It’s exhilarating to know that Egypt is in such wonderful shape that its national security officials can squander their valuable time arresting people for posting atheism on Facebook.
A 20-year-old Egyptian student is reportedly under investigation for starting a Facebook group calling for atheism.
The unnamed student who studies commerce at the Suez Canal University in Ismailia, was arrested after the university’s administration filed a complaint over his alleged activities, Egypt’s largest news organisation Al-Ahram online writes.
The newspaper adds the accused student is now being investigated by national security officials.
There’s actually a law against that though?
Don’t be silly; of course there is.
While the story has yet to be verified by other sources, article 98 of Egypt’s penal code says anyone found guilty of offending religion in any form can face up to six years in prison.
In December last year, a Cairo court convicted Coptic Christian blogger Alber Saber of blasphemy and contempt of religion, sentencing him to three years in prison.
Offending religion in any form – that could mean literally anything.
I dislike theocracy.
Does it actually say “offending religion” (or “offending religious belief”), or does it in fact say “offending religious people”? Is “religion”, or “religious belief”, something that can be offended, like the Law of Gravity (obviously) or the First Law of Thermodynamics (which is very offended because nobody can remember what it is)? How can you offend “religion”? Isn’t it rather like enterprises having beliefs and being offended if you don’t like their products? And if you offend a person, is it because you have done them harm or because they just don’t like your opinions? Think carefully, O Offended Ones (I think I shall call them Offendi). Think carefully, O Offendi (sounds good, don’t you think?).
“Offendi” LOL!