Egyptian Court Sentences Christian For Insulting Prophet; Separate Case Dismissed

BikyaMasr reports today that a court in the southern Egyptian province of Assiut has sentenced Makram Diab, a Christian, to 6 years in prison for showing contempt of religion and insulting the Prophet Muhammad. Diab, a school employee, made remarks that infuriated his Muslim co-workers who went on strike until he was arrested and prosecuted.  Earlier this week, according to AP, a court in Cairo threw out a lawsuit against telecommunications mogul Naguib Sawiris, also a Christian, who angered Muslims by sending out via Twitter a cartoon showing Mickey Mouse in a beard and Minnie Mouse in a veil. (See prior posting.) The court held that plaintiffs were not eligible to bring a religious defamation lawsuit. But two other suits against Sawiris based on the same cartoons are still pending in Egyptian courts.