An Egyptian appeals court upheld a blasphemy conviction against a Coptic Christian teacher and sentenced her to six months in prison on Sunday, overturning an earlier ruling that only imposed a fine.
Egypt's state news agency MENA said the appellate court in Luxor ruled that elementary school teacher Dimyana Abdel-Nour had insulted Islam in front of her pupils.
Last year, Abdel-Nour was convicted and ordered to pay a fine of 100,000 Egyptian pounds (about $14,000), but she appealed. MENA reported that the prosecutors also appealed, saying the crime must be punishable by a prison sentence, not only a fine. [Associated Press] Read more
