Cairo Court of Cassation rejected on Sunday an appeal filed by the Islamic researcher Islam al-Beheiry and upheld a one-year sentence given to him by Masr al-Qadima Misdemeanor Court of Appeals for blasphemy.
Beheiry was taken to court by lawyers after the television discussion show that he hosted at the time provoked upset within Al-Azhar, Egypt's influential center of Islamic scholarship, reported Aswat Masriya. He was handed a five-year prison sentence on charges of contempt of religion.
Beheiry appealed, and in December Masr al-Qadima court reduced his sentence to one year.
Despite an appeal to further reduce the sentence, on Sunday it was ruled that the television host-cum-researcher would serve his one-year sentence.
In April, Behairy announced the suspension of his program With Islam on Al-Kahera wal Nas satellite channel due to disagreements with the station's management, without offering any further details on the reasons behind the suspension.
Later, Al-Kahera wal Nas channel issued a statement saying the program was suspended "to protect national interests, out of respect for a large segment of society, and in response to the request of the Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar."
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
