Originally published in Persecution.org
An Egyptian court has convicted a 24-year-old Coptic Christian teacher of blasphemy– based on the complaints of three children in her class — and fined her 100 000 Egyptian pounds (R140 000).
The court on Tuesday ruled that elementary schoolteacher Dimyana Abdel-Nour had insulted Islam. Abdel-Nour, who had denied the charge, was not in the courtroom for the verdict.
The case in the ancient southern city of Luxor began when three parents said their 10-year-olds complained at home, saying their teacher showed disgust when she spoke of Islam in class.
Angry Islamists, who want the teacher jailed, protested the verdict outside the courthouse.
Egypt has witnessed a surge in blasphemy charges in recent months, widely seen as a reflection of the growing power of Islamists.
Blasphemy became a criminal offense under Egypt’s new, Islamist-backed constitution.
Really scary that 10 year olds can cause an adult to be convicted because “she seemed to speak about Islam with disdain”. Then again the Quran gives you a choice…Islam or death. That is even more scary.