Egypt: Coptic Christian scholar convicted of blasphemy for videos defending and explaining Christian faith
It’s a brittle religion and culture that can’t stand scrutiny and questioning, and has to shut it down by force.
Coptic Christian YouTuber sentenced to five years in Egypt over faith-based online videos
by Obianuju Mbah, Christian Today, April 29, 2026:
A man has been sentenced to five years in prison with hard labour in Egypt after posting online videos about Christianity, according to Christian legal advocacy group ADF International.
Augustinos Samaan, a Coptic Christian scholar and content creator with more than 100,000 subscribers on YouTube, was convicted under Egypt’s blasphemy laws for videos defending and explaining the Christian faith.
According to ADF International, Egyptian authorities charged him under Article 98(f) of the Egyptian Penal Code – a provision commonly used in blasphemy-related prosecutions.
He also faced accusations of “misuse of social media” and “contempt of religion,” offences linked to content considered insulting to Islam.
Samaan lodged an appeal on April 24 in an effort to quash the ruling on the grounds that it is a violation of his religious freedom….
ADF International said Samaan was initially detained in October 2025 over videos it described as “largely academic,” many of which sought “to answer common questions about Christianity.”
Some also examined theological and philosophical differences between Christianity and Islam….
Algeria shuts churches as Christians are forced underground
Pope Leo was just in Algeria, appealing for peace and tolerance. His appeal seems to have fallen upon deaf ears. Now, who could have predicted that?
Algeria shuts protestant churches as Christians are pushed underground
by Vincent Matinde, Christian Daily International, April 27, 2026:
Nearly all Protestant churches in Algeria have been forced to close, pushing thousands of Christians into private homes and informal gatherings as authorities tighten control over non-Muslim worship.
The closures, which have been systematic from 2017, are not isolated incidents but part of what a 2026 report by the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) describes as “a restrictive legal and administrative system incompatible with international standards on freedom of religion.”
The report documents what it calls a widening gap between Algeria’s constitutional guarantees and the lived reality of its Christian minority.
Since 2006, at least 58 Protestant churches have been shut down by authorities, including nearly all those affiliated with the Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA). By January 2025, the last remaining evangelical churches had effectively ceased operations.
The result is a quiet but sweeping transformation of Christian life. Prayer meetings now take place in private homes, improvised spaces or outdoors. Some believers gather in what the report describes as “house churches,” while others meet in remote areas, “churches under olive trees.” …
Nigeria: Islamic State jihadis murder at least 29 Christians, torch a church
The objective is to terrorize the Christians into fleeing the area, and then making that area Islamic land. This is how the jihad has proceeded since the beginning.
Isis kills dozens of Christians and torches church in sickening terrorist attack
by Peter Stevens, GB News, April 28, 2026:
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for killing dozens of Christians and torching a church in a terrorist attack in Nigeria.
The attack in the country’s northeast killed at least 29 people, with a group of young people assembling at a football pitch were targeted.
The attack occurred in Adamawa state, which borders Cameroon – a hotspot for terrorist violence.
One local, Joshua Usman, said the dead included “youths, including some ladies that were watching football”.
He told said houses, churches, and motorcycles were burned in the attack.
Footage from local reporters showed a torched building, upturned furniture, and charred motorcycles stacked on their side.
Philip Agabus, a local resident, said: “Our people converged at a football pitch in Guyaku community… and were attacked by insurgents who entered with guns and began shooting randomly.”…
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