Commentaries On Spirituality: April 2021

Monday, April 19, 2021

ISIS is still in Egypt

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on April 17, 2021, ISIS published a video executing Coptic Christian Nabil Habshi (62 years) in Egypt’s Sinai. Nabil was kidnapped by ISIS last November, and this is the first time that the family learned of Nabil’s fate since his abduction. They believe that the execution may have happened either in March or early April.

At the time of his kidnapping in November, ICC reported that it “occurred at 8:00 p.m. while the streets were busy. It was followed by shots fired into the air, and the gunmen stealing an escape car. Nabil had left his home to buy an item at a shop less than 50 meters from his house when the incident occurred.”

Nabil’s son said, “How dare unmasked people kidnap my father and steal a car in the full view of all passers. No security officers or police defended my father! Bir al-Abd is a city full of security bodies because it is a city which usually faces terrorism attacks. How could armed people enter the city and commit a crime?”

According to Nabil’s son, there are approximately 100 other Coptic Christian families living in Bir al-Abd. He worries that the combined public kidnapping and execution of Nabil will prompt an exodus from the city, comparing the situation to that of al-Arish. In those cities, an increase of ISIS activity (including the murdering of Christians) forced the entire Christian community to escape for their own safety.

Within approximately 48 hours of the publication of this execution video, Egypt’s Ministry of Interior announced that they had killed three of those involved. However, this has prompted new questions. Where is due process, how can the authorities be sure that they targeted the correct individuals, and if they were certain, why did the authorities wait 6 months to act on this intelligence and only respond after Nabil was killed?

His son shared in an interview, “Thanks for the effort you did for giving our father his rights, based on reaching to information about the terrorists; the minimal right for the martyr is to reach to his body and determine a good place to bury his body. Now we are waiting on that from the police, especially that the police announced that they got information about the terrorists. We have to mention that there were 6 months and within this period our father was kidnapped and there was communication between the terrorists and police, so why now do we not know the location of our father’s body?”

In the execution video, ISIS made it clear that they were associating the Christian population (in particular, the Orthodox Church) with being supporters of the Egyptian Army. This assumption speaks to several deeper issues related to persecution in Egypt. There is a level where Egypt’s Christian population is forced into a choice between either ISIS or living with the government. Neither one, however, is a model for human rights.

The Egyptian authorities have used a legitimate security concern, ISIS, to justify rolling back human rights protections. This affects all sectors of Egyptian society, but for Christians who are already marginalized and viewed as second-class citizens, it is particularly challenging.

Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, “For months the family has waited for any news of Nabil, and now that the truth is known, it is devastating. It is important that we remember that there are two parties of concern here. This is a notable moment for ISIS, who has not released an execution video of a Christian for several months now. We should be worried about what this means for the safety of the wider Christian community. But we also need to be worried about the response from the Egyptian government. How could they have gone from a six-month period of knowing nothing about the ISIS kidnappers to suddenly killing the involved ISIS members within 48 hours of the video’s publication? The date of the video’s publication is not believed to be the date of the execution. The difference between the kidnapping and the video’s publication is the international awareness of the problem, and thus it is the responsibility of the international community to call out this discrepancy and hold the Egypt accountable for any decision that contributed to this moment.”

For interviews please contact Alison Garcia: press@persecution.org

About ICC
International Christian Concern is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on human rights, religious freedom and assisting the persecuted Christian Church around the world.

Media Contact
Alison Garcia, Communications Fellow
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)358-2373

International Christian Concern
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www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Modi arrests people on Easter

International Christian Concern (ICC) reports that an Indian pastor and his wife were arrested and imprisoned after being falsely accused of engaging in fraudulent religious conversions by radical Hindu nationalists. The arrests, which took place on Easter Sunday, mark the latest example of an attack on Christians being justified under one of India’s new anti-conversion laws.

On April 4, Pastor Manu Damor and his wife, Asha Damor, were leading Easter morning service in Rangvasa village, located in India’s Madhya Pradesh state, when they were attacked by a mob of 50 radical Hindu nationalists. The mob surrounded the house where the service was taking place and attempted to break down the door. Several church members resisted the attack and were severely beaten.

Pastor Damor and his wife were taken into custody and falsely accused of violating the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act 2021. Since the charges were filed, Asha was granted bail by the district court, but Pastor Damor was denied bail and remains in jail.

“Across Madhya Pradesh ICC has documented numerous cases of anti-Christian attacks being justified by unsubstantiated claims of forced conversions,” William Stark, ICC’s Regional Manager, said. “If this continues, radical Hindu nationalists will know they have absolute impunity to harass Christians and close down their places of worship.”

ICC is currently conducting an online petition at www.persecution.org that calls upon India’s Prime Minister Modi to remove the discrimination laws against Christians in nine states in India, including Madhya Pradesh.

“India has been home to Christians for almost two millennia, but recent trends within India have created a reality filled with persecution, discrimination, oppression, and violence for Christians,” said Jeff King, President of International Christian Concern. “Through ICC’s petition, we demand Modi do his part to put an end to these blatantly discriminatory laws.”

Indian pastors and faith leaders in India are voicing their concerns over the discriminatory law that took effect in March. “Things have become increasingly difficult for pastors and Christians in the state,” said Pastor Basu, a pastor in the same region. “There has been a trend of increased hostility after the new anti-conversion law was enacted by the government. Hindu radicals are using the law to harass us, but none of the incidents will stand up to legal scrutiny.”

According to the law, individuals seeking to change their religion must apply to the district administration 60 days in advance. Religious leaders facilitating religious conversions also need to inform the district administration 60 days in advance. If the previsions of the ordinance are not followed individuals could face a sentence of three to five years in jail and a financial penalty of 50,000 rupees.

For interviews please contact Alison Garcia: press@persecution.org

Friday, April 9, 2021

False blasphemy charges rears its ugly head again in Pakistan

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that two Christian nurses in Pakistan have been formally accused of committing blasphemy against Islam. According to local sources, the Christians were accused by a Muslim coworker of desecrating wall hangings that contained Quranic verses.

On April 9, Mariyum Lal and Newsh Arooj, two Christian nurses working at Civil Hospital in Faisalabad, were falsely accused of committing blasphemy. Local sources report that Lal was directed to remove old wall hangings and stickers from a wall by Rukhsana, a senior nurse at the hospital. Following Rukhsana’s instructions, Lal removed the wall-hangings and stickers.

Rukhsana, who reportedly holds a grudge against Lal, provoked other Muslim staffers at Civil Hospital by claiming Lal desecrated wall hangings that contained Quranic verses. In response, a Muslim staffer at the hospital’s pharmacy, named Waqas, attacked Lal with a knife as she was attending a patient in the hospital’s medical ward. Lal received several injuries to her arm but survived the attack.

The false blasphemy allegation against Lal soon spread to the broader community and a mob of enraged Muslims staged a protest outside of Civil Hospital. Members of the mob demanded Lal be arrested and hanged for committing blasphemy.

“This is an alarming situation for the weaker segments of society,” Asif Munawar, a member of the Ministry of Human Rights and Minority Affairs Punjab, told ICC. “This is the second case within three months where a nurse is being accused of committing blasphemy.”

“The authorities must take notice of these practices,” Munawar continued. “Mariyum Lal must be protected in police custody for a fair investigation to take place.”

Police registered a First Information Report (FIR # 347/21) in connection with the blasphemy allegation. According to the FIR, Mariyum Lal and Newsh Arooj are both accused of violating Pakistan’s blasphemy laws under Section 295-B.

In Pakistan, false accusations of blasphemy are widespread and often motivated by personal vendettas or religious hatred. Accusations are highly inflammatory and have the potential to spark mob lynchings, vigilante murders, and mass protests.

Since Pakistan added Section 295-B and 295-C to the country’s blasphemy laws in 1987, the number of blasphemy accusations have skyrocketed. Between 1987 and 2017, 1,534 individuals in Pakistan have been accused of blasphemy. Out of that 1,534, 829 accusations (54%), were made against religious minorities. With Christians only making up 1.6% of Pakistan’s total population, the 238 accusations (15.5%) made against Christians is highly disproportionate.

ICC’s Regional Manager, William Stark, said, “We here at International Christian Concern condemn the false blasphemy accusation that has been leveled against Mariyum Lal and Newsh Arooj. In Pakistan, blasphemy allegations ruin the lives of the accused, even if proved to be false. We call on Pakistani authorities to thoroughly and fairly investigate this false allegation and bring the false accuser to justice. Pakistan’s blasphemy laws must no longer be allowed to settle personal scores or incite religious hatred. Too often these laws have been a tool in the hands of extremists seeking to stir up religiously motivated violence against minorities.”

For interviews please contact Alison Garcia: press@persecution.org

Muslims need to stop killing Copts in Egypt

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on April 03, 2021, a Coptic Christian woman and her 6-year-old son were murdered by a tok-tok driver. The victim, Maryam Sa’ad, also had a 4-year-old daughter who escaped. The crime occurred in Minya Governorate and the name of the murderer is Abu Muhammad al-Harami.

Egyptian state-run media has warned society not to conclude that this incident is because of Maryam’s Coptic Christian identity, and that it was a robbery attempt which escalated into murder. However, the Egyptian authorities have an established record of silencing Christians and forcing them to not speak about the religious freedom components of their experiences.

It is worth noting that this incident occurred nearly a month after another Christian was murdered in the streets. In that incident, a Minya policeman stabbed and murdered Adel Lofti, who visited him to collect money loaned to him through Lofti’s organization.

Regarding these two crimes, a Christian human rights activist shared, “The real motive in the two crimes is the vulnerability of the victim, and the reassurance of not being punished, or at the most an understatement. Vulnerability may be the result of a difference in religion, the fact that the victim is a woman, poverty, or a combination of them. In this type of crime, religious discourse on the rights of Copts and women or courtesy meetings and denial of the reality alone cannot be the solution.”

In both cases, the motive of the perpetrator is unclear and will likely remain clouded. Independent investigations are not possible in the context of Egypt, whose constitution enshrines Islam as the basis for its legal system. However, the shared vulnerability of the victims is a clear indicator that something serious is amiss within Egypt.

Christian women and children in Egypt are particularly vulnerable. Media regularly stigmatizes women who do not wear a veil, making inflammatory comments such as “(a woman is) better than the one who is not veiled 100 thousand times” and that there is a “devil” in unveiled women. Since Christian women dress differently, they are easily identifiable in society.

As one Christian journalist woman published, “To be a woman in a country where most of her people see women as a disgrace, and at best look at her from a sexual point of view, it is a heavy burden, but even worse when you are a Christian woman. It is hell! To be a Coptic woman, you are under many grievances by society and church alike. Coptic women in Egypt face two dilemmas: gender as a female and religion as Christians.”

Egypt’s human rights record has greatly worsened over recent years. Whereas during the early 2010s terrorists such as ISIS were the main perpetrators of Christian persecution, today the main perpetrator is the government. Dissent is silenced, human rights activism is suppressed, and truth about violations is clouded.

Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, “We are very concerned with these recent murders and the early attempts made by the authorities to control the narrative of how this case is discussed. We must remember the vulnerability of the victims. A woman, a mother, and a Christian. A 6-year-old. We are grateful that her 4-year-old daughter escaped, but we must remember that these are scars for life. In Egyptian society, this is representative of one of the most vulnerable components. This needs to be acknowledged by the authorities rather than suppressed if there is going to be any hope for positive social change that views Christian women and children as equal members.”

For interviews please contact Alison Garcia: press@persecution.org

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Gujurat State passes anti-conversion law in India

International Christian Concern (ICC) learned that the Bharathiya Janatha Party (BJP) led government of Gujarat has passed a new law regulating religious conversions and criminalizing forced religious conversions. The new law amends the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act 2003 and has been championed by local BJP politicians as the state’s ‘Love Jihad’ law.

On April 1, the anti-conversion law, entitled the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act 2021, was passed by Gujarat’s Legislative Assembly. The new law has amended Gujarat’s original anti-conversion law by criminalizing marriages done for the sole purpose of religious conversions and defining fraudulent allurements as promises of a better lifestyle, divine blessings, or impersonation.

According to the law, individuals seeking to change their religion will need to apply to the district administration 60 days in advance. Religious leaders facilitating religious conversions will also need to inform the district administration 60 days in advance. If the previsions of the law are not followed, violators could face a sentence of three to five years in jail and a financial penalty of 50,000 rupees.

The law also criminalizes forceful religious conversions with a jail term of three to ten years and fine of 500,000 rupees. The law specifically criminalized marriages done solely for the purpose of religious conversion and expanded the definition of what is considered illegal allurement when identifying forced religious conversions.

“Gujarat has done it once again,” Father Cedric Parkash, a human right activist, told local media. “The additional amendments to the already draconian law of 2003 enhanced its unconstitutionality. Such an unconstitutional law should be withdrawn immediately.”

Radical Hindu nationalists use the specter of mass religious conversions to Christianity and Islam as justification to pass similar laws limiting religious freedom. According to these nationalists, Indian Christians and Muslims are accused of converting poor Hindus to Christianity and Islam in mass by fraudulent means.

In regards to Christianity, India’s own population data does not support this conspiracy. In 1951, the first census after independence, Christians made up 2.3% of India’s population. According to the 2011 census, the most recent census data available, Christians still make up 2.3% of the population.

In states where similar anti-conversion laws are currently enacted, including Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, they are widely abused. Radical nationalists falsely accuse Christians of forcefully converting individuals to Christianity to justify harassment and assault. Local police often overlook violence perpetrated against Christians due to false accusations of forced conversion.

To date, no individual has been convicted of forced conversions in India. This is in spite of the fact that some of the anti-conversion laws have been on the books since 1967.

William Stark, ICC’s Regional Manager, said, “We here at International Christian Concern are deeply disappointed to see Gujarat pass this expanded anti-conversion law. Similar laws are widely abused by radical Hindu nationalists due to their legal ambiguity. Ultimately, anti-conversion laws provide legal cover for radical nationalists to attack India’s Christians and Muslims with impunity. One simply needs to claim someone was engaged in forceful conversions to justify an assault. With the expanded definition of allurement, it is hard to see how one could share their faith without risking legal consequences. With attacks on Indian Christians and other minorities continuing to escalate, the passage of another anti-conversion ordinance will only incite more religiously motivated violence.”

For interviews please contact Alison Garcia: press@persecution.org

Commentaries On Spirituality