03.27.2021

Turkey Continues Delayed, Denied, and Partial Justice in Dink Assassination Case

Now is the Time to Name Grey Wolves as an Entity of Particular Concern

Multi-Faith letter calls on the PM of Sri Lanka to abandon the introduction of anti-conversion laws

Multi-Faith letter calls on the PM of Sri Lanka to abandon the introduction of anti-conversion laws known to “restrict legitimate religious freedom and target religious minorities.”

Please Pray for Pro-Democracy Advocates in Syria

This week we’re thanking God for the courage of pro-democracy activists in Syria, whose light shines in the darkness of a conflict zone that has claimed thousands of lives.

Disabled Christian Beaten In Egypt For Conversion

A physically disabled Christian man was beaten in Egypt due to his conversion to Christianity and later detained by police, friends said.

Pakistan Considers Death Penalty As Only Option For Blasphemy

Rights activists fear that Pakistani law enforcement authorities will make the death penalty the only punishment for blasphemy against Islam.

Pope visit favors Shia-Catholic connection; Iraqi Christians remain divided

Pope Francis made history earlier this month when he visited Iraq.

Kenya-Somali Border: Mandera Bus Attack Leaves Five Dead and Scores Injured

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that at least five passengers died and dozens severely injured on Wednesday morning, March 24, after a bus they were traveling in ran over a roadside improvised bomb on Lafey-Mandera road near the Kenya-Somali border in Mandera County.

TWR delivers hope to Algerian Christians as forced church closures continue

Algeria bore the brunt of multiple human rights denigrations at yesterday’s virtual United Nations meeting.

INDIA | Jesuit Priest Denied Bail

The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai denied bail to 83-year-old Jesuit priest Father Stan Swamy on March 22.

USCIRF Applauds Coordinated Sanctions Against Xinjiang Officials

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) applauds the coordinated sanctions that the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union imposed against Chinese officials Wang Junzheng, Secretary of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), and Chen Mingguo, Director of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau (XPSB), under the Global Magnitsky Act for committing egregious religious freedom violations against Uyghur and other Muslims.

Release of USCIRF's 2021 Annual Report - April 21 Inbox

USCIRF’s 2021 Annual Report reflects significant developments over the past year with progress in some countries bringing positive change while other nations implemented laws and policies which further target religious communities, and in some cases amount to crimes against humanity and genocide.

China’s Xiamen Cracks Down on House Churches Through Community Committees

In order to crack down on “illegal religious activities,” China’s Xiamen city is soliciting local residential committees’ help in reporting any illegal religious activities in the vicinity.

200 Killed, 40,000 Displaced in DRC Since January

The UNHCR has reported an “alarming increase” in attacks by the terrorist group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the start of this year.

Pakistan’s National Education Policy Discriminates Against Religious Minorities

According to Asia News, The Working Group for Inclusive Education (WGIE) and the Center for Social Justice (CSJ) held a meeting on March 20 to discuss solutions for Pakistan’s low education standards and religious discrimination before the launch of the new National Education Policy (NEP).

Catholic Nun Most Recent Victim of Anti-Conversion Law

Sister Bagha worked as a respected principal of a small missionary school in Madhya Pradesh, India, until a disgruntled teacher accused her of violating the state’s new Freedom of Religion (FoR) law on February 20, 2021.

Burma (Myanmar): Christian Crisis Looms

... as front-line moves outwards, from Burman-dominated centre to ethnic minority periphery.

Christian's Five-Year Prison Sentence for Facebook Post Upheld in Algeria

Attorney sees anti-Christian bias in verdict.

Armenian PoWs Suffer Torture and Mistreatment at the Hands of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani forces have been accused of inflicting horrifying torture and mistreatment on Armenian prisoners of war (PoWs) during the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijani Soldiers Accused of War Crimes Against Civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenian civilians from Nagorno-Karabakh have recounted harrowing details of family members killed while held captive by Azerbaijani forces, as well as the torture and abuse that they suffered while in captivity.

At Least 20 Christians Injured as Muslim Mob Attacks Nigerian Church

At least 20 Christians, including three pastors, were injured when a mob of Muslims attacked the First Baptist Church of Surulere, in Ilorin, Kwara state, Nigeria.

Christian Couple in Iran Face Imprisonment for Membership of House Church

A Christian couple in Iran look set to be imprisoned for their membership in a house church in the capital city, Tehran.

Young Pakistani Christian Charged With Blasphemy Granted Bail, but Will Still Face Trial

A Pakistani Christian who has spent more than four years in prison after being accused of “blasphemy” was granted bail by the Lahore High Court on March 1 and will finally face trial.

Hard-Line Hindu Group Pledges to Target Indian Missionaries Carrying Out “Illegal” Conversions

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a hard-line Hindu group, has pledged to identify missionaries carrying out allegedly “illegal” conversions in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

Christian Leaders in France Raise Concerns Over Impact of Anti-Extremism Bill

Christian leaders in France have raised concerns about the impact a new bill intended to curb Islamist extremism may have on religious liberty.

Christians Seriously Injured in Mob Assault on House Church

Attack in central India leaves five people hospitalized.

Myanmar’s military shuts down internet, schools

The military in Myanmar has killed over 200 civilians since seizing power from the elected government.

Christian in Algeria Imprisoned for Cartoon on Facebook

Father for four sentenced to five years in prison.

Please pray for Uyghur Christians, and all those caught in the Uyghur holocaust

The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, shared these words at an event co-hosted by CSW this week, ‘Together for Uyghurs – a Holocaust memorial event’. The event gathered those of different faiths and beliefs to share.