Iran persecution at a high level this month

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that during the month of July, Iran significantly increased judicial actions against Christians. At the beginning of the month, President Hassan Rouhani traveled to the West and emphasized that “Christians have the same rights as others do,” despite substantial evidence proving otherwise.

As July progressed, eight believers reportedly had judicial action taken against them. This number represents a noteworthy increase of publicized cases of Christian persecution in Iran. 

On July 2, Massoumeh Taqinejad was arrested and detained alongside her son during a raid on her home by intelligence forces. She has been charged with proselytizing Christianity on the internet and they were arrested in Kermanshah. Their fate remains unknown.

On July 13, Ramiel Bet Tamraz was sentenced to four months in prison after being convicted of acting against national security. Ramiel is the third person in his family facing legal action because of his Christian identity. He had previously been detained in Evin Prison.

On July 18, Amir Saman Dashti’s court case was heard and he was sentenced to four months in prison. The case is under appeal. It is reported that he was previously held in Evin Prison for 76 days after his arrest in 2016. He has since been temporarily released on bail.

On July 22, Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani was violently arrested when his home was raided. He has been transferred to the so-called quarantine ward of Evin Prison. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of acting against national security. He was also sentenced to an additional two years of internal exile.

On July 24, Mohammadreza Omidi and Saheb Fadaie were arrested in their homes. Both have been taken to Evin Prison to begin serving their sentences. They were each sentenced to 10 years in prison, and Omidi received an additional two-year sentence of internal exile.  

On July 25, Yasser Mossayebzadeh was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison. He originally surrendered himself to the police, hoping to avoid a similar situation to Omidi and Fadaie’s, but was told that he would be arrested in a similar manner. His sentence is 10 years in prison for a conviction of acting against national security.

According to a statement by Christian Solidarity Worldwide, “Local observers note that as the Iranian regime has grown more unpopular and citizens have become more vocal in their criticism of corruption in official circles, the government has become increasingly reliant on the support of hard-line ayatollahs, who favour increased pressure on religious minorities.”

“As Christianity is growing fast in Iran, the top religious leaders are alarmed. They then put pressure on the Revolutionary Guard’s security police as ‘what are you doing to stop Christians?’ … the strategy of the government is not a wide spread arrest and execution. Their strategy is to arrest a few but publicize their arrest to put fear in the hearts of 1-3 million Christians and make them isolated, fearful, and prisoners in their homes,” added Dr. Hormoz Shariat of Iran Alive Ministries.

“In the wake of worsening sociopolitical (and) economic situation in Iran, we see an increased level of persecution against Christians in the country,” said Lazarus Yeghnazar of 222 Ministries. “As history has shown, like any despotic regime at the last hours of their brutal control, I expect that the Clerics in Iran (which virtually are the government!) will become more bitter, mindless and unpredictable.”

“Sadly most are deeply corrupt by all counts and simply punish the ‘house church’ and its leaders because they are angry that Christianity is stealing away from their blind adherents, hence endangering their existence. We, the free Christians in the West, need to stand in the gap in united prayer,” he continued.

Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager, said, “The persecution of Christians in Iran is increasingly building as the regime struggles to maintain its grip over the hearts and minds of its citizenry. It is also no coincidence that most of these eight Christians targeted in July have been sent to Evin Prison, Iran’s notorious ‘torture factory.’ The government continues to disown religious freedom and human rights, despite its own laws saying otherwise. We must keep these eight individuals, as well as Iran’s entire Christian community, in our prayers.”

For interviews with Claire Evans, Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: 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
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Hindu attacks increase in India

International Christian Concern (ICC) has documented multiple instances of anti-Christian violence in India’s Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh States in the past four weeks. These reports from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh come on the heels of 15 other anti-Christian incidents documented by ICC in the first two weeks of July.

In Jharkhand, located in northeastern India, ICC documented the institution of social boycotts against local Christians in several villages. In Bamarja village, local Christians were told to recant their Christian faith and stop going to church or face a social boycott during a July 2 village gathering. Pastor Daniel Toppo, a local pastor, was also banned from the village during this gathering. As a result, two Christian families fled the village and are now in hiding, fearing attacks by Hindu radicals.

“I was threatened not to enter into the village and falsely charged with a case under IPC 107,” Pastor Toppo told ICC. “It is a very critical situation. Christians in this region are deeply worried over this development, but we look to God for help.”

Similarly, 10 Christian families were assaulted and socially boycotted after they refused to recant their Christian faith in Kartanga village, located in the Kunti District of Jharkhand, on July 7.

On July 22, Parun Lohara and his family living in Karibuda village, located in the Ranchi District of Jharkhand, were social boycotted after the family resisted similar demands to recant their faith. The social boycott was instituted at a village meeting attended by RSS District President Baleswar Bediya and other Karibuda village leaders.

Social boycotts are used as a social weapon in India to pressure members of minority faiths into converting to Hinduism. Access to water wells, electricity, and other public goods are commonly cut off to individuals being socially boycott. Fines are also imposed on village members caught interacting with those who have been socially boycott.

In Chhattisgarh, located south of Jharkhand, ICC also documented two assaults on Christians in the past two weeks. On July 15, Massih Mandali Church in Rajandra Nagar was attacked by Hindu radicals during a worship service. Tightened police security has been deployed to the church following the attack, but Christians still feel uneasy. “Although we were able to have our worship with the police force present, we are still worried about how things are progressing against us,” Martha Malviya, a member of Massih Mandali Church, told ICC.

Later, on July 19, two pastors were brutally assaulted by radicals in Kartuli village, located in the Damteri District, while returning from a prayer meeting. Pastor Takuram Sahu and Pastor Chitranjan Sahu were attacked by a mob of radicals, beaten, and dragged to a local Hanuman Temple where the radicals forced them to worship and observe other temple rituals. The radicals then brought the pastors to a local police station where they were put in jail for two days.

“The attacks will continue to increase,” a local Christian leader, who wished to remain anonymous, told ICC. “Assembly elections are just around the corner and the ruling party is dependent on polarizing the community on religious lines. The sad thing is that innocent Christians are being victimized for politics.”

William Stark, ICC’s Regional Manager, said, “We here at International Christian Concern are extremely concerned by the continued surge of attacks on Christians in India. Every day, new reports of persecution are being documented. Many Christians fear that this may be the new normal for their community as Hindu radicals have been allowed to attack Christians and other minority communities with impunity. India must take steps to counter the growing wave of intolerance and violence. Until then, the attacks will likely continue to increase in both number and severity.”

For interviews with William Stark, Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: 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
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

35 prisoners of conscience released from prison in Eritrea

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that the Eritrean government has released 35 Christian prisoners. According to ICC’s inside source, Simon*, the 35 were released in the middle of last week. To be released on bail, someone had to promise to pay 300,000 Nakfa. “This is an amount that must be paid by a person with a business license that [has] already warranted the prisoner, in case the prisoner disappears,” shared Simon. The cost of bail equals roughly 20,000 USD, which would be a crippling amount of money for these individuals and their families to have to pay. This exorbitant cost is a way of ensuring that these prisoners do not escape the country and can easily lead to their re-arrest.

The 35 were released from Mai-Sirwa Prison, one of the dozens of prisons that continue to hold prisoners of conscience. According to Asmarino Independent, 11 of the prisoners were women, while the other 24 were young men. However, none of those who have been released were religious leaders. All of the prisoners of conscience who are priests and pastors remain in captivity at this time, many of whom have been in prison for nearly 20 years. According to our sources, there are at least 314 Christian prisoners still being held for their faith.

At present, there is only speculation as to why these 35 were released. Due to the extremely reclusive nature of Eritrea, news is scarce and many Christians have no way of communicating with those outside of the country. For the past decade, Eritrea ranked as the worst country for freedom of press by Reporters Without Borders. They were only recently passed in 2017 by North Korea.

Many are hopeful that the recent peace agreement with Ethiopia has opened up borders and will bring peace to the country. However, there is still much to be done to correct the many human rights violations that have taken place throughout the past two decades. There must also be a fundamental change in ideology for the country to become truly free. President Afwerki made this clear in 2014 when he said, “Those who think there will be democracy in this country can think so in another world.”  

Furthermore, it is not only Christians who are under attack in Eritrea. Journalists, military objectors, and political opponents all face similar consequences. As a result, Eritrea is known as the “North Korea of Africa” because of its complete disregard for human rights. “We thank God for the dozens of changes he is doing in the two countries, Ethiopia and Eritrea, especially Eritrea. Still there is no concrete stand on the side of the government on what to decide about religious freedom,” Simon concluded.

Nathan Johnson, ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa, said, “We are rejoicing to hear of the release of these prisoners. However, there are still hundreds more being held illegally by their government’s totalitarian regime. We will continue to pray and work on behalf of those in Eritrea who are forced to hide from their own tyrannical government simply because of their faith. We hope to see an opening of Eritrea to true freedom, and are thankful to Ethiopia for ending the war.”

For interviews with Nathan Johnson, Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org

*Name changed for security

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
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Do you post on Facebook in Indonesia? Go directly to jail!

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on July 24, the Medan District Court in Indonesia sentenced Martinus Gulo to four years in prison and a fine of 1 billion Rupiah (approximately 68,914 USD) for religious defamation. He may also choose to serve an additional six months in jail if he cannot afford to pay the fine.

The 21-year-old Christian was found guilty of blasphemy due to a Facebook post that insulted the prophet Muhammad under the country’s Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE) law, which many find controversial. His arrest came in March after the hardline group Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) reported his online post to the police.

Rappler reported, “Gulo, who is Christian, told authorities that he made the post because he was upset that his own religion was criticized online.”

Christians only account for roughly 10% of Indonesia’s population, while 87% of the country is Muslim.

Gulo's conviction comes after an Indonesian Muslim was jailed for five years in April under the same law for a Facebook post that radical groups deemed offensive.

The verdict was lighter than the prosecutors’ demand of five years in prison. Gulo and his legal counsel have five days to appeal the decision.

According to Southeast Asian online media outlet Coconuts, “Indonesia’s controversial blasphemy laws have been under intense scrutiny in the past few years, particularly after the jailing of former Jakarta Governor Basuki ‘Ahok’ Tjahaja Purnama in 2017 for blasphemy against Islam. Many domestically and abroad, including the United Nations, have called for abolishment of the laws as they are prone to political manipulation and have been used to unjustly persecute religious minorities.”

Gina Goh, ICC’s Regional Manager, said, “To put somebody in jail for four years for a Facebook post shows how Indonesia’s blasphemy laws can easily be exploited by radical Muslim groups. Anyone can fall victim to these laws, especially if such groups consider your speech offensive or incorrect. Therefore, Christians become easy targets as many radical Muslims seek to erase the existence and influence of Christianity. Indonesia must revisit its blasphemy laws if it wants to be seen as a champion of religious pluralism.”

For interviews with Gina Goh, Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: 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
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Pastor Brunson moved to house arrest in Turkey

Turkey's Second High Penal Court in Izmir has ordered American pastor Andrew Brunson to be transferred from prison to house arrest. The Turkish government has held Pastor Brunson for nearly two years. He is banned from leaving the country, and his next hearing is scheduled for October 12, 2018. Pastor Brunson faces a falsified indictment of having links with the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ) and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), among other charges.

Pastor Brunson has ministered in Turkey since 1993 and was originally detained with his wife Norine in October 2016. While his wife was released shortly thereafter, Pastor Brunson remained imprisoned despite a lack of formal charges. The first series of charges was brought 63 days into his imprisonment, and other charges have continued to be added as time has progressed.

An official 62-page indictment was accepted in March 2018 and his first hearing was scheduled for April 2018. The indictment is based on classified evidence and secret witnesses.

The most recent hearing occurred on July 18, 2018 and the judge rejected a plea to release Pastor Brunson. Prosecutors are seeking 30+ years of imprisonment for Pastor Brunson.

According to the Daily Sabah, which is a propaganda arm of the Turkish government, “Jurors had reconsidered the decision based on the plea by Brunson and his lawyer over his health and had come to the conclusion that his detention could be maintained effectively through house arrest given the circumstances.”

Religious freedom in Turkey has seriously deteriorated since the 2016 military coup. Turkey is a Tier 2 Country on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) annual report.

Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager, said, “While we welcome this news as a positive development in Pastor Brunson’s case, we cannot forget that Turkey is engaging in a game of hostage diplomacy. Throughout every stage, Turkey has taken deliberate steps in an attempt to define the narrative. There is no truth in the charges facing Pastor Brunson, who has suffered immensely throughout this whole ordeal. We must continue to pray without ceasing that Pastor Brunson will soon be cleared of all charges, restored his rights, and allowed to return home to the US.”

For interviews with Claire Evans, Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: 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
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

People in Sudan lose their freedom of religion

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that frustrations continued to mount last week as a result of the ongoing lawsuit against the Sudan Church of Christ (SCOC) in the capital city of Khartoum. The church has been prosecuted by three agents of the Islamic government of Sudan, Yougob Hammada Elnour, Angelo Ziaka and Elramara Kori, who are a part of the government’s committee that was established to oversee church activities in Sudan.

The leader of the Sudan Church of Christ, Reverend Ayoub Italian Tutu, Pastor Kuwa Shamal, and six other executive members attended the court hearing session with the hope of winning the appeal. They are trying to prevent the government from handing over ownership of their church to a state-sanctioned committee filed in 2016.

Kuwa Shamal, the head of the SCOC outreach department, told ICC, “Today, we, the Sudan Church of Christ executive committee, attended a court hearing of a case that began in 2016 when the government, that in the past demolished some of our churches, coerced us to surrender the leadership of our church to a government’s select committee.”

He continued, “We have been in and out of the courtroom over the past one year and it is tiresome, draining, and time-consuming. We are accused of derailing [the] government’s role of overseeing Christian churches in Sudan, disturbance of public peace, and erection of churches on government plots.”

The crackdown on the Christian faith in Sudan intensified in 2011 after South Sudan seceded. During that time, President Omar al-Bashir pledged to make Sudan a purely Islamic state by ridding it of Christianity. Christians make up approximately 20% of the Sudanese population, forming a religious minority group that has been persecuted at the hands of the Sharia-guided government.

Reverend Ayoub Italian Tutu, lamenting the state of Christianity in Sudan, said, “It is sad seeing the heinous conduct of the government that outrightly favors Islam over Christianity simply because we are a minority group. I am more disappointed to see a foundation of a mosque being erected on the piece of land where one of our church buildings stood before it was demolished. Justice has been denied and we feel hopeless. We do not see ourselves receiving the land back.”

While speaking with ICC, the lawyer representing the Sudan Church of Christ, Demas James, said, “Nothing much happened today at the hearing. We submitted more appeal files and the presiding judge scheduled another hearing on July 30.”

Nathan Johnson, ICCs Regional Manager for Africa, said, “It is terrible to see the Sudanese government continue to persecute its own people. They have worked tirelessly to end Christianity, both in their capital and broadly in Sudan. Without increased international pressure, they will continue to commit these heinous human rights violations.”

For interviews with Nathan Johnson, Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: 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
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Numerical Expositions: Genesis 3:23

Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Gen. 3:23 (KJV)

As a result of disobedience and sin, man was banished from Paradise.  Since the ground was then cursed, man would have to actually work in order for the earth to produce for him.  Here is where the idea of agriculture was derived.  Understand that you make things harder for yourself when you choose not to align with what God has commanded for you to do.

Numerical Breakdown:  (3) Walk in the Spirit or be banished from His presence.  (5) To stay in God's presence, be willing to work.  (8) To experience a new beginning, desire to work hard.  (2) To be delivered, choose to work hard.