2017
A young Christian solider was beaten to death within four
hours of arriving at a new unit. His family say officers attacked him when they
realised he was a Christian.
Joseph
Reda Helmy had been in the army for only a month when he was killed. He had just
finished his training and been transferred to Al-Salaam special forces police
unit. He arrived at 2pm and was dead by 8pm.
The
Egyptian army told Joseph’s family that he died of an epileptic seizure: police
and other soldiers later told Joseph’s family he had been harassed because he
was a Christian.
Please
pray for Joseph’s family and friends as they struggle to come to terms with his
sudden death and their loss.
Three
army officers are in custody in connection with his death.
Joseph
is not the first to have died for his faith while serving in the Egyptian
military. Several other Christians have
been killed or persecuted for their
faith.
- Please pray for Joseph’s family, including his father Reda and cousin Youssef. Pray that God’s unfailing love will be a comfort to them (Psalm 119:76).
- Pray for justice for Joseph and his family, and for all the families who have lost loved ones in similar circumstances.
- Pray that the Egyptian authorities will clamp down on religious discrimination and intolerance in all sectors of society, including the military.
(Source:
Morning Star News)
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