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Egyptian student sent to prison over anti-Islam images

Arab World Materials 5 April 2012 01:20 (UTC +04:00)
A Christian Egyptian student was Wednesday sentenced to three years in prison for posting images lampooning the Prophet Mohammed on his Facebook page, which triggered sectarian violence.
Egyptian student sent to prison over anti-Islam images

A Christian Egyptian student was Wednesday sentenced to three years in prison for posting images lampooning the Prophet Mohammed on his Facebook page, which triggered sectarian violence, dpa reported.

The sentence against secondary school student Jamal Masoud was passed by a juvenile court in the southern Egyptian city of Assiut. The court also accused him of disturbing public peace.

Security and military forces were in December deployed across Masoud's village and neighbouring areas after angry Muslims torched houses belonging to Christians.

Masoud has the right to appeal the ruling.

Tensions between Egypt's Muslim majority and Christians are common.

Last year, 14 Muslims and Christians were killed in clashes in Cairo's working-class area of Imbaba.

Christians make up about 10 per cent of Egypt's population of 80 million.

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