Year: 2018

Marawi’s rebuilding yet to start, despite warning that defeating extremism depends on it

March 2, 2018 Philippines Abu Sayyaf, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Marawi, Maute, Mindanao, Philippines, Southeast Asia

Four months after the battle ended over the southern Philippines city of Marawi, Muslim leaders have called on people to stop posting divisive information on social media. Rumours were spread via social media in recent weeks, saying that the Catholic cathedral, which was severely damaged during the conflict last year, . . . Read More

Indonesia Christians’ whipping a rare example of non-Muslims punished under Sharia

March 2, 2018 Indonesia Aceh, Hijab, Indonesia, Sharia, Sumatra

Two Indonesian Christians were whipped in public earlier this week in Banda Aceh, the capital of the Sumatran province of Aceh, as a crowd took photos and jeered. Dahlan Sili Tongga, 61, and Tjia Nyuk Hwa, 45, were being punished for breaking Sharia (Islamic law) by playing a game at . . . Read More

Death and destruction as Boko Haram launches fresh attacks in Cameroon

March 1, 2018 Cameroon Boko Haram, Cameroon, Nigeria

Boko Haram insurgents continue to carry out attacks outside the borders of Nigeria, where the group began. The Islamists recently attacked two villages in northern Cameroon, close to the north-eastern border with Nigeria, leaving one person dead and many homes destroyed by fire. The 23 February attack on Virkaza and . . . Read More

Algeria: two more churches closed, others threatened

March 1, 2018 Algeria Aïn Turk, Algeria, Churches, Kabylie, North Africa, Oran, Proselytism, Protestant Church of Algeria, Religious freedom, Tizi Ouzou

Local authorities in Algeria’s north-western city of Oran have closed two more churches amidst growing pressure on Christians in the Maghreb country. The two churches – L’Oratoire (The Oratory) in Oran’s city centre, and a village church in Layayda (about 40km from Oran) – were sealed off by police on . . . Read More

Iran: Christians held in notorious Evin Prison ‘will never be the same’

February 28, 2018 Iran Evin Prison, Hassan Rouhani, Iran, Maryam Rostampour, Marziyeh Amirizadeh, Naser Navard Gol-Tapeh, Trauma

The outside of the Evin prison in Tehran. Photo: Flickr/ SabzPhoto

There was hope among Iranian Christians that the mass protests earlier this year could effect change for them, but they continue to be harassed and imprisoned on spurious charges. An Iranian convert to Christianity, Naser Navard Gol-Tapeh, who recently lost his appeal against a 10-year sentence for “missionary activities”, was reportedly moved to . . . Read More

Malaysian Federal Court refuses four people their right to affirm Christian identity

February 27, 2018 Malaysia Apostasy, Converts, Divorce, Hudud, Islamic extremism, Kuching, Malaysia, Marriage, Religious freedom, Sarawak, Sharia

The Palace of Justice in Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Malaysia’s highest court dismissed an appeal today (27 February) against four appellants who wanted to be formally recognised as Christians. The five judges of the Malaysian Federal Court ruled that in matters of conversion away from Islam, it was necessary for them to consult the Islamic Sharia courts. The president . . . Read More

Pakistan blasphemy suspect says he jumped from fourth floor to escape forced sex act

February 26, 2018 Pakistan Blasphemy, Lahore, Pakistan, Patras Masih, Police, Sajid Masih, Torture

A suspect in a blasphemy case in Lahore, Pakistan, claims he was tortured by police and jumped from a fourth floor window to avoid being forced by officers to perform oral sex on his cousin, who is also under investigation. Sajid Masih, 24, suffered multiple fractures after jumping on Friday, . . . Read More

Indonesia: Ahok’s appeal ‘last chance’ to clear name

February 26, 2018 Indonesia Ahok, Blasphemy, Indonesia, Jakarta, Java

appeal hearing is taking place on Monday (26 February). (Photo: Agoes Rudianto /Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

A first appeal hearing in the blasphemy case of the Christian former governor of Jakarta was held today (26 February) in what could prove his only chance to challenge the verdict. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as “Ahok”, has asked the Supreme Court for a review of the two-year prison . . . Read More

Dagestan church attacker linked to militant group, as unlikely hero emerges

February 23, 2018 Russia Caucasus, Dagestan, Islamic State, Russia, Russian Orthodox Church

Three people have been arrested in connection with the gun attack at a Russian Orthodox Church in Kizlyar, Dagestan, last Sunday (18 February), in which five people died and five others were injured. One of those arrested, Magometrasul Gadjiev, 19, studied at the same Muslim spiritual seminary as the attacker, . . . Read More

Amnesty: ‘Discrimination rife in all regions of the world … with deadly consequences’

February 23, 2018 Global News -- No Particular Country Boko Haram, Censorship, Cuba, Fidel Castro, Fulani herdsmen, Gujrat, Human rights, Iran, Lakshan Dias, Marawi, Mardan, Nadeem Masih, Nawaz Sharif, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Religious freedom, Sri Lanka, Sub-Saharan Africa

Buddhist flags are waved during a mass demonstration against Christianity in Sri Lanka, April 2017. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

A review of the human-rights situation in 159 countries during 2017, published by Amnesty International yesterday (22 February), shows that religious persecution continues in the form of threats, attacks, extrajudicial killings and even genocide, while harsh sentences continue to be handed out – sometimes even death sentences – for changing . . . Read More

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