The United States provides Egypt with roughly $1.3 billion in annual assistance, giving Washington significant leverage in its relationship with Cairo. According to Fox News, religious freedom advocates say he endured years of harassment and detention before Egyptian prosecutors referred him to a terrorism court. The cases reflect deeper concerns documented by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which said religious freedom conditions in Egypt remained poor during 2025 and accused the government of systematically restricting religious expression that departs from the state’s interpretation of Islam. USCIRF has recommended that Egypt be placed on the State Department’s Special Watch List for governments engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom. It has also urged Washington to make improvements in religious freedom part of broader U.S.-Egypt security cooperation and foreign assistance.