Activist in Turkey sentenced to life in prison

 A Turkish court has sentenced Osman Kavala, a philanthropist and human rights activist, to life imprisonment for allegedly “attempting to overthrow the government.” Kavala has been a strong advocate for human rights, including the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and protection of religious minorities. His sentencing occurred one day after the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, which was committed in the early 1900s by Turkish authorities who remain in aggressive denial regarding these events.  

Multiple international human rights organizations have condemned his arrest and detention as politically motivated, and his sentencing comes in defiance of several warnings issued by Western countries last year.  

ICC’s President Jeff King said, “Osman Kavala has endured multiple hardships because of his human rights activism which only seeks the betterment of Turkey’s religious minorities. His sentencing sends a warning to anyone who wishes to raise awareness about the human rights challenges experienced in Turkey. The timing of this announcement sends a particularly dire warning to the survivors of the Armenian genocide, who only just yesterday experienced multiple pressures from the authorities for commemorating the event.”   

In 2019, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled for Kavala’s release. Turkish courts have continuedly ignored the demands to comply with the binding verdict. Authorities first detained the Turkish philanthropist on Oct. 18, 2017, accusing him of involvement in the 2013 Gezi Park protests. Kavala was acquitted in 2020 of those charges, but the ruling was later overturned and combined with other charges in the 2016 coup attempt. 

Kavala is renowned by many human rights organizations for his establishment of foundations to support religious minorities in Turkey. Additionally, Kavala continually advocated for more dialogue surrounding the Armenian Genocide, an Ottoman-era genocide that killed and displaced an estimated 2 million Armenian Christians. In 2007, following the murder of Armenian journalist Hrant Dink by a Turkish nationalist, Kavala pushed for greater reconciliation between Turks and Armenian Christians.  

ICC’s joint report entitled Turkey: Challenges Facing Christians 2016-2020 shared how “Kavala’s support and influence regarding the protection of non-Muslim cultural sites, the recognition of diversity in Turkish society and his encouragement for dialogue following the genocide of Christians, drew the ire of nationalistic elements within the government. In October 2017 he was arrested and charged with anti-government crimes under Articles 309 and 328 of the Turkish penal code.”  

Amnesty International stated, “Today, we have witnessed a travesty of justice of spectacular proportions. This verdict deals a devastating blow not only to Osman Kavala, his co-defendants, and their families, but to everyone who believes in justice and human rights activism in Turkey and beyond.”  
  

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Junta in Myanmar is out of control

 International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on April 8, dozens of soldiers from the Burmese Army (Tatmadaw) raided a Catholic compound in Myanmar’s Mandalay in search of “hidden weapons.” 

Approximately 40 soldiers forced their way into Sacred Heart Cathedral during Lent preparations in the afternoon, holding scores of worshippers for hours, including Archbishop Marco Tin Win. 

Asia News reports that junta soldiers stormed in and demanded to know where the gold, money, and weapons were hidden, stopping anyone from fleeing. One source revealed to UCA News, “They claimed to have been tipped off about weapons being hidden in the clergy center.”  

When Father Dominic Jyo Du, vicar general of the Archdiocese, tried to explain that the only money they had was donations raised for the poor, he too was pushed into the cathedral. Archbishop Marco Tin Win, who was in another building at the time of the raid, was taken to the cathedral and ordered to sit with the others. 

The soldiers left after nearly three hours when they failed to locate any weapons. Afterwards, the local Catholic community in the city’s five parishes was alerted and many expressed their concerns about the raid. 

“We were relieved that no one was hurt or arrested, and we could resume our church services,” a parishioner of the Way of the Cross shared with UCA News. 

“The Tatmadaw’s ongoing assaults against churches and religious leaders should not be ignored by the international community. The junta soldiers not only intimidate Christians, they also often occupy, desecrate, and loot churches around the nation. It is common for them to target religious clergy and detain them as well. The Tatmadaw must be held accountable for all the crimes it has committed,” said Gina Goh, ICC’s Regional Manager for Southeast Asia.

For interviews, please contact: press@persecution.org.

Genocide continues in Nigeria

 Fulani militants killed 14 Christians, including women and children, in Nigeria’s Benue State on Monday night. The attack happened around midnight in the Tarka Local Government Area, close to the state capital of Makurdi.

Pictures from the scene show the deceased lying on the ground, with wounds that appear to be machete cuts. A boy as young as three years old can be seen in one of the photos.

Benue State is predominantly Christian, and its governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, has long spoken out against the continued violence in the region. Governor Ortom’s continued advocacy for the protection of Christians in the state has made him a prime target of Fulani militants, who attempted to assassinate the governor in a 2021 attack.

According to The Observer Times, a Fulani group claiming to protect Fulani interests took responsibility for the 2021 attack in a press statement: “Our courageous fighters carried out this historic attack to send a great message to Ortom and his collaborators,” the group claimed in a statement signed by Umar Amir Shehu. “Wherever you are, once you are against Fulani long term interest, we shall get you down.”

Last year, Nigeria earned the distinction of being the worst country for Christian persecution in ICC’s 2021 Persecutor of the Year Awards. Radicalized and armed Islamist Fulani militants have killed tens of thousands of Christians and left more than 3 million displaced in a 20-year genocide against them.

“Christian communities in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria have effectively suffered a 20-year genocide,” said ICC President Jeff King. “Where is any action? The Nigerian government gives these attacks lip service without any meaningful response. Where is the outcry? Where is effective action? In Nigeria, the military, the police, and the intelligence agencies are all controlled by Muslims. This, coupled with a 20-year lack of response by these agencies, should naturally lead to deeper questioning by the international community. Simply put, the time for cheap talk and platitudes is over. The world is waking up and starting to ask, ‘Is the Nigerian government complicit in these attacks?’ Time will tell, but for this long-time watcher, the decision is in.” 

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