3 teens detained pending investigation for blasphemy in Egypt

CAIRO - 14 April 2020: Three teenagers were detained on Monday for four days pending investigation for an accusation of blasphemy after they posted a video showing one of them was smoking while performing a prayer.

A video went viral on social media, showing a minor was performing an Islamic prayer and one of his two friends lit a cigarette in the first’s mouth to pull on, while the third young man was recording this scene.

The three teenagers are 17 years old each. They were arrested immediately in Al-Beheira governorate after their video stirred controversy on social media.

As per the initial investigations, the three minors confessed their crime and they intended to do this blasphemous act, saying they did so to seek fame.