Tag: Middle East

More Iraqi towns ‘freed’ but Nineveh Christians not confident about safe return

October 25, 2016 Iraq Bartella, Bashiqa, Chaldeans, Islamic State, Karamles, Middle East, Mosul, Nineveh Plains, Peshmerga, Qaraqosh, Tel Kaif

The heavily damaged and burnt Tahira (Immaculate) Syriac Catholic Church in Baghdeda.World Watch Monitor As prayers were offered in Syriac in front of the altar of the trashed church of Mart Shmoni in the recently freed town of Bartella, more homes where Christians used to live in Iraq’s north-eastern . . . Read More

‘Accelerated targeting’ of ‘disproportionately suffering’ Middle East Christians

October 18, 2016 Iraq Iraq, Middle East, Syria

The Middle East, the historic cradle of Christianity, is today witnessing an accelerated “targeting” of its remaining Christians, according to a report aiming to rally world attention to threats facing ancient communities in Syria and Iraq. “Civil war in Syria and Iraq has unleashed a tidal wave of violent persecution. . . . Read More

Jordan curriculum change ‘acknowledges’ Christians

October 14, 2016 Jordan Islamic extremism, Jordan, Middle East, Muslim Brotherhood

Jordan has introduced to curb the influence of Islamic extremists on society and improve its education system. However, the Ministry of Education has faced a backlash from conservatives such as the Muslim Brotherhood’s Islamic Action Front, which described the reforms as “an affront to our heritage and values [which is] . . . Read More

Hungary opens first ever office to tackle Christian persecution

September 16, 2016 Austria, Croatia, Europe, Hungary, Middle East, Poland, Viktor Orbán

As Europe’s leaders (minus the UK) meet in the Slovakian capital, Bratislava, the voice of the Eastern bloc* leaders is being heard more, even if it’s not always comfortable listening for Brussels’ Eurocrats. This week, Hungary, which has during the past year come under pressure for its handling of Europe’s . . . Read More

Existence of Eastern Churches ‘at risk’

August 4, 2016 Global News -- No Particular Country Canada, France, Islamic extremism, Jacques Hamel, Middle East, Quran, Religious freedom

Christians are now an “endangered species” in lands where their faith was first rooted, a prominent ancient church leader warned on 3 August. “The very existence of Eastern Churches, those Churches that come from the apostles’ time, is at stake,” said Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Younan of the Syriac Catholic . . . Read More

Freedom of religion or belief ‘undermined’ in corrupt countries

June 2, 2016 Global News -- No Particular Country Afghanistan, Asia-Pacific, Central Asia, Colombia, Corruption, David Cameron, Eastern Europe, Europe, G20, Libya, London, Mexico, Middle East, Nigeria, North Africa, Religious freedom, Somalia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Sudan, Yemen

Corruption is increasingly seen as a factor behind the persecution of minority Christians around the world, and the world leaders who gathered at an Anti-Corruption Summit in London in May showed they are beginning to pay more attention to the effects of corruption on freedom of religion or belief. Evidence . . . Read More

Most of today’s wars are in Muslim countries

May 18, 2016 Global News -- No Particular Country Afghanistan, Islamic extremism, Middle East, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen

Most wars across the world are taking place in majority-Muslim countries, with Muslims mainly fighting each other, says . In 2012, there were six civil wars worldwide. All took place within Muslim countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Of the nine rebel groups in these conflicts, seven had . . . Read More

Iraq’s Christians ‘could be gone in 5 years’

May 16, 2016 Iraq Assyrians, Chaldeans, Iraq, Islamic State, Jizya, Kirkuk, Middle East, Mosul, Nineveh Plains

ISIS’ jihadist actions mean Christians could disappear from Iraq in five years, says an Iraqi Assyrian priest. Fr. Martin Hermis Dawood told the Telegraph the latest phase of Islamic extremism has only precipitated the trend of Christians exiting their ancestral lands. “Everyone sees himself outside Iraq in a few years. . . . Read More

US religious-freedom report urges government to add 7 countries to worst-offenders list

May 2, 2016 Global News -- No Particular Country Africa, BJP, Boko Haram, Central African Republic, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Europe, India, Iraq, Middle East, Myanmar, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Taliban, Turkmenistan, USA, Uzbekistan, Vietnam

What is happening? The primary US government agency on global religious freedom issued its annual report 2 May. It says “religious freedom abroad has been under serious and sustained assault” during the past year, and says America should add seven countries to its list of worst offenders: Central African Republic . . . Read More

Calls for Christian asylum centres in Sweden

April 29, 2016 Assyrians, Asylum seekers, Converts, France, Germany, Iran, Islamic extremism, Middle East, Pakistan, Refugees, Sweden, Women

Increasing reports about Christians harassed by hardline Muslim fellow migrants are prompting calls for non-Muslim asylum centres to be set up in Sweden. According to the Swedish Evangelical Alliance, one Christian refugee in Kalmar in the southeast of the country was threatened with having his throat slit by a man . . . Read More

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