News

‘Iraq without Christians is like a garden without a rose’

  August 31, 2018 Iraq Chaldeans, Churches, Iraq, Islamic State, Qaraqosh, Syriacs

Four years ago this month, the northern Iraqi city of Qaraqosh, or Baghdeda in the Syriac language, was invaded by the Islamic State group, forcing most of its population to flee for their lives. Prior to IS’s invasion, 50,000 Christians resided in Qaraqosh, 97 per cent of the population. October . . . Read More

Egypt: Muslim mobs force closure of 8 Coptic churches seeking ‘official’ recognition

  August 29, 2018 Egypt Churches, Copts, Egypt, Islamic extremism, Luxor, Upper Egypt

A Coptic diocese in Upper Egypt last week saw its eighth church closed following attacks by Muslim villagers protesting against the church being legally recognised. Across Egypt, there are thousands of buildings informally acknowledged as churches. Exactly two years ago, the government introduced a new common law granting church buildings the . . . Read More

Nigerian church leaders, families continue to die; US top diplomat blames ‘climate of impunity’

  August 29, 2018 Nigeria Fulani herdsmen, Middle Belt, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria, Plateau

The acting US ambassador to Nigeria has reiterated the call of his government to the Nigerian authorities to stop ongoing killings in the Middle Belt and northeast of the country. Violence attributed to militant Fulani herdsmen reached a record high this year, with more than 1,800 deaths from January to . . . Read More

Pakistani Christians’ homes ransacked by mob after son falsely charged with abduction, rape

  August 28, 2018 Pakistan Bonded labourers, Kidnapping, Pakistan, Sheikhupura, Women

A Pakistani family seeks justice almost two months after their 22-year-old son was falsely accused of abducting a 19-year-old woman, which led in turn to the looting and ransacking of Christians’ houses. Early on 9 July, Nabeela Bibi of Rahimabad village, Sheikhupura, went missing; her father, Muhammad Hanif, said he . . . Read More

Amnesty launches writing campaign for release of four Iranian Christians

  August 24, 2018 Iran Amin Afshar Naderi, Hadi Asgari, Iran, Ramil Bet-Tamraz, Religious freedom, Shamiram Isavi Khabizeh, Victor Bet-Tamraz

Amnesty International has called for the release of four Iranians sentenced to a combined total of 45 years in prison “solely for practising their Christian faith”. Its report calls for urgent action from the Iranian government to “quash the convictions and sentences of Victor Bet-Tamraz, Shamiram Isavi, Amin Afshar-Naderi, and . . . Read More

India: Kandhamal Christians still waiting for justice one decade after massacre

  August 23, 2018 India Anti-conversion law, BJP, Dalits, Hindu nationalism, India, Kandhamal, Odisha, Proselytism

Ten years after the worst case of anti-Christian violence in India’s history, the local community continues to struggle, with reparations from the government slow in coming and seven reportedly innocent Christians still in prison. Nearly 100 Christians were killed, 300 churches and 6,000 Christian homes were damaged, and 55,000 people . . . Read More

Egypt: IS murder of Coptic vet followed warnings to ‘leave or die’

  August 22, 2018 Egypt Copts, Egypt, El-Arish, Islamic State, Ismailia, Sinai

The string of attacks on Coptic Christians last year in the coastal Egyptian city of El-Arish, which caused a mass exodus, followed warnings “to leave or to die”, say relatives of the Coptic vet who was killed by suspected IS militants. Bahgat William Zakhar, 40, was shot dead by a number . . . Read More

Hidden agendas cloak Turkish-US feud over jailed pastor

  August 20, 2018 Turkey Andrew Brunson, Coup, Donald Trump, Fethullah Gülen, Izmir, PKK, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Sanctions, Turkey, USA

On the eve of the week-long Muslim festival of sacrifice, Eid al-Adha, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has accused US President Donald Trump of not wanting to solve his country’s disagreements with the United States over jailed US pastor Andrew Brunson. “It seems that they do not want to solve . . . Read More

Coptic boy who saw father killed wants to join police ‘to protect Christians’

  August 20, 2018 Egypt Children, Copts, Egypt, Islamic extremism, Minya

A young Christian boy from a small village in Egypt’s Minya region, who saw his father killed by Islamic militants, dreams of becoming a police officer so he can prevent similar attacks. Mina was only ten years old when he and his brother Marco, aged 14, saw their father murdered, . . . Read More

Nepali law criminalising ‘hurting of religious feelings’ comes into force

  August 17, 2018 Nepal Anti-conversion law, Charikot, Hindu nationalism, India, Minorities, Nepal, Proselytism

A law criminalising religious conversions and the hurting of religious feelings comes into force in Nepal today, a year after the bill was passed. As World Watch Monitor reported last year, Nepal’s Christian minority fears the new law will be abused by those seeking to settle scores – as has . . . Read More