Kazakh police harass churchgoers in Astana

International Christian Concern (ICC) has recently learned that police in Astana, Kazakhstan have been aggressively intimidating and harassing members of the beleaguered Grace Protestant Church. The church's 67-year-old pastor, Bakhytzhan Kashkumbayev (Pastor B.K.), was detained by Kazakh authorities in May as part of a nationwide crackdown on religious minorities. According to ICC sources, the church's membership has radically decreased since Pastor B.K. was arrested on trumped up charges of "harming the health" of a church member. "They are scared to go to church," said ICC's contact, who wishes to remain unnamed for security reasons. "His church keeps getting smaller and smaller." After collecting information on all of church's regular attendants, police reportedly began calling and harassing past and present parishioners. Police also demanded that congregants give statements  alleging Pastor B.K. forcibly coerced church attendance and monetary gifts from members, reports ICC's contact. When one congregant asked the police why they have been calling and harassing the members of the church, an officer reportedly responded, "You are worse than spies. You bring Kazakhs to Christ." Pastor B.K. was briefly released to house arrest on October 9th; however, just minutes after his release, he was re-arrested on charges of "extremism." He is in very poor health, and has continually been denied necessary medical attention. The charges against Pastor B.K. carry a potential prison sentence of three to seven years. Corey Bailey, ICC's Regional Manager for Central Asia said, "Christians and people of faith in Kazakhstan live in constant fear. One example of why is the treatment of Pastor Kashkumbayev, which is completely unacceptable. Soviet-era mental torture, denial of medical attention, incarceration in an insane asylum, and attempts by the police to intimidate citizens to give false testimony are just a fraction of what has gone wrong in this case. Kazakhstan claims to be a country of religious freedom, yet in the last five years, and especially since the religion law was introduced in 2011, all we have seen in this country is a steep rise in the denial of basic human rights for the freedom of religion of its citizens. The International community should be outraged and must defend Pastor Kashkumbayev by demanding his fair treatment and release from prison." Contact Kazakhstan Embassies to demand Pastor Kashkumbayev's immediate release. Washington D.C., USA- Phone: (202) 232-5488             Fax: 202-232-5845         washington@kazakhembus.com   Ontario, Canada- Phone: (416) 593-4043             Fax: (416) 593-4037        kazconscan@on.aibn.com   Bruxelles, Belgium-  Phone: (+32-2) 374-9562         Fax: (+32-2) 374-5091     kazakhstan.embassy@swing.be Bern, Switzerland- Phone: (+41-31) 351-7972       Fax: (+41-31)  351-7975  mission.kazakhstan@ties.itu.int  For interviews, contact Corey Bailey, Regional Manager for Central Asia:  RM-Asia@persecution.org # # #

You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address, www.persecution.org. ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church.  For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.

Testimony on All Saints Church Bombing

Last month, the Christian community of Pakistan endured the single most deadly attack in Pakistan's history. On September 22, two suicide bombers attacked All Saints Church as church goers were leaving the Sunday service, killing over 130 Christians. The following is the story of Mr. Vicky Pervaiz, a young Evangelist in Pakistan and an eye witness to the bombing that rocked Pakistan's Christian community. In that attack, Pervaiz received several injuries in the attack and shared his experience with ICC. "I am going to All Saints Church to offer my word of thanks to Jesus Christ for saving [me] and giving me a new life. I have personally experienced that God loves me and wants me to sacrifice my life to serve His people," Pervaiz told ICC. Vicky Pervaiz, 24 years old, was one of the hundreds of Christians caught in the attacks at All Saints Church. He received several injuries on his right arm and other parts of his body as shrapnel tore through the fellowship of Christians gathered outside the church that Sunday. ICC met him at the exit gate of Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, where many of the wounded at the church were brought to be treated. Pervaiz, with a bandage on his right arm, was leaving the hospital with a smile on his face stating, "I am going to the Church." "I cannot move my arm due to the six stitches at the lower part of my shoulder and several other injures, including a one inch deep hole in my arm." Medically, Pervaiz was supposed to stay in the hospital until he fully recovered from his injuries; however he was reportedly asked by the hospital administration to go home due to limited facilities and lack of capacity accommodating the hundreds of victims from the bombing. Recalling the Church incident, the young man said, "Everything is recorded in my mind like a film. I remember people were collecting rice from a corner and on the other side an elderly man was distributing sweets among children, a few children were running after each other. Whereas, Rev. Ijaz Gill was blessing men, women and children and others were waiting for their turn." He continued sharing painful moments just before the attack, "I was chatting with Mr. Naeem and his family, all of whom were killed the attack. Naeem was one of my best friends; I was congratulating his daughter for her excellent performance in the exams." "I had just excused myself from Mr. Naeem to attend to a call on my cellular phone when I heard the sound of firing and attacking with hand-grenades. I fell down on the ground and after a minute there was nothing but smoke, blood and dead bodies on the ground."Pervaiz shook his head and after a brief silence continued, "The huge cry from the people around me made me almost unconscious. I was confused about what to do, however I picked up two children nearby and quickly ran away from the church. The whole compound of the church was full of blood, pieces of human bodies, several were unclothed." The young man continued sharing his painful memories, "At first, I did not feel any injuries on my body, therefore I continued helping the victims. However, I suddenly felt unbearable pain in my right arm, oh, my God! It was bleeding heavily and soon thereafter, I lost my senses and was shifted to the hospital." Pervaiz tried to control his tears, but he couldn't and told ICC, "Naeem, my friend's body was into two pieces and his wife and two children's dead bodies were lying near to each other." "This incident has ended one full generation of several Christian families. It was a horrible, brutal and unforgettable day for us in Peshawar." Affirming his commitment with his Christian faith, the young man said, "The terrorists think that we would stop proclaiming our faith or going to the church, however it is my witness that this incident has strengthened me more in my love of Jesus and in my evangelical work."        "I love Jesus and may the souls of all the departed rest in Him and may all the injured people heal soon, Amen", Vicky Pervaiz asked God as he prayed to conclude his interview with ICC's Representative. For interviews, contact William Stark, ICC's Representative in Pakistan:    RM-AfricaAsia@persecution.org # # #

You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address, www.persecution.org. ICC is a Washington, D.C.-based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church.  For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.

False claims of blasphemy flare up again in Pakistan

On October 8, Adnan Masih's life was radically changed when Abid Mehmood, a Muslim man, entered a police station in Lahore, Pakistan and filled a case against Adnan accusing him of making blasphemous remarks against Muhammad and the Quran. Like all Christians accused of blasphemy in Pakistan, Adnan and his family are now forced to live in a state of constant fear. Pursued by both the police and Islamic extremists, Adnan has gone into hiding fearing for his own life and the lives of his family. Christian Fleeing False Blasphemy Charge In an interview with ICC Ilyas Rehmat, a Christian human rights activist, shared the details of the case. "Irfan Masih, a Christian, and [Adnan's accuser], Mehmood worked at a glass and aluminum shop together for the past year." Mehmood has been described as a fundamental Muslim and reportedly has connections with the Islamic extremist organization Jamaat-ul-Dawat, which has been banned in Pakistan. According to reports, Mehmood kept a copy of the book "I Asked the Bible Why Qurans were Burnt," at work,  which is full of unauthentic and biased religious points of view against Christianity. According to ICC's sources, both the book and the author are supposed to be banned in Pakistan. "On the day of the incident, Adnan Masih, a Christian pastor trained at the United Pentecostal seminary, covered a shift for his brother, Irfan Masih, at the glass and aluminum shop," Rehmat said. At the shop, Adnan discovered the anti-Christian book and began reading it. Due to its anti-Christian perspective and Adnan's background as an Evangelist, Adnan wrote comments in the book arguing against the anti-Christian viewpoints using Bible verses to support his arguments. These comments enraged Mehmood, so he took the book with the written comments into a local police station in Lahore and filed a case against Adnan, accusing him of writing blasphemous remarks against Muhammed and the Quran on different pages of the book. Mehmood also contacted members of Jamaat-ul-Dawat and reported the incident. Upon discovering the accusations against him, Adnan fled Lahore and went into hiding. Those closest to Adnan say that he fears that he will be murdered by Jamaat-ul-Dawat or executed the Pakistani government if he is discovered. When police were unable to arrest Adnan, they arrested three other Christian men in connection with the incident including Mushtaq Masih, the Christian owner of the glass and aluminum shop where the "blasphemy" occurred; Irfan Masih, Adnan's brother; and Kamram Masih, another relative of Adnan. The police are now using these arrests to pressure Adnan, who remains in hiding, to turn himself in as soon as possible. Local Muslim Community's Violent Reaction When news of this incident spread, the local Muslim community reacted with violence."Hundreds of Muslims carrying weapons and sticks were provoked and led by clerics to attack Christian houses [near where the incident occurred] on October 11, after Friday prayers," a local Christian human rights activist shared with ICC. "They stoned the houses, broke the doors and windows and shouted slogans against the Christian community and faith. [Fortunately,] the mob was controlled by the police, otherwise we would have seen another 'Joseph Colony incident' in Lahore. Dozens of Christian men and women were reported injured during this attack," the local activist added. The attackers reportedly demanded that Adnan be hanged publically as they rampaged through the Christian neighborhood. "All the Christian families have fled from the area to unknown safe places. We are worried for our lives, property, and belongings," the local activist said. "We want to go back to our homes, safely, as soon as possible." Reaction of the Families of the Christians Arrested In an interview with ICC, Hahira Mushtaq, wife of Mushtaq Masih, described her desperation now that her husband has been arrested and imprisoned in connection with this incident. "We have not slept properly for a single night since [the arrest], due to fear of being attacked." Holding her youngest daughter, Tahira said, "I have no more excuses or answers for Sitaish to calm her and keep her from waiting for her father to come home." "I beg Jesus to set him free as soon as possible," she prayed as she wept for her husband in prison. Adnan remains in hiding and out of the custody of both the police and the Jamaat-ul-Dawat extremist group. The three Christian men who have been arrested in Adnan's place remain in prison, and tensions in Lahore remain high. Several Christian organizations have attempted to help bring about a peaceful resolution to this most recent blasphemy accusation against a Christian, but many fear this incident could be the prelude to another indecent of communal violence against the Christian community of Pakistan.     For interviews, contact William Stark, ICC's Representative in Pakistan:    RM-AfricaAsia@persecution.org # # #

You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address, www.persecution.org. ICC is a Washington, D.C.-based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church.  For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.

Muslims attack wedding party in Cairo

The terrorist attack on a wedding service at a church in the Al-Warrak suburb of Cairo on Sunday, Oct. 20, is the latest evidence of the seriousness of the situation in Egypt. Violence against Egypt's minority Christian community has shown no sign of abating following the dramatic increase in tensions since the ouster of former Muslim Brotherhood president Mohammed Morsi. In the aftermath of the Al-Warrak attack there has been a distinct shift in tone, however, as many in the country are coming to see these attacks, and the Islamist agenda, as dangerous for Egyptian society as a whole. Attacks on Christians are Aiming to Destroy Egypt Sunday evening, the Church of Saint Mary and St. Michael was the site of huge celebration. Inside the church, a wedding that had started at 8 p.m. was about to conclude. Outside, friends and family of bridegroom, Ramzy Khalifa, and his fiancée, Catherine, were gathering for their wedding ceremony at 9 p.m to begin. It was 8:45 p.m. when the attack happened, Ayad Zakhary, a servant in the church, told ICC. "Two armed masked Muslim terrorists riding motorcycles and carrying automatic weapons opened fire randomly on the people who were in the front of the Church," Zakhary recounted. The attack on the church killed four Christians that night, including the mother of the bridegroom, Camellia Helmy Attia. Two young girls, Mariam Nabil Fahmy and Mariam Ashraf Masiha, and 46 year old Samir Fahmy Azar were also killed. At least 18 others were wounded in the attack and taken to the hospital. Mohamed Ibrahim Ali Mahmoud, 17 years old, died in the hospital on Thursday Zakhary recognized that the casualties could have been much worse. The time of the attack was just before the finishing of the wedding ceremony. "Many guests were still in the church and the wedding prayer hadn't finished yet," Zakhary told ICC. Only a few guests who left the church were outside with those waiting for the next wedding to begin. He said that if the attack were at 9 p.m. exactly, the victims would have been increased. Father Dawood Ibrahim, head priest of the church, told ICC about the impact the attack has had on the community. "All of us are surprised about what happened," said Fr. Ibrahim. "We felt the insult, indignity, and sadness. It was like a shock for us. It was terrible, the wedding converted to sorrow. All the people, Muslims and Christians, in Al-Warrak are very sad about what happened last Sunday. [The terrorists] aim is to destroy Egypt." Lack of Security for Egypt's Christians Since the removal of Mohammed Morsi in early July, Egypt's Christians have come under devastating attacks. As ICC previously reported, the violence is at a level unseen for centuries. Most of the attacks have occurred outside of the Egyptian capitol, though there have been some attacks in Cairo as well. Fr. Ibrahim explained to ICC that the attack on his church highlights the lack of security for Christians. "They choose our Church because they made sure that there are no police protecting the church, and they carried out their plan easily," he told ICC. Authorities have begun investigating the security forces who were supposed to be responsible for providing protection in the area of Al-Warrak. Ahram reports, "The investigation has revealed that security forces stopped protecting the church in mid-August due to a lack of weapons." As attacks have repeatedly happened with seeming impunity, some have begun to voice complaints that "the state deliberately fails to fulfill its role towards the protection of the property and the churches of Copts," coming from a statement by the Revolutionary Socialists movement on Tuesday. Search for Unity, Not Division   This latest attack on a church in Cairo seems to have struck closer to home for political leaders in Egypt, and may be a catalyst to finding some real solutions to bring an end to the violence. According to MidEast Christian News, the Prime Minister himself, Dr. Hazem el-Beblawi, visited the victims in the hospital, many of whom are in critical care. "Such heinous acts will not succeed in driving a wedge between the Christian and Muslim nation's fabric, and the government is watching carefully the miserable and desperate attempts to sow seeds of discord among the nation's children," Beblawi added in the statement. Fr. Ibrahim has been encouraged by the support the church has received. "All the community has stood beside us after this attack and all the Egyptian people condemn this bad terrorist attack on the church," he told ICC. The church is calling for increased security for churches. "The attacks on the Christians have been increased after the removal of Morsi," Ibrahim told ICC. While increased security is the first step, it cannot be the only step taken if there is to be an actual decrease in the violence. Ziad Akl, writing for Daily News Egypt, said "The attack on the Church [Sunday] presents us with two facts: first, the terrorism threat Egypt is facing is certainly progressing very rapidly and second, the strategies put forth to counter this threat are clearly not effective." Akl continued, "So far, the strategies used to counter terrorism are solely security-based. The political, economic, religious and cultural aspects of countering terrorism remain out of strategic focus until today." The international community has a role to play in assisting Egypt in finding strategies that do work. Leaders around the world have condemned the attacks and are calling for the Egyptian government to find a way to protect its citizens. Canadian Ambassador for Religious Freedom, Andrew Bennett, said, "The attacks against the worship places in Egypt are unacceptable," in a statement released on Tuesday. A group of U.S. Senators, including Bob Corker (R-TN) and Roy Blunt (R-MO), have also issueda call for greater protections for Christians and urged Secretary of State John Kerry to provide a "clear response from the U.S." This incident highlights the importance of the now vacant office of Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom and the proposed Special Envoy for Religious Freedom, in working to address issues of violence against religious minorities.    For interviews, contact Todd Daniels, Regional Manager for the Middle East:  RM-ME@persecution.org # # #

You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address, www.persecution.org. ICC is a Washington, D.C.-based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church.  For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.

Religious Cleansing in Syria

The Syrian crisis is now two-and-a-half years old. and the damage of the conflict seems only to be worsening. Fueled by an increasing stream of jihadists with a stated goal of establishing an Islamic state, these groups have increasingly targeted the Christian community, forcing them to convert, flee, or be killed. The impact of extremist ideology is tearing apart the richly diverse social fabric of Syria, impacting all Syrians, but particularly targeting the Christians. "We have never been killed just for being Christian until the 21st Century" Though the uprising in Syria began primarily to end the brutal authoritarian reign of President Bashar al-Assad, for many in the opposition movement the aim has become the creation of an Islamic state, governed by a harsh interpretation of Islamic law and free of any Christian presence. "For the terrorist people [foreign Jihadist fighters], the first step in their aim is to kill the Christian, or let them leave the country, or let them become a Muslim," Dawoud*, a Christian from Damascus, told ICC. While the attacks on Christians originally were because some in the opposition movements viewed them as loyal to the Assad regime, the reasons have now largely shifted. Bashir Ishak Saadi, a leader of the Assyrian Democratic Organization in Syria, told MidEast Christian News (MCN), "The Islamic Nusra Front antagonizes Christians because of their neutral position on the regime of Bashar al-Assad, and asks them to oppose the system officially and participate in ousting it, or else their suffering will continue." As the war continues, the influence of these extremist groups is on the rise. As David Kenner at Foreign Policy  documented in September, groups such as Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and the al-Nusra Front, both known Al Qaeda affiliates, have begun fighting with factions of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) because they did not feel the FSA was committed to their Islamist goals. A coalition of some 50 groups have joined together to form a coalition known as the Army of Islam. Operating primarily around the capital city of Damascus, the Army of Islam rejected the Syrian National Council as too secular, "affirming that they view Islamic law as the sole source of legislation," Hassan Hassan  reported. These political developments give context to the observations made by Huda Nassar, Director of the Middle East for the UK-based Awareness Foundation. Nassar grew up in a Christian family in the coastal city of Lattakia, Syria. Her family has ties both to the Orthodox and Presbyterian churches in Syria. Looking back over the history of Syria, Christians have passed through difficult periods Nassar observed. Whether it was during the seventh century with the arrival of Islam, or from Europeans during the Crusades, or under the Ottoman Empire - "Christians were under enormous pressure because of their faith - but we have never been killed just for being Christian until the 21st Century," Nassar told ICC. "Now Christians are being persecuted, killed, tortured, kidnapped and pushed to leave their homes and cities just for being Christian," Nassar continued. Dawoud also agreed with this observation. He said, "The recent events give big evidence that the Christians are being targeted." All across Syria, in the cities of Maaloula, Homs, al-Qusayr, Damascus, and elsewhere, "they have threatened always the Christian areas," Dawoud said. World Sleepwalking into Massive Refugee Disaster The violence has created one of the largest humanitarian crises in modern history, and shows little evidence of slowing. "This year alone more than 1.5 million refugees have left Syria,"said António Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. There are more than 2.1 million refugees outside the country, and more than four million internally displaced persons still in Syria. "It is so disappointing to see the international community sleepwalking into this disaster," said Kristalina Georgieva, Commissioner for the Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department of the European Commission. "This is undoubtedly the world's worst refugee crisis in decades and if we don't get off this slippery slope it will soon become the largest in our lifetime in front of our eyes!" The violence has been destructive for all of Syria, but in many cases Christians are struggling more than most. They have been targeted by the Islamic extremists because of their faith, by the more secular opposition movements who say they are supporting Assad, and by the regime for not being loyal enough. Many of the Christians who have fled are afraid to register in camps because they fear they will be further targeted, and so have limited access to relief from international organizations. The number of Christians leaving has risen sharply. In an interview with MCN, Bashir Saadi said"more than 40 percent of Christian Syrians emigrated outside their country." Dawoud, who was forced out of his home because the mortar attacks became too numerous, continues to stay in Damascus. He said "many of the Christians are moving from area to area inside Syria. When the danger comes, they move to other safe areas. When the danger becomes very close, they move again." Finding a Way to Stay As the violence carries on, more and more Christians are being pushed to leave and have lost the will to resist. "For the first time, probably, in the history of the region, Christians are facing what we could call 'religious cleansing,'" Huda Nassar told ICC. The international community needs to confront the issue of Syria, and particularly the rise of Islamic extremism. While there are certainly no easy solutions, the protection of the country's Christian community must be a part of the discussion. There is a need to meet the urgent needs of the situation. The killing has claimed the lives of more than 100,000 Syrians. By some estimates, there are more than four million Syrians inside the country who lack food security. As winter approaches these needs will only increase. At the same time the larger issues that are driving Christians out of the region also need to be addressed. "If we allow the Christians to leave the country, then the whole dynamic and the social fabric of the society will change and the region will be the poorer for its loss of diversity," Nassar said. Despite the chaos, some have chosen to stay. When ICC asked Dawoud why he has not left, he said, "What encouraged me to stay in Syria? Because I love my people. I want to stay with my people. I can't leave them during suffering times." Despite the risks of staying, Dawoud and his family have been amazed by the opportunities they have had to impact the community around them which is also hurting.   There is a need for more in Syria to carry on in this spirit. The international community needs to assist in fostering this attitude of love for all the people of this region that will bring an end to the violence. *Names have been changed for security reasons Click here to learn more or to support ICC's Syrian Refugee Relief project, which is working to provide aid for those both inside and outside the country. For interviews, contact Todd Daniels, Regional Manager for the Middle East:  RM-ME@persecution.org # # #

You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address, www.persecution.org. ICC is a Washington, D.C.-based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church.  For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.

Two years after Maspero incident

"We started to chant, 'We don't want the church to be destroyed and burnt,' 'We need a law to guarantee the minority's rights,' 'We want the Christians to live with dignity in their country,'" Viviane Magdy, an activist for the full rights of Egyptians, told ICC about the crowd that gathered outside the Egyptian Radio and Television (Maspero) Building on October 9, 2011. The protest in front of the Maspero building was sparked by the destruction of a church in Aswan. It was the largest of many protests Christians had organized to raise attention to the abuses they were suffering. This protest rapidly turned deadly in a day that is remembered as "Bloody Sunday". Vivian recounted for ICC how at first a huge number of soldiers who had been monitoring the protests started to attack the march. "We started to retreat back and the protesters too, but the soldiers did not stop attacking the march so the protesters started to defend themselves." "It was like a war scene," Vivian said.  Then, without warning, the engines on the military vehicles started up. They drove into the crowd and hit a number of protestors. Viviane was there with her fiancé Michael. They crossed the street and hid from the military vehicles. Then one of them did a U-turn and came back at Vivian and Michael. "Michael told me 'don't leave my hand.' Then the vehicle crashed into him. He pushed me away and it hit my arm and moved Michael away from my side," Vivian recalled.  "I looked back to find him lying down on the street and he was bleeding from his leg. I tried to help him but the soldiers came and started to beat us again." Michael would never get up. He was one of the 27 protestors killed that night. Hundreds more were wounded by the military vehicles, the soldiers with batons, and the live ammunition that was fired into the crowd. Wagih Yacoub, a close friend of ICC, was shotwhile filming the protests. The massacre at Maspero remains a symbol of the struggle of the Egyptian Christian community to secure their rights as full citizens of Egypt. Two Years Later: Christians Still Remember The activities commemorating the Maspero incident were solemn as hundreds gathered at candle light prayer vigils across Egypt, at the site of the attacks in Cairo, and even at the Egyptian Embassy in Washington DC. The Maspero Youth Union (MYU) organized a vigil in Alexandria, Egypt. MYU was founded following the 2011 incident, spokesman Tony Sabry told ICC. "This movement defends the rights of the Christian minority, and it is against religious and racial discrimination,"Sabry continued. The Mina Daniel Movement, named for one of the martyrs killed that day, was one of the leading organizers of the memorial in Cairo. In an ICC video taken hours before Mina was killed he expressed some of the values that had so many Egyptians out in the streets. "The revolution is very beautiful; the revolution is very sweet when you are with me, when we gather together in the revolution against the oppression," Mina sang. Unfortunately, the "revolution against oppression" that Mina, Michael, and the others who were at Maspero on October 9th were part of is still ongoing. Two Years Later: What Has Changed? Two years have passed since "Bloody Sunday" in Cairo. Again, the country is under the control of the military. Again, there have been churches burned to the ground. Again, attacks are taking place on Christians with almost total impunity. In 2011, October 9th came just a few months after the overthrow of long-time President Hosni Mubarak. In 2013, October 9th came just a few months after the overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi, after just one year in office. The goals and objectives of the original revolution in January, 2011, have failed to be realized."Egypt's revolution has not achieved any of its objectives yet. Even the simplest demands of the people have not been met," Mary Danial, sister of Mina Danial who was killed at Maspero, told MCN, at events to commemorate the second anniversary. Even the investigation into the perpetrators of the attack on the protestors has been with only minimal results. Three low-level soldiers were sentenced with "involuntary manslaughter" in September 2012, as ICC reported. The trial, which was handled in a military court, has not brought any resolution, and many of the responsible parties have never been tried. A number of politicians and civil rights groupshave spoken out to call for a more thorough investigation. "We want the government to make an investigation into those responsible for the killings and make arrests of those individuals," Sabry told ICC on behalf of MYU. Vivian told MCN that she will submit a request calling for the government to re-open the case and carry out a full investigation into the incident. She is hoping the new government will do more than the government of former President Mohamed Morsi. If the past two months are any indication, not much has changed concerning the status of Christians in Egypt. The sectarian divides that have pushed the country into violence continue to run deep. The growth in influence of radical Islamists had terrible results for Christians and for most Egyptians as well. The chants from October 9th, 2011, for an Egypt where "Christians live with dignity in their country" are still being heard today. The country is in need of political leaders and political will to turn the desires of the Maspero martyrs into reality.  For interviews, contact Todd Daniels, Regional Manager for the Middle East:  RM-ME@persecution.org # # #

You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address, www.persecution.org. ICC is a Washington, D.C.-based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church.  For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.

Kazakhstan falsely re-arrests pastor

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that an elderly pastor in Kazakhstan was re-arrested and charged with religious extremism just hours after he had been released to house arrest for charges of harming public health.   After nearly five months of imprisonment, a court in Astana extended Pastor Bakhytzhat Kashkumbayev's pre-trial imprisonment until November 17th. The terms were changed from prison to house arrest, according to the court decision seen by Forum 18 News Service.  However, as Kashkumbayev exited the jail, he was immediately re-arrested. According to an ICC source (name withheld), Kashkumbayev was accused of extremism under article 233 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The investigator of the extremism accusation is Vyacheslav Glazkov. Glazkov has stated that Kashkumbayev must remain in prison for three more days. After that they will decide if they will "keep him in prison for more time or let him go." The Christian community in Kazakhstan was rocked by this re-arrest with another pastor telling ICC, "This is becoming more and more dangerous. They are targeting him because he is a Christian, and because he is also (ethnically) Kazakh, so to the government he is seen as a traitor. They are making an example of him to scare the Christians. First they are saying, 'he has harmed public health,' and now they are saying he has been operating with religious extremism. However, behind the scenes we know he was arrested, and Christians are harassed, because we are preaching the Gospel to the Kazakhs." Kashkumbayev, who is 67 years old and in very poor health, has not received adequate medical care while wrongfully imprisoned. In August, he wrote a letter to the United Nations Human Rights Committee saying, "Though I am 67, and I cannot boast of ideal health since I had a serious heart attack in 2011, with chronic otitis of both ears, varicose veins in my legs, chronic bronchitis, chronic gastritis, I am psychologically healthy, [but] it will not take much for the authorities to make me a vegetable... I am begging you to protect me." When he saw his wife on October 8, for the first time since his arrest on May 17, she openly wept when he showed her the sores on his legs and other health issues that have not received medical attention. Kashkumbayev's son,Askar, told World Watch Monitor, "Our only hope is the support we can get from the wider public and international community. The local news media [is publishing] materials against my father. It looks like the authorities are intent on punishing my father," he continued. Pastor Kashkumbayev was arrested on May 17 on trumped-up charges of harming the health of his parishioners by "putting hallucinogens in the communion juice."  He has been severely mistreated by the Kazakh government, including Soviet-style psychological examinations and lack of access to medical care. Corey Bailey, ICC's Regional Manager for Central Asia, said, "The treatment of PastorKashkumbayev is appalling. His rights to religious freedom have been violated time and time again. It is clear that he is merely a scapegoat for the government, who has wrongfully imprisoned him and continues to harm his health. We ask the International community to let Kazakhstan know that we are watching them and that we are horrified at their treatment of Pastor Kashkumbayev. Time is running out. Please call the Kazakhstan embassy to raise a loud cry to save Pastor Kashkumbayev and demand his release from unlawful imprisonment." The phone number for the Kazakhstan Embassy in Washington, D.C. is 202-232-5488. You can call from 9.00 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. (EST).  If you are not an American, please contact the Kazakhstan embassy nearest to your country, or call long distance to Washington, D.C.    For interviews, contact Corey Bailey, Regional Manager for Central Asia:  RM-Asia@persecution.org # # #

You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address, www.persecution.org. ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church.  For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.