An Egyptian Christian convert from Islam who has been fighting for legal recognition of his faith (learn more about his story) was detained and mistreated by officials at Cairo International Airport on September 17, according to a September 26 report from Assyrian International News Agency. Maher El-Gohary and his daughter, Dina, were at the airport setting out on a two-week holiday to China when officials stopped them. El-Gohary's passport was confiscated and he was told that orders from a "higher authority" barred him from leaving the country. His lawyer later joined him at the airport and filed an incident report at the airport police station. That same day, El-Gohary told a Christian media source that "the authorities are trying to pressure us [he and his daughter] to convert back to Islam, but this will never happen, even if we have to live on the streets. We love our Lord Jesus, and we have left Islam for good." On September 22, El-Gohary and Dina again attempted to leave for China but were stopped by officials.

Click here to learn more about the opposition of Christians in Egypt.