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An Egyptian court extended the jail term of two Christian human rights activists who were arrested and imprisoned on charges of defaming Islam last month, a member of a Christian group said Wednesday. Adel Fawzy Faltas and Peter Ezzat have been in jail since Aug. 8, said Wajih Yakub, a member of the Middle East Christians Association (MECA). A state security court on Sept. 20 extended their jail term for 15 more days, according to Yakub, IANS reported Wednesday.Faltas and Ezzat, members of the Canada-based association, were accused of propagating anti-Islamic material and threatening social peace. The material in question is a book entitled "The Persecuted" the association compiled from Egyptian newspaper reports and court cases involving what it perceives as persecution of Egypt's Coptic Christian minority, Yakub explained.Initially, they were also accused of converting a Muslim, named Mohamed Ahmed Hegazy, to Christianity. This charge was later dropped due to lack of evidence, Yakub said.Egypt's Christians estimate their number at about 15 million out of a total population of 79 million. Groups of Egyptian Christians living abroad, especially in North America and Europe, have been campaigning for equal rights and an end to discrimination against Christians in Egypt.The U.S. State Department's annual report on religious freedom around the world, which was released this month, said respect for religious freedom in Egypt declined.As in the days of Noah....
