#Egypt #Sabrbay – A 20-year-old Coptic Orthodox Christian from Egypt died in Libya in early October after he was abducted and reportedly tortured for refusing to renounce his faith in Christ, according to accounts from his family and people close to him. His body was returned to Egypt later that month, and funeral prayers were held on October 28th at the historic Church of the Archangel Michael in his home village of Sabrbay, near Tanta in Gharbia Governorate.
Milad Malak traveled to Libya around September 1st or 2nd in search of work, family members said. He was abducted by an armed group in the city of Zliten. According to relatives and companions, captors demanded that he deny his Christian faith. He refused, reportedly telling them words to the effect of “I will not deny my faith in Christ” or “If you cut me into pieces, I will not deny my faith in Christ.” He died on October 6th from injuries sustained during the ordeal, family accounts stated.
Some reports described companions, including men identified as Fadi and Abanoub, who were also kidnapped and pressured to renounce Christ. One account said a ransom demand was made and partially paid, but the men were still subjected to abuse. These details circulated primarily through Egyptian Coptic media outlets, family statements, and social media posts; no comprehensive public findings from an official Libyan or Egyptian investigation into the precise circumstances or perpetrators had been released by late October.
Malak’s mother, Maryam Fawzi, publicly appealed to Egyptian authorities, including President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for help recovering her son’s remains so the family could hold a proper farewell in his home church. Egyptian diplomatic efforts with Libyan authorities led to the body’s return. On October 28th, clergy and hundreds of community members gathered at the Archangel Michael Church in Sabrbay for the funeral service.
The case echoed earlier violence against Egyptian Coptic migrant workers in Libya, most notably the 2015 beheading of 21 Christians by Islamic State militants on a Libyan beach after they refused to renounce their faith. Many young Egyptian men continue to travel to Libya for employment opportunities amid economic pressures at home.
Cover Image: Milad Malak (left) and his funeral coffin (right) at Archangel Michael Church in Sabrbay.
