General

Now hunger threatens Nigerian Christians who’ve fled Boko Haram

July 26, 2016 Nigeria Boko Haram, Borno, Gwoza, Yola

Internally displaced people queuing for relief materials in Maiduguri, Borno State. Oct. 2014World Watch Monitor ”I met a child today who came to our clinic, looking very thin and definitely showing signs of hunger. His parents don’t live in our camp, but they brought him here for health checks…” . . . Read More

Coptic Pope prays in ancient church symbolic of past persecutions

July 21, 2016 Egypt Anba Macarius, Copts, Egypt, Minya, Pope Tawadros II

Egypt’s Pope Tawadros II made a heartfelt plea on Wednesday (20 July) on behalf of his country’s Coptic minority which has suffered in excess of 12 violent incidents in the last two months. Shifting the venue of his weekly sermon from the downtown Cathedral of Abbasia to the historic ‘hanging . . . Read More

Iraq’s Mosul Archbishop had to pay ‘protection money’ before his 2008 kidnap and death

July 21, 2016 Iraq Al-Qaeda, Iraq, Islamic State, Jizya, Kidnapping, Mosul, Quran, Saddam Hussein

The Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul, who was murdered by militias in 2008, paid protection money to safeguard his clergy for years before his kidnapping and death, an aide has told World Watch Monitor. Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho was abducted in February 2008 from the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, which . . . Read More

A dozen incidents against Egypt’s Copts in 7 weeks

July 20, 2016 Egypt Anba Macarius, Copts, Egypt, Luxor, Minya, Samalut, Sohag, Tanta

Since May 2016, Egypt’s Christians have suffered multiple attacks. Reflecting what most Copts see as the country turning a blind eye to increased violence against its Christian minority, the Coptic Church’s Bishop Makarius tweeted on 17 July “reminding” president Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi that Copts “are Egyptian citizens”, and that his diocese . . . Read More

Turkey: churches targeted during attempted coup

July 19, 2016 Turkey Armenians, Balikesir, Bursa, Catholics, Chaldeans, Coup, Diyarbakir, Greek Orthodox, Malatya, Surp Giragos, Trabzon

Santa Maria Catholic Church in Trabzon, Turkey, in a 2007 photo.World Watch Monitor Two churches in cities in eastern Turkey infamous as the sites of historic killings of Christians were vandalised during the attempted coup on 15 July, reports Middle East Concern. One of the attacks took place in . . . Read More

Pakistan: father expects no justice for raped 16-year-old daughter

July 19, 2016 Pakistan Farooqabad, Imran Khan, Pakistan, Pakistan Muslim League, PTI, Sheikhupura, Women

The father of a 16-year-old girl allegedly raped by her neighbour believes she has little hope of justice because the accused is well-connected politically in the local area. Nasar Masih believes the police will ultimately favour the suspect, who he believes was able to rape his daughter in expectation of . . . Read More

UPDATE: Four police officers charged with killing Christian lawyer in Kenya

July 18, 2016 Kenya Nairobi, Police, Uhuru Kenyatta

Willie Kimani (centre), his client, Josephat Mwenda (left), and their driver, Joseph Muiruri (right).IJM UPDATE (18 July): A court in Nairobi has charged four police officers in connection with the murder of a lawyer and two of his companions. Willie Kimani, Josephat Mwenda and their driver, Joseph Muiruri, went . . . Read More

Russia: Church reacts as ‘anti-missionary bill’ becomes law

July 15, 2016 Russia Exile, House churches, Jehovah's Witnesses, Missionaries, Moscow, Pentecostals, Russia, Seventh-day Adventists, Soviet Union, Vladimir Putin, Yarovaya Law

On 7 July, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a bill referred to by one Christian organisation as an “anti-missionary bill”. The new law, known more commonly as the “Yarovaya” law (the name of one of its authors), which will come into effect on 20 July, was formally introduced . . . Read More

Coptic Bishop: Egypt ‘diseased’ with discrimination

July 14, 2016 Egypt Anba Macarius, Copts, Minya

An Egyptian bishop has called for an end to discrimination against the country’s Christians, urging the government to do more to control the situation in villages across the country. “We have to recognise everyone in Egypt as citizens of equal rights and obligations,” said Bishop Makarius in an Arabic interview . . . Read More

UPDATE: Nigerian Christians told to ‘buckle up’ after preacher hacked to death

July 14, 2016 Nigeria Abuja, Agatu, Bauchi, Boko Haram, Church of Christ in Nigeria, ECWA, Eunice Elisha, Fulani herdsmen, Gombe, Joseph Kurah, Nasarawa, Pentecostals

Mother of seven, Eunice Elisha, was murdered close to Nigeria’s capital, AbujaWorld Watch Monitor A female preacher was hacked to death in the early hours of 9 July near Nigeria’s capital. Eunice Elisha, a mother of seven, had gone out to preach as was usual, her husband, Olawale Elisha, . . . Read More

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