Teen's sentence for defaming Islam upheld

ASSIUT, Egypt, May 30 (UPI) -- A Christian teenager sentenced to three years in jail for defaming Islam has lost his appeal before an Egyptian court, the government said.

An appeals court in the southern Egyptian city of Assiut upheld the prison sentence handed to 16-year-old Gamal Abdu Massoud, the Egypt Independent reported Wednesday.

Massoud was convicted of defaming religion for posting a drawing on his Facebook page in December that mocked Islam and the Prophet Mohammed.

The drawing prompted Muslims to attack Christians and burn homes in Assiut which has a large Christian population.