22 killed at a Catholic church in Nigeria

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that 22 Christians were killed in an assault on a Catholic church service in northeastern Nigeria. The attack is thought to have been perpetrated by the Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram, which the Nigerian government has struggling to contain in the country's northern and central states. On Sunday morning, Jan. 26, suspected militants armed with guns and explosives attacked a Catholic church located in Waga Chakawa village in Nigeria's northeastern state, Adamawa. Reports by Reuters UK indicate the attacker set off bombs prior to opening fire on the Christian congregation. After assailing the church, the militants burned down houses and took local Christian residents hostage during a four-hour siege with local authorities. When the dust settled, 22 Christians were confirmed dead. This casualty figure was confirmed Monday, Jan. 27, by spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Yola, Reverend Father Raymond Danbouye, in an interview with Reuters UK. This assault is only the latest in a series of attacks on Christians living in Nigeria's northern and central states starting in December. So far, this wave of deadly violence has claimed the lives at least 63 Christians. From December 8 - 11, Boko Haram militants attacked four predominately Christian villages in the Gwoza, Damboa and askira-Uba Local Government areas. These attacks left at least 26 Christian dead and over 40 Christian homes burned to the ground. In January, an attack has taken place every Sunday on Christians in Nigeria's northern and central states. On January 19, Christians living in the Agatu Local Government Area in central Nigeria were attacked in separate raids on two villages by Muslim Fulani herdsmen, thought to be incited to attacking Christians by Boko Haram. At least seven Christians were killed in those violent raids. On January 12, eight Christians living in Gari Village in Nigeria's northern Borno state were killed by Boko Haram militants. On the Sunday before, January 5, Christians living in the Manchok area were attacked, but managed to avoid casualties due to timely military intervention. Boko Haram, whose name means "Western education is a sin," has a stated goal of establishing a separate Islamic state in Nigeria's northern and central regions. The Islamic terrorist group intends implement its fundamentalist interpretation of Sharia law. In 2012, Boko Haram demanded all Christians living in northern and central Nigeria to flee south so that a purely Islamic society can be established. Since then, Boko Haram has used church bombings, drive-by shootings and raids on Christian villages as a part of its strategy to 'purify' northern and central Nigeria. ICC's Regional Manager, William Stark, said, "Boko Haram's slaughter of Christians in northern and central Nigeria has continued unabated so far in 2014. Because these attacks are becoming so common and widespread, many Christians in these areas fear attending church due to the likelihood of coming under attack. The only 'crime' many of these Christians have committed is belonging to what Boko Haram considers the 'wrong' religious faith. ICC applauds the action taken by the U.S. to designate Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, but more has to be done to end the slaughter. The Nigerian government, who declared a state of emergency in several of Nigeria's northern states, must take decisive action to ensure the safety of Christians living in Nigeria. If decisive action is not taken, the unbelievable violence being perpetrated against Christians in Nigeria will only continue to accelerate and will likely reach genocidal levels in the near future."

For interviews, contact William Stark, Regional Manager for Africa and South Asia:  RM-AfricaAsia@persecution.org

Innocent pastor in Kazakhstan remains imprisoned despite of charges being dropped

International Christian Concern (ICC) has just learned that charges of "propagating extremism" against 67-year-old Presbyterian Pastor Bakhytzhan Kashkumbayev were dropped by a court in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, late Wednesday. The pastor's eight month-long detention and harsh treatment has drawn heavy criticism of Kazakhstan's government from international human rights organizations, including ICC. ICC also learned that Pastor Kashkumbayev's attorney, Mr. Nurlan Beiskeev, was not present for the ruling as the judge had adjourned the court until January 31, only to resume the hearing later in the day after Mr. Beiskeev had left. According to Radio Free Europe, Pastor Kashkumbayev reportedly refused to participate in the later hearing without the presence of his attorney, but was "dragged by force" back into the courtroom.   Pastor Kashkumbayev was initially arrested in May of last year on the charge of "harming a parishioner." In August, he was transferred to a psychological hospital in Almaty where ICC sources report he was subjected to nineteen "Soviet-style psychological examinations" over the course of a single month. In July, before his transfer to the hospital, Pastor Kashkumbayev wrote to the United Nations pleading for assistance, saying,"It will not take much for the authorities to make me a vegetable...I am begging you to protect me."  In October, as Pastor Kashkumbayev approached the maximum pre-trial detention limit allowed by Kazakhstan law, he was released to be placed under house arrest. However, only minutes after leaving the detention center, authorities re-arrested the ailing minister under new charges of "propogating extremism." Pastor Kashkumbayev is suffering from several serious medical conditions, including heart issues from a major heart attack in 2011, varicose veins, and chronic bronchitis. He has reportedly had no regular access to medical treatment since his imprisonment and has been forced by authorities to stand for long periods of time, an exercise that results in severe pain for the pastor due to the varicose veins in his legs.  The ruling on Wednesday follows several months of activism on behalf of the pastor by ICC and other organizations. In November, ICC launched the ACT Campaign, calling on concerned individuals to contact Kazakhstan embassies in their respective nations and to follow the "Free Pastor BK" Facebook page. Ryan Morgan, a regional manager for International Christian Concern, said "While we are certainly pleased to hear that the completely untenable charges of propagating extremism have been dropped in Pastor Kashkumbayev's case, we are still alarmed that the court has chosen to maintain the charge of harming a parishioner. How the judge could make this decision is difficult to understand, given that the very parishioner the pastor has been accused of harming has publicly claimed she was never harmed by him. The court should drop all charges and release Pastor Kashkumbayev immediately. No one should be separated from their loved ones, physically tortured, and deprived of their rights simply because they wish to freely share their religious beliefs."

For interviews, contact Ryan Morgan, at RM-SEAsia@persecution.org

Coptic Christians kidnapped on a weekly basis

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that Coptic Christians in Upper Egypt continue to be targeted for kidnapping and extortion on a weekly basis. The most recent case occurred on Tuesday morning when masked men abducted 52-year-old Nady Farag Massad at gunpoint in the governorate of Minya. According to local sources, Mr. Massad was purchasing bread for his family at a local bakery when the gunmen forced him into their vehicle and fled the scene. Two days later, Mr. Massad's kidnappers have yet to contact anyone demanding a ransom.   Mr. Massad's kidnapping is only the latest in a string of abductions targeting Coptic Christians in Upper Egypt over the past year. According to Mr. Ezzat Ibrahim, the director of the World Center for Human Rights in Minya and Asyut, there have been dozens of cases. "In the year 2013, 69 Christians were abducted in Minya governorate,"Mr. Ibrahim told ICC. "Four of them were killed because their families were unable to pay the kidnappers that demanded ransoms, four of them were returned by the police, and 61 Christians were returned after their families paid a ransom ranging from fifty thousand Egyptian Pounds ($7,000)  to several million Egyptian pounds." Families unable to meet demands of the kidnappers must rely on police to find their missing loved ones. In a recent interview, Aziz Narrows, the father of Abanoub Narrows, a 14-year-old kidnapped last November, relayed his experience to ICC. "My son was taking a private lesson from 8 pm to 9 pm with his schoolmates in the home of their teacher which is very close to our home. It was 9:30 pm and Abanoub hadn't returned so I went out to look for him." After searching unsuccessfully for his son for several hours, Aziz informed the police that his son was missing. "They asked me to wait until the morning because maybe Abanoub went to one of his relatives, so I returned to my home." A little after 9:30 the next morning, Abanoub's father received the first of what would be nearly 40 text messages from his son's kidnappers. "I went immediately to the police station in Dairut and told them about the kidnappers' message and also I sent a telegraph to the Asyut Governor and to the interior minister but no one could help me."    On November 27, nine days after his kidnapping, 14-year-old Abanoub Aziz Narrows body was found in a canal near the city of Dairut. "His hands and legs were tied and there was a rope around his neck and there were effects of torture on his body." Aziz added. "The main reason of killing my son was the indifference and weakness of the police, they were unable to help us." Ryan Morgan, a regional manager for International Christian Concern, said "The ongoing forceful abduction of Coptic Christians in Upper Egypt must come to an end. The kidnapping of members of this ancient faith community has become a horrendous fund-raising mechanism for radical Islamist groups to promote their own agenda. We call on the governorates of Minya and Asyut to immediately step up their protection of Coptic Christian communities and to pursue the perpetrators of these kidnappings aggressively and with every means at their disposal. Unless more is done soon, it is unlikely that we are going to see the end to the weekly kidnappings, the extortion, and the murder of Coptic Christians in Upper Egypt."

For interviews, contact Ryan Morgan, Regional Manager:   RM-SEAsia@persecution.org

Buddhists attack two churches in Sri Lanka

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that two churches located in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka were attacked and vandalized by a mob led by radical Buddhist monks. Local police, charged with protecting the churches, stood by as the mob ripped religious items off the walls of the churches, smashed chairs and pews, and set Bibles, hymnals and other religious materials on fire. When congregants of the Assemblies of God Church and the Calvary Free Church in Hikkaduwa gathered for worship on Sunday, January 12, a mob of  approximately 250 Buddhists bent on closing their churches began to gather. Led by radical Buddhist monks from an organization named Hela Bodhu Pawura, the mob carried loudspeakers blaring anti-Christian messages to the gates of the Assemblies of God Church. Soon after arriving, the mob broke into the church and began to smash windows, the church's roof and other equipment, forcing all of the worshippers to flee.  The mob then moved on to the Calvary Free Church, which was only a short distance away from the Assemblies of God Church. Police were able to delay the arrival of the mob until the entire congregation had fled to safety. Once the mob arrived, they again smashed into the church and began to destroy everything they could lay their hands on. Local police say they have identified and intend to arrest 24 individuals, including eight Buddhist monks, who participated in the attacks last Sunday. In a report by the BBC , police spokesmen Ajith Rohana admitted to police "inaction," but claimed insufficient numbers was the reason police were not able to protect the churches. He went on to say that legal action would be taken against the people identified as the attackers.   According to the Colombo Page, the Buddhist monks who led the attack claim that local authorities have ordered the churches to close down. However, the pastors in charge of these churches claim that they are legally registered and that the eviction notices were illegal.  A local pastor has claimed there are further plans to attack the churches a second time over the coming weekend. This pastor has also said that police in Hikkaduwa have yet to take serious action to investigate and thwart these plans. ICC's Regional Manager, William Stark, said, "Religious intolerance and Christian persecution has skyrocketed in Sri Lanka over the past 18 months. Driven by Buddhist nationalism, Christians and their places of worship are now the targets of mobs led by radical Buddhist monks who believe Christianity to be foreign religion that is a threat to Sri Lanka's Buddhist heritage. According to the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL), Christians in Sri Lanka were violently attacked over 65 times in 2013 alone. In an effort to protect Christians and their places of worship, ICC is calling on people to contact the Sri Lankan Embassy, either by phone at (202) 483-4025or email at slembassy@slembassyusa.org, and demand the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators of anti-Christian violence and for Sri Lanka to take positive steps to protect Christians from future attacks."       For interviews, contact William Stark, Regional Manager for Africa:   RM-AfricaAsia@persecution.org # # #

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Fulani Muslims kill 30 in central Nigeria

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that at least 30 Christians, including women, children and the elderly, were brutally murdered in an attack on a Christian village in central Nigeria. Islamic gunmen, believed to be from the Fulani ethnic group, opened fire on residents of Shonong village located in Nigeria's Plateau State, killing those unfortunate enough to be in the village at the time of the attack. The attack on Shonong village began early in the day on Monday, January 6th. According to survivors, "hundreds of attackers" poured into the Christian village with automatic weapons, killing Christians they discovered still in the village proper. On top of the killings, 20 Christian homes were set ablaze and other private properties owned by Christians were either destroyed or stolen by the attackers. According BosNewsLife, eye witnesses have reported that "some 30 human remains were recovered so far." According to others, many villages remain missing. Although this attack on Shonong village was devastating, many believe the death toll could have been much higher if not for the swift intervention of the police and Nigerian military. Authorities in Nigeria have yet to confirm an official death toll. Christian leaders in Nigeria suspect the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram is inciting the Fulani Muslims to attack Christians living in Nigeria's middle belt region. "From all indications, the terrorism being witnessed in the country is purely in pursuit of Jihad," Rev. Yiman Orkwar, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Makurdi in Benue State, told Morning Star News. "In Benue state, Fulani terrorists in collaboration with Boko Haram and other foreign mercenaries are causing wanton destruction of lives and property." Boko Haram, whose name means 'Western education is a sin,' has a stated goal of establishing a separate Islamic state in Nigeria's north where it can implement its fundamentalist interpretation of Sharia law. In 2012, Boko Haram demanded all Christians living in northern Nigeria flee to south so that only a purely Islamic society can be established. Since making this demand, Boko Haram has used church bombings, drive-by shootings and deadly raids on Christian villages as a part of its strategy to 'purify' northern Nigeria. Now it seems that Christians living in Nigeria's central regions are in equal peril. ICC's Regional Manager, William Stark, said, "Islamic extremists continue to slaughter and terrorize Christians living in Nigeria's northern and central states. The only crime many of these Christians have committed is belonging to a religious faith Boko Haram and its affiliates believe don't belong in northern and central Nigeria. ICC applauds the action taken by the U.S. to designate Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist Organization, but more has to be done to end the slaughter. The Nigerian government must take steps to ensure the safety of Christians living in Nigeria. If decisive action is not taken, the unbelievable violence being perpetrated against Christians in Nigeria will only continue to accelerate and will likely reach genocidal levels in the near future."

For interviews, contact William Stark, Regional Manager for Africa:   RM-AfricaAsia@persecution.org

Christmas time in Egypt

Tensions are running high for Christians in Egypt as they prepare to celebrate the Christmas holiday. January 7th is the date on which many Eastern Orthodox churches, following the Julian or Alexandrian calendars, mark the birth of Jesus. After a year of incredible persecution, Egyptian Christians are fearful but cautiously hopeful as they look to the future both for Egypt and the Church. "This Christmas my family and I don't feel the happiness of every Christmas before because of the bad current events and our bad circumstances," Abdullah Ghaly, a 44-year-old carpenter from Assiut, told International Christian Concern (ICC).   "The situation is so bad nowadays in Egypt. Every day we hear about bad events like explosions in some places, Christians abducted for ransom, or attacks on Churches,"Farid*, a Christian from Cairo, told ICC.  "On New Year's Eve [December 31] the supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood killed a Christian young man in the front of St. George Church during their march on the street in front of the church," Farid continued.  A video from MidEast Christian News shows the ammunition used on the Copts who were in front of the church to protect it. Ihab Ghattas Tawadros, 23, died after being shot in the head on New Year's Eve outside the St. George Church in Ain Shams, confirmed Dr. Hisham Abdul Hamid, spokesman for the Forensic Medical Authority. Just days before Christmas, security forces arrested members of a terrorist cell that was believed to be planning to attack churches on Christmas Eve, reported Amany Moussa of Copts United.    Christmas Eve (January 6) services passed without major incident.  "I was glued to my chair until the midnight Christmas mass ended with no major events, despite the threats from the Brotherhood and its allies," Hal Meawad, secretary of the rights group Coptic Solidarity, told ICC. With these threats and the violence directed at Copts during the past few months, security forces seem to be taking the protection of churches seriously.    Major General Abdel Fattah Othman, the interior minister's media and PR assistant, said every church will have a separate protection plan, and the ministry of interior has "taken unprecedented measures to secure churches." These plans include having guards present to surround the churches and prevent any vehicles to park near them, MidEast Christian News reported. Plainclothes officers and counter-terrorism specialists will be on the streets near churches, along with "combat units" on roving patrols. Bigger teams will be deployed to the country's largest churches. "If police confirm there is a presence of any terrorist elements, they will use live rounds," an Interior Ministry official speaking on condition of anonymity told Reuters. The greater amount of protection being given to Christians by the Egyptian security forces is a welcome change from the relative inattention showed this summer as violence against Christians was at a level not seen for centuries.    Christians Cautiously Optimistic for the Future Asked about their feelings for the future, Egyptian Christians are realistic about the persecution they are facing and the effect of the violence of the past three years, but also show some signs of optimism about the future both for Christians and for the country. "This Christmas has been the worst season, the numbers of tourists coming to Egypt are few compared to the past. The tourists are afraid to come because they hear bad news about what is happening in Egypt," Magdy Hor, a 37-year-old tourist shop owner from Minya, told ICC. "We don't know where Egypt will go," he continued. "We hope that after choosing a new president in Egypt, the situation will change for the better and Egypt will be a good country and its economy will improve. We hope that," Hor concluded. "Egypt is in the hands of God," Waseem Gad from Minya told ICC. "The Military and police will beat the terrorism soon and Egypt will be the land of peace and security like before," he stated hopefully. "Personally I'm cautiously optimistic," Hal Meawad told ICC. "I don't expect the culture of hatred to change overnight especially that some of its promoters are allowed access to the media. Yaser Borhami, a prominent leader of the Salafi Al-nour Party, just came out with a fatwa prohibiting Muslims to express any goodwill wishes to the Christians for Christmas saying that this is "Haram" [forbidden in Islam]," said Meawad. "The new draft of the Constitution is an improvement over the Brotherhood constitution of 2012," Meawad continued. "However, the infamous Article 2, declaring the principles of shari'a to be the primary source for legislation, is still there like a sword drawn and can be used against non-Muslims at any time and in any situation. All accepted that draft as it is the best possible and could have been much worse." A new constitution does not erase the reality of human rights violations. It is still a long road for Egypt to walk. The changes made in the constitution are only small steps forward, but important ones, and have come at a high cost. "The Copts footed the bill of change with their blood and property.  After the June 30 uprising, 86 of their churches were burned and destroyed.  The Armed Forces promised to rebuild every single one but action is very slow," Meawad continued. "However, I'm not complaining because the Army actually rebuilt one church in the province of Minia.  Small as it is, this is a giant step which gives us a strong hope that better days are ahead for our brethren Copts in Egypt." As Christians celebrate the birth of Christ, we hope that the declaration of the angels to the shepherds outside Bethlehem would be true in Egypt: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"   *Name changed for security purposes.

For interviews, contact Todd Daniels, Regional Manager for the Middle East:  RM-ME@persecution.org

Possible changes looking to be made to blasphemy law in Pakistan

A recent order by the Federal Sharia Court (FSC) of Pakistan to "reform" Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws has Christians and other religious minorities fearing for the future of their religious communities in Pakistan. In early December, the FSC issued an order to the Pakistani government to remove life imprisonment from the ever shrinking list of punishments courts are allowed to consider when judging blasphemy cases, leaving death as the exclusive punishment for blasphemy. Punishments Other Than Death 'Un-Islamic' On December 4, the five-member court headed by Justice Fida Hussain ordered the Pakistani government to enact the necessary laws to make the death penalty the only lawful punishment for blasphemy. The FSC has given the government a "couple of months" to implement its decision. The FSC, which was established to determine whether laws are in agreement with the tenants of Islam, explored this issue after a contempt of court petition was filed based on a previous decision made by the court in 1990. In that decision, the FSC was asked to decide as to whether the punishment of life imprisonment for the crime of blasphemy was un-Islamic. In October 1990, the FSC ruled that life imprisonment as an alternative punishment for blasphemy was repugnant to Islam and, as the current FSC directed on December 4, ordered the government to remove the punishment of life imprisonment. Christians Fear Increase in Persecution While no action has been taken by the government to implement the FSC's order, Christians and other religious minorities still fear that Pakistan's controversial blasphemy law could become deadlier in the near future. According to many in the international human rights community, religious minorities in Pakistan live in constant fear of being falsely accused under the blasphemy laws. These laws are frequently abused by radical elements in Pakistan's Muslim population to either settle personal scores, seize property or businesses or to punish local minorities for perceived disrespect. In late 2012, the case of Rimsha Masih highlighted the abuse of Pakistan's blasphemy laws for the entire international community. In August 2012, Rimsha Masih, a teenage Pakistani girl suffering from mental challenges, was falsely accused of and arrested for burning pages of the Quran by a local imam in Islamabad.  When international outrage forced Pakistan to reinvestigate the facts surrounding Rimsha's blasphemy accusation, it was discovered that Hafiz Mohammed Khalid Chishti, the local imam who originally filed the blasphemy accusation against Rimsha, had in fact planted the pages of the religious text in Rimsha's bag. This discovery led to Rimsha's release from prison and the arrest of Hafiz.  False accusations like those made against Rimsha are not uncommon in Pakistan, especially when accusations are leveled against religious minorities. Unfortunately, not all Christians falsely accused of blasphemy are saved by the international media. Many are sentenced and are forced to desperately try to prove their innocence on appeal; a process that can take more than five years.  During a debate in the British House of Commons about the persecution of Christians worldwide, Member of Parliament Rehman Chishti, who was born in Pakistan, commented upon the abuse of Pakistan's blasphemy laws to the detriment of its Christian community. "The blasphemy law is at the root of much suffering and persecution of Christians in Pakistan," Chishti said. "The use and abuse of this law is the fundamental issue underpinning discrimination and open violence against Christians and local churches."   Hope Remains There are still some who believe the Pakistani government will not implement the FSC's order and that death being the exclusive punishment for blasphemy will not become law. In an interview with Morning Star News, High Court Attorney Shoaib Salim expressed hope that the court's order could be ignored or reversed. "The FSC is only empowered to examine and determine whether the laws of the country comply with Sharia [Islamic law] or not," Salim said. "The ultimate decision rests with the parliament." Salim went on to say that he believes it is unlikely the parliament will implement the FSC's decision, given it would further incite religious hatred and persecution in Pakistan's already intolerant Islamic society. Whether or not Pakistan's government will implement the FSC's order to make death the exclusive punishment for blasphemy remains to be seen. If implemented, a law already routinely abused to persecute Christians and other religious minorities will only be made deadlier. As in the case of Rimsha Masih, the international community must come together and fight for true reform to be made to Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws. Without real reform, Pakistan's blasphemy laws will remain a convenient weapon used by extremists in Pakistan to persecute Christians.

For interviews, contact William Stark, Regional Manager for South Asia:  RM-SAsia@persecution.org