News

Bureaucratic delays put Egyptian convert’s appeal at risk

  January 29, 2015 Egypt Apostasy, Blasphemy, Egypt, Mohammed Hegazy

After weeks of judicial runaround, Egyptian lawyer Karam Ghobrial has managed to find and visit his client, Egypt’s most publicly-known Christian convert Mohammed Hegazy, in Cairo’s Tora Prison. The whereabouts of Hegazy, the first Egyptian Muslim to, in 2007, fight a legal case to change his religious identity to Christian, . . . Read More

Recent violence in Niger shows growing intolerance among religious groups

  January 28, 2015 Niger Boko Haram, Charlie Hebdo, Churches, Islamic extremism, Mahamadou Issoufou, Maradi, Niamey, Protestants, Sahel, Salafism, Zinder

Mixed emotions were evident as members of the Christian community in Niger gathered for their services on Sunday, 25 January, 2015. Some were full of joy to get back to church; others could barely hide their sorrow. A week ago, the church bells remained silent. Ten people died during that . . . Read More

Ahead of Obama’s visit, India’s Christians start hotline on Hindu harassment

  January 27, 2015 India Barack Obama, Bihar, BJP, Chhattisgarh, Hindu nationalism, Hindutva, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Religious freedom, RSS, Tamil Nadu

President Modi welcomes President Barack Obama & Michelle Obama to India on 25 January 2015.Photo: narendramodi.in   President Obama ended his visit to India with a speech referring to religious freedom which has been interpreted as an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s treatment of minority faiths, although Modi was . . . Read More

Libyan militants hold 20 Egyptian Christians hostage

  January 26, 2015 Libya Ansar al-Sharia, Benghazi, Copts, Egypt, Islamic State, Libya, Sirte, Tripoli

Coptic families in Upper Egypt’s Minya province await news on their kidnapped relatives in Libya, January 2015.Photo: Watani The kidnapping of at least 20 Coptic Christians in two separate incidents in December and January has been claimed by Libyan militants affiliated with the self-proclaimed Islamic State. Seven of the Christians . . . Read More

Kidnapped CAR Cleric & French aid worker released

  January 23, 2015 Central African Republic Anti-balaka, Bangui

On Jan. 21 Rev. Gustave was briefly released to enable him to collect some medicine for Claudia. He received the blessing of Pastor Nicolas Guerekoyamé and the Archbishop of Bangui before returning to his place of detention.World Watch Monitor   The two aid workers kidnapped at gunpoint on Jan. 19 . . . Read More

Accused perpetrators released in Malatya murder trial

  January 22, 2015 Turkey Malatya, Recep Tayyip Erdogan

n A Turkish criminal court has released two former military officers and an Islamic university researcher who had been jailed for nearly four years on suspected involvement in the 2007 murders of three Christians in southeast Turkey. At the 101st hearing of the case Jan. 21, the Malatya First High . . . Read More

Turkey ‘promises’ first new church in 90 years

  January 20, 2015 Turkey Armenian Genocide, Greek Orthodox, Istanbul, Midyat, Mor Gabriel Monastery, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Syria, Syriacs

The Turkish government allowed the first Syriac pre-school to open in Istanbul in September 2014.Mor Efrem Syriac Preschool’s Facebook photo   The Turkish government has renewed its promise to allow the construction of a new church in Istanbul, a promise first made by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) . . . Read More

70+ churches destroyed as ‘anti-Charlie’ protests spread in Niger

  January 20, 2015 Niger Agadez, Charlie Hebdo, Churches, Islamic extremism, Mahamadou Issoufou, Maradi, Niamey, Niger, Zinder

The Christian community in Niger says it is in shock in the wake of weekend violence that has claimed the lives of ten people and led to the destruction of dozens of places of worship and Christian homes. The protest, which started in the country’s second city, Zinder, on Friday . . . Read More

Imprisoned Bhutanese pastors freed early

  January 16, 2015 Bhutan Bhutan, Buddhist nationalism, Proselytism

Two Bhutanese pastors charged with improper fundraising have been released from prison after serving reduced sentences and paying fines. Tandin Wangyal was released in January 2015 after paying a fine equivalent to about US $1,500. He had been sentenced to nearly four years in prison. Mon Thapa was released in . . . Read More

Churches burned down over anti-Charlie Hebdo demonstration in Niger

  January 15, 2015 Niger Boko Haram, Charlie Hebdo, Mahamadou Issoufou, Maradi, MUJAO, Niger, West Africa, Zinder

A 2013 church service in Niger.Courtesy Open Doors International   At least five churches in southeastern Niger were ransacked and burned down Friday by hundreds of Islamist demonstrators angered by a cartoon published by the French magazine Charlie Hebdo. According to local sources contacted by World Watch Monitor, hundreds of . . . Read More