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Widespread condemnation for prison sentence of Ahok

May 10, 2017 Indonesia Ahok, Blasphemy, Southeast Asia

The sentencing of Jakarta's Christian Governor to prison on blasphemy charges, focuses the spotlight again on Indonesia's controversial Blasphemy Law.

Tuesday’s verdict of an Indonesian court, sentencing Jakarta’s outgoing governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known as ‘Ahok’, to two years in prison for blasphemy, has received widespread condemnation globally as politicians, academics and rights groups express their concern about religious pluralism in Indonesia. Ahok, the capital’s first Christian and ethnic governor since the . . . Read More

Solidarity for Egypt’s beleaguered Christians during first Coptic papal visit to UK

May 10, 2017 Egypt Bishop Angaelos, Copts, Egypt, Pope Tawadros II, Tanta

British Christian and political leaders praised Egypt’s embattled Coptic Christians during Pope Tawadros II’s pastoral visit to the UK, the first by a Coptic Pope. Tawadros’ visit follows Pope Francis’ visit to Egypt during which he told the head of the Coptic Church: “The innocent blood of defenceless Christians was . . . Read More

Sudanese government destroys another church

May 10, 2017 Sudan Churches, Khartoum, Pentecostals, Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church, Sudanese Church of Christ

Sudanese government officials demolished the Sudan Church of Christ (SCOC) building in the Soba region, 20km south of the capital Khartoum, on Sunday. Two church members were detained and interrogated but later released. The two men were arrested by Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) because they had refused . . . Read More

Sinai: eighth El-Arish Copt killed in targeted attack

May 8, 2017 Egypt Copts, Helwan, Islamic State, Port Said, Sinai

Nabil Saber Ayoub Mansour became the eighth Egyptian Coptic Christian to be murdered in El-Arish, northern Sinai, this year in what appear to be linked killings. He was shot dead by four masked men on 6 May. Mansour, 40, was in El-Arish for a brief visit (contrary to media reports that said he had returned . . . Read More

Death threat note left in Tanzanian coast Catholic Church

May 8, 2017 Tanzania Catholics, Churches, Islamic extremism, Tanzania

Neighbours are checking out the damaged church. Photo: Clement Simba

A Catholic Church in one of Tanzania’s coastal regions has been broken into and four priests’ robes set on fire. The arsonists also left a note behind, warning that one day they would return to kill 12 people. The incident, which took place Sunday evening 30 April, was first noticed . . . Read More

Kazakh Baptists raided, fined on Easter Sunday as ‘illegal’

May 4, 2017 Kazakhstan Almaty, Astana, Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Russia, Uyghurs

Police raided meetings of at least two Baptist Churches on Easter Sunday. The protestant communities draw attention because they they choose to hold their church services without seeking state registration "out of conviction".

Tammar leads a church of young Uyghurs in Kazakhstan. On Easter Sunday, as 20 of them gathered, there was a sudden police raid, including members of the anti-terrorist team. All 20 had to sign a form saying they were at this ‘illegal’ meeting, and Tammar was fined $900. At first, he wouldn’t . . . Read More

CAR: ‘Simple survival rule in IDP camp: if you walk out, you might be killed’

May 4, 2017 Central African Republic Bangui, Central African Republic, IDPs, Kaga Bandoro, Seleka

Last month, April, saw the worst violence for years in the Central African Republic, said Medecins sans Frontieres. The UN, which has a 13,000 safe-keeping mission (MINUSCA) in the former French colony, has sought to disperse fighters, while the United States has imposed sanctions on CAR militia leaders. Despite the . . . Read More

Ethiopians don’t have to pay for church they didn’t destroy

May 3, 2017 Ethiopia Addis Ababa, Amhara, Bahir Dar, Ethiopian Orthodox Church

UPDATE [3 May 2017] – Three Ethiopians do not now have to pay compensation for a church which, in January, they were acquitted of charges of destroying. Tibebu Mekuria, Dawit Jemberu, and Belete Tilahun were freed on 18 January after a Supreme Court judge acquitted them on 13 January. The three had . . . Read More

Part of church compound in Sudan illegally occupied

May 2, 2017 Sudan Bahri, Churches, Khartoum, Lutheran Church of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, Omdurman, Pentecostals, Sharia, Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church, Younan Abdulla

Unidentified men torched the Sudanese Lutheran church in the town of Gadaref situated in the east of the country late night Oct 17, 2015 when no one was around to douse the flames. Local Christians suspect this to be the handiwork of Muslim extremists who want to eradicate Christianity from the region.

Police and an armed mob occupied part of the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SPEC) compound last Wednesday (26 April), reports Middle East Concern (MEC). It is the same location where, earlier this month, two church members were stabbed during a protest against appropriation of a school there. The compound in . . . Read More

Pope Francis in Egypt: ‘Violence is the denial of every true religion’

May 2, 2017 Egypt Al-Azhar, Cairo, Copts, Islamic extremism, Pope Francis, Tanta

visited the Coptic Pope, Tawadros II, who narrowly escaped injury on Palm Sunday. Photo: World Watch Monitor

Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, went to Cairo with a message of unity and peace. On his first day, speaking at an International Peace Conference held at the al-Azhar conference centre, he said that “violence is the denial of every true religion” and called on religious leaders to . . . Read More

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