A key figure who converted from Islam to Christianity has denounced his faith and returned to Islam, after the Egyptian government allegedly detained and abused him unlawfully for almost three years.
Mohammed Hegazy, whose Christian name is Bishoy Armia Hegazy, issued a public statement on YouTube of Islamic faith known as the 'Shahada'.
"I went through an experience with all its good and bad and all that is in it, but it was an experience," he says in the video.
"But praise be to God who strengthens me in Islam. I am not coming today to talk about specific things, because it was a personal thing between a person and God. But I am coming today because I hurt a lot of people in my family and my friends and caused them a lot of problems."
According to Hegazy's attorney, Karam Ghobrial, under the direct orders from the Ministry of Interior (MOI), Hegazy was transferred from prison to prison for more than three weeks across Egypt before being released on bail on July 23.
"I personally think that he recorded this video to get out," said Ghobrail, adding that was shattered to see Hagazy cry in the police station.
According to him, his client made the confession of faith because he was a "terrified and broken man."
He added that the statement the victim gave "seemed scripted".
Hegazy who converted to Christianity at the age of 16, was reportedly subjected to humiliation, beating, torture and abuse in the prison.
Even his own family members, whom he addressed his apology, had threatened to kill him.
Al-Azhar's Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayyib, the most respected Islamic scholar in the world, has previously said leaving Islam was "treason" and that apostates should be executed.
"The penalty for an open apostate, departing from the community, is well stipulated in Sharia. An apostate must be pressed upon to repent within a variable period of time or be killed," he stated.