Christian dad jailed in Egypt for Facebook comments declares hunger strike
A Christian father of five imprisoned for over 2.5 years in Egypt has declared a hunger strike despite his deteriorating health to protest against his unlawful detention.
Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo, a Yemeni refugee arrested for his engagement in a private Facebook group that supports individuals who have converted from Islam to Christianity, has penned an Aug. 7 letter to his family announcing the hunger strike.
"I started today on the 7th of August 2024 a partial strike. And I refuse to take treatment from the person who is responsible for healthcare in the prison," Abdo said, according to the legal advocacy group ADF International.
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"I am going to increase my strike in stages until it will be total during the coming weeks. And the reason of my strike that they arrested me without any legal justification. Or that they convicted me for any violation of the law. And they did not set me free during my remand imprisonment which was ended 8 months ago."
His arrest in Egypt came after facing persecution in Yemen, prompting his status as a UNHCR-registered asylum seeker in Egypt.
Abdo was arrested alongside another Christian, Nour Girgis. Both have endured prolonged pre-trial detention and repeated postponements of their criminal trials, with their health significantly deteriorating amid minimal contact with the outside world.
Kelsey Zorzi, ADF International's director of advocacy for global religious freedom, called for immediate action.
"This devastating cry for help from Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo must not be ignored. It is past time for Egyptian authorities to release him and Nour Girgis from their unwarranted and unlawful detention," Zorzi said. "We are utilizing every mechanism available to ensure that both men are released and returned to their families."
Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Global Human Rights Subcommittee Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., condemned the Egyptian government's actions as a "grave and grotesque violation of human rights."
"News of his hunger strike makes it more urgent than ever that he be released," Smith said. "I appeal to the government to release Abdo into a safe situation, and I appeal to UNHCR to protect and prioritize vulnerable or endangered applicants, including Christian converts from Islam and those accused of blasphemy."
Abdo was taken into custody on Dec. 15, 2021, without being shown any legal warrants, and his family was kept in the dark regarding his whereabouts for over two weeks, according to the watchdog group Global Christian Relief. He was accused of being an apostate and later of proselytizing and contempt of religion, leading to charges of joining a terrorist group and discrimination against Islam.
Despite his deteriorating health, Abdo had previously said he was denied medical treatment and subjected to beatings and threats while being confined in a high-security underground prison in Giza.
Abdo's journey began with his conversion to Christianity in 2008 in Yemen. After facing severe persecution, including the tragic death of his first wife in an arson attack and threats to his safety, he fled to Egypt with his children in search of asylum. However, his inability to change his religious affiliation on official documents due to Egyptian law has continued to complicate his situation, leading to mistrust and further isolation.
The international community, including the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, has taken notice of the cases of Abdo and Girgis.
Abdo's letter concludes with a message to his children, "I love you all, Daddy."
