General

A year in prison for Algerian Christian for Facebook post

January 12, 2017 Algeria Algeria, Berbers, Blasphemy, Setif, Slimane Bouhafs

An Algerian Christian has been sentenced to a year in prison for a post he made on Facebook. On 8 January, the court in Bouira (100 km east of Algiers) found Samir Chamek, 34, guilty of insulting Islam and its prophet over items he posted on his Facebook page. Samir says . . . Read More

Religious persecution ‘central’ to refugee crisis

January 12, 2017 Afghanistan, Europe, India, Iraq, Libya, London, Nigeria, Pakistan, Refugees, Somalia, Syria

Religious persecution is playing a “central role” in the global displacement crisis, the charity Open Doors UK and Ireland has said. Refugees eating donated food outside a derelict warehouse in Belgrade, Serbia. According to Open Doors, more than half of the world’s 65.3m refugee population come from Somalia, Afghanistan and . . . Read More

Police rapes, acquittals and false accusations highlight Christians’ vulnerability in India

January 12, 2017 India Chhattisgarh, Dalits, Hindu nationalism, India, Raipur, Rape, Women

The acquittal of two suspects in the gang rape of a Catholic nun, and a series of rapes by security forces in remote areas of the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh have highlighted the vulnerability of women from marginalised communities. “If you are a woman tribal or from a minority, . . . Read More

Egypt couple’s murder marks second attack on Christians during Copt Christmas

January 11, 2017 Egypt Alexandria, Copts, Egypt, Tala

Two Egyptian Coptic Christians found dead in their bed on 6 January – the traditional Christmas celebration for Copts – were murdered because of their faith, according to the brother of the dead woman. Police said robbery was the motivation for the deaths of Gamal Sami, 60 and his wife, Nadia, 48, . . . Read More

UPDATE: 1 year on, new video of kidnapped Swiss missionary in Mali

January 11, 2017 Mali Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Bamako, Beatrice Stockly, Kidal, Timbuktu, Tuareg

Beatrice Stockli settled in Timbuktu in 2000 and was first kidnapped for 10 days in 2012

World Watch Monitor UPDATE (11 Jan. 2017): A video released by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) on Tuesday (10 Jan) shows a new proof of life of the Swiss missionary Beatrice Stockly, held captive in Mali. The 2’17” video shows a woman – her head covered by a black . . . Read More

Nationalism in Asia, Islamic extremism in Africa – the 2017 World Watch List

January 11, 2017 Global News -- No Particular Country Afghanistan, Africa, Asia, Bhutan, BJP, Ethiopia, Hindu nationalism, India, Iran, Iraq, Islamic extremism, Kenya, Libya, Narendra Modi, Nepal, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Yemen

One of the greatest increases in animosity towards Christians last year took place in India as a result of religiously motivated nationalism, according to the latest annual survey of the 50 countries in which it is most difficult to live as a Christian. Since the rise to power of Narendra . . . Read More

Silence: Scorsese’s movie is a masterpiece on persecuted Christianity

January 10, 2017 Japan

Speak to anyone involved in advocating on behalf of persecuted Christians around the world and they’ll tell you it’s often difficult to get a hearing. Many inside the Church are actively engaged with the issues – eagerly praying, signing petitions and donating to anti-persecution charities. Yet it can sometimes seem . . . Read More

Criticised for not securing release of kidnapped priest in Yemen, Indian government says it ‘told him not to go’

January 9, 2017 Yemen Aden, Catholics, Tom Uzhunnalil, Yemen

Fr Tom UzhunnalilArchdiocese of Bombay India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come under fire from his political opponents for his failure to secure the release of an Indian Catholic priest kidnapped 10 months ago in Yemen by Islamic extremists. Now Modi’s Deputy Foreign Minister, M. J. Akbar, has said the . . . Read More

1,000 days: 24th Chibok girl to be freed leaves 195 of 276 still missing

January 6, 2017 Nigeria Boko Haram, Borno, Chibok girls, EYN

Almost 1,000 days since she was kidnapped with 275 other schoolgirls from school dormitories in Chibok, northeast Nigeria, the 24th girl to be released from captivity has been found. Rakiya Abubakar Gali was discovered on 5 Jan. by the Army, who were questioning captured Boko Haram militants. She has a . . . Read More

UPDATE: Compensation for family of Indian Christian couple shot dead in anti-Maoist crossfire

January 6, 2017 India Hindu nationalism, Hyderabad, Kandhamal, Maoists, Odisha, Police

Update 6 Jan. 2017: The Human Rights Commission of the eastern Indian state of Odisha has ordered the state government to pay one million rupees (US$14,720) in compensation to the six children of a Baptist couple shot dead allegedly by a federal paramilitary force in July 2015. Dhubaleswar Nayak, 50, and . . . Read More

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