Source: SAT-7, October 12, 2015
On Saturday October 10, officers from Egypt’s Censorship Department came to the SAT-7 studios with a search warrant and removed items of equipment, including cameras and computers used for editing. The Office Director, Mr. Farid Samir, was detained for six hours but then released. He faces four charges relating to operating a satellite TV channel without the necessary licenses, although the SAT-7 Egypt office is a program production facility and not a satellite broadcast center for any of the SAT-7 channels.
A hearing was held Sunday October 11 at the Public Prosecutor’s Office, during which it became clear that all charges are based on a lack of and/or incorrect information. A decision will be [made] by the Public Prosecutor in the next few days concerning whether this case will go to court.
In the meantime, the confiscated equipment remains in police custody and the normal activities of SAT-7 in Egypt are severely disrupted.
The work of SAT-7 Egypt is carried out under the legal umbrella of the Coptic Evangelical Church but its services are in support of all the Church denominations in Egypt.
Though facing challenges, the SAT-7 team in Egypt remain encouraged by the love and support they have received. As Farid Samir wrote [October 12], “Unite with us in prayer so that we can complete our ministry—one based on love and which aims to serve our beloved country.”
» Read full story and please pray for the SAT-7 Egypt team. See also a most encouraging story about a Christian youth festival in Egypt that attracted about 7,000 people a day, and pray for another youth event planned for November 6-8.