Catching Our Eye

Sort By date

Filter by Tag

Select Country

Category

US to Turkey: Release pastor Brunson or ‘face the consequences’

July 26, 2018 Turkey Andrew Brunson, Coup, Donald Trump, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Religious freedom, Sanctions, Turkey, USA

US Vice President Mike Pence has said that America will impose “significant sanctions” upon Turkey if it does not release American pastor Andrew Brunson from house arrest and allow him to return to the United States. During remarks delivered on 26 July in Washington, DC, to the Ministerial to Advance . . . Read More

Uzbekistan says religious freedom ‘progressing’, despite new restrictions

July 26, 2018 Uzbekistan Ahmed Shaheed, Human rights, Religious freedom, Uzbekistan

Legislators in Uzbekistan's Lower House have to sign off a series of reform bills that will improve the human rights situation in the country. (Photo: Valery SharifulinTASS via Getty Images)

Uzbekistan is progressing towards rapid transformation, including political, economic, and importantly, religious freedom,” said the deputy chairman of the Uzbek Senate yesterday (25 July) at a side event to the first Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom currently being held in Washington DC. “Uzbekistan is progressing towards rapid transformation, including political, . . . Read More

China’s Catholics told to create five-year plan to Sinicise Church

July 26, 2018 China Catholics, China, Churches, Education, Sinicisation, Xi Jinping

Cross on Dongguang Church against factory name. Shenyang, northeastern China. Shenyang is the capital and largest city of China’s northeast Liaoning Province. It was the site of the 17th-century Manchu capital Mukden, and the imposing Mukden Palace (Shenyang Imperial Palace) is a blend of Manchurian and Tibetan architectural styles. Mausoleums of Qing dynasty emperors can be found at Zhaoling Tomb, amid the pine forests and lakes of Beiling Park, and at Fuling Tomb in the city’s east. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Catholic dioceses in China have been told to come up with a five-year plan outlining how they will adapt more to Chinese culture and show loyalty to the Communist Party, reports the Catholic news site UCAN. A 15-page document, given to the churches by the state-approved Bishops’ Conference of the . . . Read More

‘Lack of religious freedom anywhere is a threat everywhere,’ Sam Brownback tells religious freedom summit

July 25, 2018 Global News -- No Particular Country China, Mike Pompeo, Religious freedom, Sam Brownback, USA, Uyghurs, Xinjiang

Christian leaders in Iran have said that pressure on Christians increases every year around Christmas but that this year it is particularly severe. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

The US Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, Sam Brownback, urged government and faith leaders, and civil society, to work together to enhance global religious freedom, at the opening of the first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom in Washington DC yesterday (24 July). In his opening words, Brownback, who was appointed in . . . Read More

Indonesian rights body to release anti-sectarian guidelines ahead of elections

July 23, 2018 Indonesia Ahok, Elections, Human rights, Indonesia, Islamic extremism, Java, Joko Widodo

Young people join protests against the former Christian Jakarta governor Ahok who was convicted of blasphemy in May last year. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Indonesia’s Human Rights Commission is to propose guidelines to avoid sectarian clashes in the run-up to next year’s national elections, reports Catholic news site UCAN. Ahead of recent regional elections, some hardline Islamic leaders called on Indonesians to vote only for Muslim candidates. Sectarianism also played a prominent role in . . . Read More

Eritrea releases at least 35 Christians from prison

July 20, 2018 Eritrea Asmara, Eritrea, Human rights, Prisons, Religious freedom

A residential neighbourhood in the capital Asmara. More than 35 Christians were released from jail this week. (Photo: David Stanley)

Eritrea released at least 35 Christians from prison earlier this week, reports the Eritrean news site Asmarino Independent. The prisoners, among them 11 women, were released on bail from Mai-Sirwa prison, just outside the capital Asmara. While five were able to leave on Tuesday (17 July), the remaining 30 were . . . Read More

Bahrain: New cathedral to be Catholic headquarters for northern Persian Gulf

July 19, 2018 Bahrain Bahrain, Catholics, Constitution, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Qatar

Bahrain's capital Manama is home to 19 churches according to government's statistics. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

A new cathedral being built in Bahrain will serve as the ‘seat of government’ of the Catholic Church for the northern Persian Gulf, reports AsiaNews. The Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia, patron saint of the Arabian Peninsula, to hold 2,000 people, is some 20 km outside the capital Manama, . . . Read More

Malaysia’s new chief justice is a Catholic

July 16, 2018 Malaysia Borneo, Malaysia, Minorities, Raymond Koh, Sabah

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

A Catholic has been appointed as the new chief justice in majority-Muslim Malaysia, reports the Catholic news agency UCAN. The appointment of Richard Malanjum, 65, from Sabah state on the predominantly Christian island of Borneo, follows elections in May in which the Barisan Nasional coalition government was ousted. It “signifies . . . Read More

Indonesia: Ahok refuses parole, as he hopes for early release

July 16, 2018 Indonesia Ahok, Blasphemy, Indonesia, Islamic extremism, Jakarta

Jakarta’s former governor 'Ahok' is scheduled to be released from prison on 24 January. (Photo: Open Doors International)

The Christian former governor of the Indonesian capital Jakarta, known as “Ahok”, has refused parole in the light of a possibly early release for good behaviour in August, AsiaNews reports. Ahok’s sister, Fifi Lety Indra, wrote on social media that he “has decided against parole and will wait until he . . . Read More

UK bishops urge government to put money where mouth is on religious freedom

July 16, 2018 Global News -- No Particular Country Human rights, Religious freedom, Tariq Ahmad

Desecrated church in Qaraqosh, Iraq (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Catholic bishops in England and Wales have urged the British government to ensure its foreign policy reflects its written pledges to defend religious freedom around the world. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales filed a submission to the House of Commons Inquiry promoting Human Rights around the world. . . . Read More

Newer Articles 1 … 16 17 18 19 20 … 168 Older Articles

Catching Our Eye

Catching Our Eye

US to Turkey: Release pastor Brunson or ‘face the consequences’

Uzbekistan says religious freedom ‘progressing’, despite new restrictions

China’s Catholics told to create five-year plan to Sinicise Church

‘Lack of religious freedom anywhere is a threat everywhere,’ Sam Brownback tells religious freedom summit

Indonesian rights body to release anti-sectarian guidelines ahead of elections

Eritrea releases at least 35 Christians from prison

Bahrain: New cathedral to be Catholic headquarters for northern Persian Gulf

Malaysia’s new chief justice is a Catholic

Indonesia: Ahok refuses parole, as he hopes for early release

UK bishops urge government to put money where mouth is on religious freedom

Recent Articles

Recent Tweets Follow