Tag: Protestants

Turkish Assassination Plot Suspects on Trial

June 23, 2014 Turkey Diyarbakir, Izmit, Protestants, Quran

Pastor Emre Karaali of the Izmit Protestant Church outside the courthouse after the first trial hearing.The sign behind him says, ‘Justice is the foundation of the state.’ Izmit, Turkey; April 1, 2014 World Watch Monitor Testimonial evidence at a court hearing concerning a plot to assassinate a Turkish Christian . . . Read More

Argentina’s fight to hold onto religious freedom

May 5, 2014 Argentina Argentina, Constitution, Córdoba, Marcelo Nieva, Protestants, Río Tercero

Marcelo Nieva, 34 leader of Pueblo Grande Baptist Church in Río Tercero, a city in Argentina´s central Cordoba region.World Watch Monitor An Argentinian pastor subjected to death threats says his country is facing a fight to retain its religious freedom. Marcelo Nieva, 34, leader of Pueblo Grande Baptist Church . . . Read More

Exile

April 18, 2014 Mexico Catholics, Chiapas, Converts, Exile, Mexico, Protestants

The document is signed. All parties have agreed that Fidencio Jiménez, his wife, Petrona Díaz, and their children can return to their home. The couple expects a cool welcome. Just the same, they said they will return to Santa Rosalía, and resume living the way that provoked neighbours to chase . . . Read More

Malatya murder trial postponed again

April 11, 2014 Turkey Churches, Malatya, Protestants, Turkey

Seven years after three Christians were tortured and killed in southeast Turkey, the Malatya trial’s 93rd hearing has been postponed for another 10 weeks, until June 23. Under judicial changes enacted last month, the murder trial set to resume on April 10 has been transferred to Malatya’s First High Criminal . . . Read More

Kazakh pastor’s trial halts amid heated arguments

January 31, 2014 Kazakhstan Almaty, Astana, Bakhytzhan Kashkumbayev, Protestants

Bakhytzhan KashkumbayevWorld Watch Monitor The trial of a 67-year-old pastor in Kazakhstan halted amid heated arguments on Wednesday (January 29), as the pastor and his lawyer stormed out of the courtroom, even after two of his original charges were dropped. The pastor and his lawyer say the whole court . . . Read More

Sri Lanka’s Christians protest after January attacks

January 28, 2014 Sri Lanka Anti-conversion law, Buddhist nationalism, Colombo, Protestants

More than 2,000 Christians gathered in Colombo on Sunday (January 26) to protest against a perceived lack of religious freedom in Sri Lanka, following recent attacks on Christian places of worship by Buddhist extremists. Two churches and a Christian prayer centre were attacked on Jan. 12 by Buddhist mobs claiming . . . Read More

Turkish pastor arrested on human trafficking accusations

November 15, 2013 Turkey Orhan Picaklar, Protestants, Refugees

Pastor Orhan Picaklar was arrested on Monday.Samsun Agape Church A Turkish Protestant pastor arrested by police in the Black Sea province of Samsun this week is accused of involvement in prostitution and the human trafficking of refugees. Pastor Orhan Picaklar of the Samsun Agape Church was summoned to local . . . Read More

Don’t speak, act, Rouhani told

September 19, 2013 Iran Hassan Rouhani, Iran, Minorities, Protestants, Saeed Abedini

Religious minorities continue to face repression in Iran, despite new President Hassan Rouhani’s moderate persona, reports Al-Monitor. Al-Monitor says the new President should speak with actions, not words, as he prepares to address the UN General Assembly in New York next week. “Since Rouhani’s election in June, there has been . . . Read More

Renewed day by day

September 4, 2013 Egypt Copts, Minya, Muslim Brotherhood, Protestants

On Aug. 14, the Egyptian Army moved against large groups of protesters who had set up camp in Cairo. They had been in the streets since July 3, when the military removed Mohamed Morsi from the presidency and the Muslim Brotherhood from power. Using helicopters, tanks, tear gas and live ammunition — . . . Read More

Dozens of ‘noisy’ churches silenced in Cameroon

September 3, 2013 Cameroon Bamenda, Cameroon, Catholics, Churches, Nigeria, Pentecostals, Proselytism, Protestants, Yaoundé

The government of Cameroon has ordered the closure of dozens of churches in an attempt to put an end to what it considers to be anarchy among some Christian organisations. The measure, which authorities began to impose on August 23, targets Pentecostal churches, which are not officially recognised. The minister . . . Read More

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