Record Number of Refugees Crossing to Europe, U.N. Says by Somini Senguptajune New York Times via International Christian Concern ICC Note: 83 percent more Africans have migrated to Europe in the last six months than in the first half of 2014, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Most of the migrants originated from Syria, Afghanistan, and Eritrea, and are pushed from their countries as results of war and persecution. In Eritrea, Christians regularly face arbitrary imprisonment, rape, beatings, torture and extrajudicial killings because they are considered enemies of the state. If they decide to seek greener pastures in Europe, they often travel through Libya, where ISIS maintains strongholds, and migrants often risk capture and execution for their faith in Christ. Last month, 88 Eritrean Christians were abducted by members of ISIS in Libya attempting to reach Europe to escape persecution in Eritrea.
Iran: Christian Released after 40 Months in Prison Middle East Concern Middle East Concern is pleased to report that a Christian prisoner in Iran has been released. This is a wonderful answer to prayer requests made by MEC over the last three years.
Homayoun was arrested on 8th February 2012 in Shiraz as part of a raid on a house church. He and three others were sentenced to 3 years and 8 months in prison. Homayoun was released on bail on 10th November 2014, but in January this year his bail conditions were cancelled and he was recalled to serve the remainder of his sentence, which was due to be completed in October 2015. The three other prisoners were released in December 2014 and January 2015. In April Homayoun's family were disturbed to find that they were unable to visit him or make contact as he had been transferred to a notorious punishment ward in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz, possibly on account of his evangelistic activity in prison. Homayoun was transferred back to the general ward on 1st June and released on Sunday 28th June... International Christian Concern 2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #241 Washington, D.C. 20006 www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org Media Contact: Troy Augustine, Regional Manager for Africa RM-Africa@persecution.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Lawyer for Pastors Facing Death Sentence in Sudan to Defend Them Without Access to Clients
7/2/15 Washington, DC International Christian Concern International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that Mohaned Mustafa, the lawyer for the two South Sudanese pastors targeted for opposing the destruction of a church in Khartoum has less than two weeks to mount a defense for his clients, even though Sudan has denied him access to the pastors. Incredibly, Mustafa has only been able to meet with *Pastors Peter and Michael for ten minutes, since their imprisonment at high-security Kober prison on June 4th. The lack of access is especially worrying, since they have been charged with espionage and criminal conspiracy and they may receive the death penalty. Sources close to the case reported to ICC that on July 2nd, the judge on the case determined that the state has produced enough evidence to try them on all charges. The judge questioned the pastors during their first opportunity to take the stand and now, the trial will move forward with the defense having to refute the evidence against them under a presumption of their guilt. The charges are widely seen as trumped up and part of Sudan's evolving strategy to target Christians after a previous case against a Christian woman (Meriam Ibrahim) turned into an international fiasco last year. In fact, when Mustafa questioned expert witnesses in court about what proof they had to support the government's charges, they said they had none, according to ICC's sources. The judge allowed the case to go forward despite the fact that that the only evidence presented against the pastors were internal church reports, maps and demographic data about Khartoum, Christian literature, and a study guide on the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), all of which NISS found on the pastors' computers. All of the materials used as evidence against the pastors are publicly available, except for the internal church report and the NISS study guide. The pastors have no knowledge of how the latter got onto their computers. NISS has also held Pastor Michael's sermon in December 2014 against him, when he preached at Khartoum Bhari Evangelical Church to encourage church members to stand firm amidst government persecution. Defendants' right to access to an attorney is one guaranteed by both Sudanese and international law, but Sudan's law grants sole discretion on visitation rights to the prison directorate. Mustafa plans to appeal this matter on Sunday, citing that the pastors are being denied their constitutional rights. Mustafa, himself, is out on bail after being arrested and publicly shamed on July 1st. He was detained for questioning authorities after they attempted to illegally destroy a part of the church where Pastor Michael was arrested. ICC's Regional manager for Africa Troy Augustine said, "The judge's decision to move forward on all of the charges, is upsetting but not surprising. In this case, as well as previously, Sudan has shown a consistent and total lack of regard for justice. Those concerned must speak up and put pressure on Sudan to release the two pastors." The phone numbers for Sudan's embassies and consulates can be found below. United States: +1 202 338-8565 United Kingdom: +44 020 7839 8080 Spain: +34 91 417 49 03 Portugal: +20-2-7350779 France: +33 1 42 25 55 71 Switzerland: +41 22 731 26 66 Belgium: +32 2 647 94 94 The Netherlands: +31 70 360 5300 Germany: +49 30 8906980 Italy: +39 06 3322 2138 Note: The names "Pastor Peter" and "Pastor Michael" are simplified versions of their full names Peter Yein Reith and Yat Michael Ruot, which carry a variety of spellings. The names used in the article were chosen for clarity and consistency. For interviews, contact Troy Augustine Regional Manager for Africa: RM-Africa@persecution.org # # # You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference International Christian Concern (ICC) 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. International Christian Concern 2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #241 Washington, D.C. 20006 www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org Media Contact: Troy Augustine, Regional Manager for Africa RM-Africa@persecution.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Attorney for Pastors Facing Death Penalty Arrested in Sudan
7/2/15 Washington, DC International Christian Concern Attorney Mohaned Mustafa continues his defense of two South Sudanese Christian pastors, just one day after he was arrested, International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned. Mustafa represents *Pastors Peter and Michael, who could face the death penalty on trumped up charges. He previously represented Meriam Ibrahim, a Christian mother released in 2014 after being sentenced to death. This case ended with a black eye for the government in Khartoum which is part of the reason he was targeted by the government. The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) reported to ICC that police detained Mustafa and Pastor Hafez on July 1st, charging him with Article 99 of the Sudanese Penal Code, which states: "Whoever obstructs a public servant or attacks him or uses criminal force to stop him from carrying out his duties or because of his performance of such duties shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or with fine or with both." Both Mustafa and Pastor Hafez of the have been released on bail. They were arrested at Khartoum Bhari Evangelical Church, the same church where Pastor Michael preached in December, which led to his arrest. According to ACLJ, officials arrested the two men at the church and then marched them around the nearby market, instead of escorting them directly to the police station, which stands nearly 200 yards from the church. "They essentially paraded [them] through the public market with hands cuffed," Tiffany Barrans, ACLJ International Legal Director told ICC. "It was clearly done with the intention to bring shame," she added. According to Barrans, the accused did nothing that would warrant an arrest under Article 99. The two men were present on the scene when officials attempted to illegally destroy a portion of the church building under government orders. The two men peacefully protested the illegal destruction which led to their arrest. A History of Persecution The Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SPEC) where Pastors Michael Peter and Hafez serve has faced consistent persecution from the Sudanese government dating back to a land dispute between Khartoum Bhari Evangelical Church and the state. Sudanese officials have reportedly beaten and arrested congregants, have bulldozed sections of the church in Khartoum before, and have demolished a pastor's house. "Almost all pastors [have] gone to jail under the government of Sudan. We have been stoned and beaten. This is their habit to pull down the church. We are not surprised. This is the way they deal with the church," Rev. Tut Kony from SPEC told The Christian Post. Pastors Michael and Peter were arrested in December and January and charged with spying and various other crimes against the state related to their support for the embattled Khartoum Bhari Evangelical Church. Today, they will appear before the judge for questioning and he will decide whether there exists sufficient evidence to proceed with their trial. If he deems that the government has provided enough evidence to move forward, the defense must then refute the prosecution's claims. "The sources have all said the amount of evidence presented is laughable," Barrans said. "Every time they came up against cross-examination, they had no evidence to any of the charges. For serious crimes, they should have serious evidence," she added. "ICC urges all concerned readers to pray for the release of Pastors Peter and Michael. The arrests of Mustafa and Pastor Hafez demonstrate an unacceptable hostility that the Sudanese government continues to levy against SPEC and the Khartoum Bhari Evangelical Church. Sadly, this kind of persecution is all too common in a country notorious for oppressing Christians from Darfur to Khartoum," said Troy Augustine, ICC's Regional Manager for Africa. Note: The names "Pastor Peter" and "Pastor Michael" are simplified versions of their full names Peter Yein Reith and Yat Michael Ruot, which carry a variety of spellings. The names used in the article were chosen for clarity and consistency. For interviews, contact Troy Augustine Regional Manager for Africa: RM-Africa@persecution.org # # # You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference International Christian Concern (ICC) 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. Persecution remains a problem for India.
According to a global human rights report released Thursday by the U.S. government, violence based on religion was one of India’s top challenges in 2014. There have been over 600 cases of religious violence since Prime Minister Modi took office, and Christians were targeted in a third of them. Voice of the Martyrs USA spokesman Todd Nettleton says Modi was a long-term member of the RSS. “Every single Indian should be a Hindu: that’s kind of their ‘bedrock’ philosophy,” explains Nettleton. “So, Prime Minister Modi, when he came to power, brought that ideology with him. It basically set a tone that Christians are not welcome and that the government will not actively work to protect their religious freedom.” Persecution unhinderedSoon after Modi was chosen by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as Prime Minister, Nettleton asked a VOM India contact how long until a national anti-conversion law went into effect. The contact’s response was a bit unexpected. “They don’t have to pass new laws. They’ve simply sent the message that, you know, ‘You can persecute Christians, and you will not be held accountable,'” Nettleton relays from his contact... Fires at seven black churches within the past 10 days have fueled discussions of racial hatred, as the first occurred within a week of the June 17 massacre of nine black Christians by a white supremacist at a Charleston church.
Arson had been confirmed in at least two of the fires as of today (July 2) but none had been deemed hate crimes. One of the churches is Southern Baptist. Southern Baptist leaders voiced outcry at the arsons in comments to Baptist Press. While the fires are still under investigation, Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd said “racism and prejudice must cease.” "The continuation of African American churches being burned in our nation is highly concerning to me,” said Floyd, pastor of the Cross Church in northwest Arkansas. “Our Southern Baptist family hurts for our brothers and sisters who have suffered these devastating losses, especially those who are suffering at the hands of individuals who purposely inflict harm. As members of the family of God, we stand with them in prayer and encouragement.” K. Marshall Williams, president of National African American Fellowship of the SBC and pastor of Nazarene Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pa., called the arsons “the manifestation of sinful and wicked humanity...” Supreme Court: Obama Admin Can't Make Religious Groups Obey Pro-Abortion HHS Mandate by Steven Ertelt Life News The Supreme Court issued an order on Monday preventing the Obama administration from forcing religious groups in Pennsylvania to obey the HHS mandate that requires them to pay for abortion-causing drugs for their employees.
The Supreme Court granted relief in the Zubik v. Burwell case to a group of Pennsylvania-based religious organizations, including Catholic Charities and other social service organizations. In the order, handed down yesterday, the high court said: “[T]he respondents are enjoined from enforcing against the applicants the challenged provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and related regulations pending final disposition of their petition for certiorari.” “This is the sixth time the HHS mandate has been before the Supreme Court, and the sixth time it has lost,” said Eric Rassbach, Deputy General Counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. “Doesn’t our government have something better to do than fight charities serving the poor?” ... |
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