General

Nigeria: Kebbi Christians face latent pressure to abandon faith

December 13, 2016 Nigeria Islamic extremism, Sharia

While violent attacks on Christians at the hands of Islamist militants Boko Haram and the Fulani herdsmen in the northeast and Middle Belt of Nigeria have captured media attention, the persistent social pressures Christians face elsewhere go mostly unnoticed. Despite common misperceptions that they are a minority across the north . . . Read More

Indonesian Christian governor insists ‘no insult intended’ as ‘blasphemy’ trial begins

December 13, 2016 Indonesia Ahok, Blasphemy, Islamic extremism, Jakarta, Kalimantan, Sumatra

UPDATE (13 Dec.) Indonesian Christian governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (better known as “Ahok”), fought back tears during the first day of his blasphemy trial today (13 Dec.). Ahok – only the second Christian and the second governor of Chinese descent to lead the Indonesian capital city, Jakarta – is alleged to have “misused” . . . Read More

Azerbaijani Christians fined over ‘illegal’ prayer meeting

December 13, 2016 Azerbaijan Aliabad, Hamid Shabanov, House churches

Thirty people were arrested when a dozen policemen interrupted the prayer meeting on the morning of 27 November at the house of Gamid and Ginayat Shabanov in Aliabad, a village in the south of Azerbaijan.

World Watch Monitor

UPDATE (13 Dec.) Two Azerbaijani church leaders have been fined 1,500 Azerbaijani Manats ($850) each for holding an “illegal” prayer meeting. All 30 attendees were initially arrested when a dozen policemen interrupted the meeting on the morning of 27 November at the house of Hamid and Ginayat Shabanov in Aliabad, . . . Read More

Azerbaijani Christians face fines for ‘illegal’ prayer meeting

December 12, 2016 Azerbaijan Aliabad, Churches, Hamid Shabanov

Twenty-four Azerbaijani Christians have been told they will be fined at least 1,500 Azerbaijani Manats ($850) each for participating in an “illegal” prayer meeting at a church leader’s home. All 30 attendees were initially arrested when a dozen policemen interrupted the meeting on the morning of 27 November at the . . . Read More

Iran: church retreat centre confiscated for ‘being funded by CIA’

December 12, 2016 Iran Assemblies of God, Ayatollah Khamenei, Karaj, Tehran

The Iranian government has assumed control of a church-owned retreat centre, accusing the church of being funded by the US government and the CIA. The government said the retreat centre in Karaj, a city just west of Tehran, belonged to an organisation “funded by the US through the CIA spy . . . Read More

Egypt’s Copts mourn after ‘deadliest attack in recent memory’

December 12, 2016 Egypt Cairo, Copts

Egypt’s Christian community is in mourning following what the BBC has referred to as the “deadliest attack on the Coptic community in recent memory”. At least 25 people were killed and more than 40 injured during the bomb attack on a chapel adjacent to the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral of St. . . . Read More

‘We have a right to build churches’ says Copt after latest attack

December 12, 2016 Egypt Cairo, Churches, Copts, Islamic extremism, Sohag

A dozen Coptic-owned houses were vandalised and three others were looted, as were four Coptic-owned shops, during the 25 Nov. attack in Al-Naghameesh village. World Watch Monitor Two weeks after a Coptic community was attacked over rumours it planned to open a church in the village, one of the Copts . . . Read More

UPDATE: Turkey jails US pastor on ‘terrorism’ allegations

December 9, 2016 Turkey Andrew Brunson, Coup, David Byle, Gaziantep, Izmir

UPDATE (9 Dec.): A Turkish judge sent Rev. Andrew Brunson to prison in Izmir today, 64 days after the US pastor and his wife, Norine, were detained on 7 Oct. under Interior Ministry deportation orders. Although his wife was released on 19 Oct. and given an extended permit to remain . . . Read More

India: Christian grandmother murdered for ‘disturbing the peace’

December 9, 2016 India Anti-conversion law, BJP, Chhattisgarh, Hindu nationalism, Narendra Modi, Naxalites, Telangana

Samari Kasabi’s son, Sukura (left), and his family outside their village home in Dokawaya, Chhattisgarh.Courtesy Open Doors International An Indian grandmother was stripped naked, beaten to death and her body burned, apparently because her Christian faith was “disturbing the peace” in her village. The incident, in the central Indian . . . Read More

Boko Haram causing ‘untold misery’ in northern Cameroon

December 9, 2016 Cameroon Boko Haram, Far North, Georges Vandenbeusch, Lake Chad, Mayo-Tsanaga, Nguetchewe

Nearly 170,000 people have fled their homes in N. Cameroon, while the area has received at least 73,000 Nigerian refugees. World watch Monitor “Yesterday I had just one cup of millet [grain] left. There are 12 people in our house. We went to bed last night not knowing what we’ll . . . Read More

Catching Our Eye