Egyptian Court Sentences Florida Pastor and Six Others To Death In Absentia For Insulting Islam

Egyptian judges are in the news for their resistance to the attempt of President Mohammed Morsi’s claim of unchecked power. However, progressive values can mean radically different things in some parts of the world. An Egyptian court this week convicted in absentia Wednesday seven Egyptian Coptic Christians and a Florida-based American pastor of insulting Islam and sentenced them to death.

The case was prompted by the low-budget film, “Innocence of Muslims,” produced by an Egyptian-American Coptic named Mark Basseley Youssef. He and the other defendants were found guilty of harming national unity, insulting and publicly attacking Islam and spreading false information.

Among the defendants is Florida-based Terry Jones, who has acquired international infamy for his burning of a Koran and other anti-Islamic acts.

While the resistance to unchecked power is heartening, Egypt continues to maintain blasphemy laws that punish religious minorities and agnostics.

Source: Washington Post