USCIRF Condemns Egypt And Recommends “Placement On The Special Watch List”

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a statement on the 28th of January 2026 addressing the situation in Egypt, whereby it called upon the Trump administration to pay attention to the persecution of religious minorities in Egypt.

What was truly significant for the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light is that, in the opening paragraph of this statement, USCIRF specifies the plight of the 14 members of the religion imprisoned since March 2025. “Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) reiterates its call for the Trump administration to include Egypt on the Special Watch List. Earlier this month, an Egyptian court sentenced a Christian man, Augustin Samaan, to five years’ imprisonment for ‘contempt of religion,’ based on Egypt’s blasphemy law. Furthermore, new reports indicate that 14 members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light detained since March 2025 have been pressured by Sheikhs from the state-backed Al-Azhar religious authority to renounce their faith.”

This statement follows on from a  podcast released on the 30th of December 2025, during which Commissioner Stephen F. Schneck mentions the laws being passed and used by the Egyptian government to repress various religious minorities and, at 2 mins 22 seconds, specifies members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. This latest development goes further by recommending that Egypt be included on “the Special Watch List” and highlights the importance of the campaign to raise awareness of the plight of the 14 believers imprisoned since March 2025.

No human being should ever be incarcerated for adopting any religious belief, and this is a basic human right according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted by the United Nations in 1948, which establishes freedom of belief as a fundamental human right. Specifically, Article 18 of the UDHR states that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, which includes the freedom to change one's religion or belief and to practice it publicly or privately. Since Egypt is a member of the United Nations and therefore a signatory of this organisation, it agrees to adhere to these fundamental laws established for the betterment of mankind. The violations of these universal laws must end as soon as possible.

Hadil El-Khouly, Human Rights Outreach Coordinator at the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, made a statement in English and in Arabic to highlight this significant development.

For more information:

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