Student arrested and interrogated for his faith in Egypt

Please pray for Mina, a university student who was recently mocked, arrested and interrogated for his faith in Jesus in Egypt, and for all those counting the cost of following Jesus in this nation.

“You are both a Christian and a student?”

This was the incredulous question from a policeman at a checkpoint in Minya Governorate, Egypt, to Mina, a university student who openly follows Jesus. What had begun as a normal inspection was soon to unravel into a traumatising experience when the policeman discovered Mina’s religious status on his national identification card.

Mina had been travelling to visit a relative when he was asked to pull over for standard checks. The declaration of his faith was clear to see on his ID card, and the policeman’s response was reported to be severe and immediate: he mocked Mina and tore his ID card in half.

Had Mina’s ordeal ended there, it would have been sufficiently upsetting. However, Mina then made the bold choice to speak about his experience on social media the next day – a courageous statement against the injustice of what he had faced. But this choice came with consequences.

The next day, police erupted into his home and raided it before arresting him, his mother and his brother. The three were taken to a police station and interrogated for hours. Wearied, traumatised, the family was eventually released to return home.

Please pray

For believers in Egypt, persecution can easily be sparked from everyday encounters. This mistreatment mostly arises from the local community, especially for believers who have converted from Islam, but it can also come from authorities in rural areas or where law enforcement is weak. Mina’s experience is not unique.

• What is persecution like for believers in Egypt?

Please pray for Mina and his family as they recover from their experience, and for all believers facing opposition and pressure in Egypt.