens life or disturbs the peace must be condemned,” he said.

“My first thought was that someone homeless may have been hurt, because they often seek shelter there. But fortunately that was not the case.”

Authorities are already on alert following an attack on the private Skai television station when a powerful bomb damaged the front of the building on December 17.

Militant far-left and anarchist groups have carried out attacks over the Christmas holidays in recent years.

Anti-terrorism division officers are leading the investigation into the explosion, and officers cordoned off the busy central Athens area while colleagues gathered evidence.

Stay up to date with the latest news stories from a Christian…

The independent review will also map persecution against believers in “key countries” across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and make recommendations for a “cohesive and comprehensive policy response”.

Mr Hunt said: “So often, the persecution of Christians is a telling early warning sign of the persecution of every minority.

“…I have asked the Bishop of Truro to look at how the British Government can better respond to the plight of persecuted Christians around the world.

“We can and must do more.”

In an op-ed first published in the @Telegraph @Jeremy_Hunt explains why he has commissioned the Bishop of Truro @pmounstephen to lead an independent review into the persecution of Christians globally. https://t.co/zkKTsHboI5

— Foreign Office (@foreignoffice) December 26, 2018

Approximately 215 million Christians faced discrimination or physical harm last year, according to Foreign Office officials who say there has been a “dramatic rise in violence” against followers of Christianity.

Bishop of Truro Rt Rev Philip Mounstephen, who will report back around Easter 2019, said the issue was “close to my heart”.

#JeremyHunt has spoken up for persecuted Christians! https://t.co/UJCKXE75EI

— Open Doors UK ن (@OpenDoorsUK) December 26, 2018

He added: “Part of the Christmas story tells how Jesus was himself the victim of persecution so it seems particularly timely to…