Please read Christians Barred from Church at Christmas at Release International.










"Several congregations in West Java were prevented from celebrating Christmas in church, amid opposition from Islamist hardliners.
 
"The congregation of GKI Yasmin church in Bogor, West Java, met in a temporary shelter without walls elsewhere in the city, while hundreds of officials stood guard at their building in Taman Yasmin.

"It is almost two years since the church was forced out of its building by protests from radical Islamist groups. The local governor has ignored two Supreme Court rulings in favour of the church.

 "Also in West Java, the Isa Almasih Church in Cimahi was sealed on December 13, despite having been used for worship for decades. In the fortnight leading up to its closure, large mobs had gathered twice to protest against the use of a private residence as a church. Meanwhile, the Karo Batak Protestant Church in Bandung remained shut, 11 months after protests by a 1,000-strong mob forced it to close. Both churches have applied for a permit."

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #241 
Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org  |  E-mail: icc@persecution.org
 
Media Contact:  William Stark, Regional Manager for Africa RM-AfricaAsia@persecution.org
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Twelve Christians Brutally Murdered by Boko Haram Militants in Northern Nigeria
Slaughter of Christians Continues to be Part of Boko Haram's Strategy

12/31/2013
Washington D.C.
International Christian Concern

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that twelve Christians were brutally murdered by suspected Boko Haram militants in northern Nigeria over the weekend. According to reports, these Christians were killed in two attacks on separate Christian villages in Nigeria's Muslim majority state of Borno.

The first attack took place on Saturday, December 28, in the Christian village of Tashan-Alede where eight people attending a wedding celebration were killed when militants connected with Boko Haram opened fire on the Christians gathered. According to the Christian Broadcasting Network, "One attack took place at a pre-wedding bachelor party. Suspected fighters from Boko Haram opened fire on the group, killing eight people."

On December 29, the day after the attack on Tashan-Alede, suspected militants killed four more Christians when they attacked the neighboring village of Kwajffa. Security officials have confirmed the attacks took place but have yet to confirm casualty figures.

In an interview with The Associated Press, schoolteacher Yohana Jafa noted that the attacks on minority Christian villages in the predominantly Muslim region came hours after the leader of the Boko Haram terrorist network, Abubakar Shekau, "clearly stated that his war is against Christians."

Boko Haram is an Islamic terrorist network group currently fighting the Nigerian government for control of northern Nigeria. Boko Haram desires to establish a separate Islamic state in Nigeria's northern states where it can enact an ultra conservative interpretation of Sharia law. Since beginning its armed insurgency in 2009, Boko Haram has killed over thousands of people in Nigeria often targeting Christians for some of the most brutal acts of violence. In early 2012, Boko Haram leaders demanded all Christians to leave northern Nigeria so that the group could begin establishing its purely Islamic society. Since then, Boko Haram has perpetrated church bombings, drive-by shootings and Christian pogroms across northern Nigeria.

ICC's Regional Manager for Africa, William Stark, said, "Christians living in Nigeria's northern regions continue to be the target of some of Boko Haram's most brutal attacks. These attacks are meant to terrorize the Christian community that continues to live in northern Nigeria. The United States has designated Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist Organization, which allows the U.S. to seize Boko Haram's assets under U.S. jurisdiction and to take more direct action against the terrorist network. Unfortunately, actions like this have yet to be taken. This would help stem the flow of arms and funds the group receives from sources outside Nigeria's borders. The consistency of Boko Haram's attacks on Christians and government institutions has shown that Nigeria's government is struggling to deal with the violence that has dominated its northern states since 2009.The international community must take decisive action." 

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

# # #

You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address, www.persecution.org. ICC is a Washington-DC 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.

Please read UN Human Rights Council Fails to Protect Religious Freedom, by Brian Pellot, at Religion Today.










"Human Rights Without Frontiers International, a non-profit advocacy organization based in Brussels, released a report on Monday highlighting what we’ve long known to be true: The U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a joke.

"Eight of the UNHRC’s 47 member states, including newly elected Morocco, China and Saudi Arabia (their three-year terms begin Wednesday), imprisoned people in 2013 for breaking laws that restrict religious freedom. The five current member states to do the same were India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Libya and South Korea.

"Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which the U.N. General Assembly adopted in 1948, clearly states:

" "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

"The UNHRC replaced the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in 2006, in part “to redress [the Commission’s] shortcoming,” which included granting membership to countries with terrible human rights records. The resolution establishing the UNHRC declares that member states “shall uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights.” "

Read Iranian Christian Converts Arrested as they Celebrated Christmas at Christmas Telegraph.




"Reports from Iran indicate that five Christian converts from a house-church in eastern Tehran were arrested during a Christmas celebration. Iranian Christian converts face constant restrictions and persecution.

 "According to Mohabat News, Iranian security authorities raided a house, owned by Mr. Hosseini, where a group of Christians had gathered to celebrate Christmas on Tuesday, December 24. They arrested Mr. Hosseini , Ahmad Bazyar, Faegheh Nasrollahi, Mastaneh Rastegari, and Amir-Hossein Ne'matollahi.

"The report received by Mohabat News stated: "These Christians had gathered to worship and celebrate birth of Jesus." "

Please read Four Killed in Christian-Muslim Clashes in Central African Republic, by Paul-Marin Ngoupana, at SRN News.





"Heavy weapons fire rang out in the north of Central African Republic’s capital Bangui on Monday during inter-religious clashes and the Red Cross said at least four people were killed.
 
"French and African troops have struggled to contain violence between Muslim Seleka rebels and Christian militias that has already killed 1,000 people this month and displaced hundreds of thousands.

 " “There was heavy weapons fire north of Bangui for a few hours and several neighborhoods were affected,” Amy Martin, head of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Bangui told Reuters.

 "A Reuters reporter in the capital reported shell explosions and mortar fire but it had stopped by late morning.

 "Heavy arms fire was reported in Bangui during a two-day surge in violence which began on December 5 but shooting in recent days has been limited to sporadic small arms fire.

" “In the area (of the clashes) there were four bodies but I’m sure there will be more,” Red Cross President Pastor Antoine Mbao Bogo told Reuters on Monday, adding that four other bodies were found in other parts of the capital."

Please read Original Verdict Upheld after Second-Instance Trial in March 28 Enyu Bookstore Case at China Aid.





"The Taiyuan Intermediate People's court of inland China's Shanxi province upheld the original two- and five-year prison terms of two men convicted of "illegal business operations" in the March 28 Enyu Bookstore case in a private second-instance trial on Thursday.  Accused of "illegal business operations," the two were most likely arrested and sentenced as part of a crackdown on the spread of Christianity in the city of Taiyuan. ICC joins ChinaAid in condemning the unjust verdict and calling for their immediate release."

Pastor Saeed spent his second Christmas imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith, apart from his wife and two young children, 7 and 5, here in America.

Sadly, this is the case for far too many persecuted Christians around the world. Our fight for Pastor Saeed continues, and it is important that we continue to share his story and the stories of others just like him.

 Read my latest post for the Washington Post's On Faith where I detail how, amidst all the travesty and torture that Pastor Saeed is forced to endure, his faith in Christ shines through.

 Also, read my dad Jay Sekulow's latest Fox News piece  about the importance of standing up for the voiceless as we celebrate this Christmas season.

 Please continue to take a stand for Pastor Saeed and the persecuted Church.

 Sign the Petition to Stand Firm for Pastor Saeed at BeHeardProject.com.

Jordan Sekulow, ACLJ Executive Director

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #241 
Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org  |  E-mail: icc@persecution.org
 
Media Contact:Todd Daniels, Regional Manager for the Middle EastRM-ME@persecution.org
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Christmas Day Bomb Blasts Rock Baghdad's Christian Community
37 Killed and 59 Wounded by Explosions in Iraqi Capital
 
12/25/2013
Washington D.C.
International Christian Concern

International Christian Concern (ICC) is deeply troubled by the two bombings that targeted Christians in the Iraqi capital on Christmas day. Two separate blasts occurred in the Dora neighborhood of Baghdad. Altogether, at least 37 people were killed and some 59 others were wounded, the Interior Ministry said.

The largest blast targeted worshipers as they were leaving the service at St. John Catholic Church. As churchgoers were exiting the Christmas day service, a parked car exploded, BBC reports. The blast killed at least 26 people and wounded 38 more, a police officer told AAP.

Shortly before the explosion outside St. John's, a bomb ripped through an outdoor market in the nearby Christian section of Athorien, killing 11 people and wounding 21. A medical officer, also speaking on the condition of anonymity confirmed the casualty figures, according to an AP report.

The attacks came despite efforts by security forces to protect Christmas celebrations throughout Iraq. Brig. Gen. Saad Maan, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said that thousands of security personnel will take part in the plan, which will start on Christmas Eve and will include "securing all churches, monasteries, public parks, tourist resorts and markets, as well as residential areas where celebrations will be held and where citizens are expected to go out visiting each other", he told Mawtani.

Baghdad's Dora neighborhood was once known as "The Vatican of Iraq" and was home to more than 30,000 Christian families. Today there are just an estimated 2,000 Christians living in the area. Following the removal of Saddam Hussein the area became a hotbed for Islamic extremists and a stronghold for al Qaeda militants. The neighborhoods churches repeatedly were attacked and church leaders were kidnapped. The violence had surged again in just the past few weeks with corpses found dumped, indicating that the death squads that have caused so much damage are again back at work, Colin Freeman wrote in the Telegraph.

No one has claimed responsibility for today's attacks, but signs point towards al Qaeda or a similar Islamic extremist group. As Freeman recounts in the Telegraph, "In 2010, al-Qaeda gunmen attacked an evening Mass at Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad, taking more than 100 hostages. By the time the security forces stormed the building two hours later, 58 were dead."

The Christmas day bombings have pushed the number of civilian deaths in December to 441 and the total for the year above 8000, according to U.N. estimates.

Todd Daniels, ICC Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, "We are extremely troubled by the attacks on Christians as they mark the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. This is just the latest in a long series of attacks that are driving Christians out of the land where they have lived for nearly 2000 years. It is imperative that the government and security forces take all steps possible to protect its civilians, including Christians, and provide for their continued existence in the region. We call on Christians around the world to remember their brothers and sisters in Iraq and to stand with them in prayer." 

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

You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address, www.persecution.org. ICC is a Washington-DC 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.

Read Instability, Violence Brings Bangladesh to Standstill, by Ruth Kramer, at Mission Network News.




Bangladesh is blowing up. Peter Mazumder with Asian Access explains, "The political turmoil is so dangerous in Bangladesh because  opposition party is demanding that the present government should call their  caretaker government, and that’s the reason [they're] having a general election on the 5^th of January." However, there's concern about free and fair elections under the current regime. The opposition is protesting the elections moving forward. The demonstrations have gotten more violent and deadly. "The opposition party: they are burning, they are putting the petrol bombs in different places. People are very scared. We are very scared to go out from place to another." Several evangelistic conferences had to be cancelled. More trouble's on the horizon. "The last couple of days, they burned many Hindu's houses, Christian houses, and it's really not safe, especially in the remote areas." "

Please Read Terrorist Influence on Herdsmen Seen in Killing of 12 Christians in Nigeria at Morning Star News.




"As violence against Christians hit in central Nigeria again this week, there are indications that Muslim Fulani herdsmen are working with Islamic extremist groups made up in part of foreigners.

"The Rev. Yiman Orkwar, archbishop  of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of  Makurdi in Benue state, told Morning Star  News that Fulani herdsmen seem to have  joined forces with Islamic extremist groups.  "From all indications, the terrorism being  witnessed in the country is purely in  pursuit of Jihad," Orkwar said. "In  Benue state, Fulani terrorists in  collaboration with Boko Haram and other  foreign mercenaries are causing wanton  destruction of lives and property."

"Boko Haram, a Nigerian rebel group that includes mercenaries from Chad, Niger and Cameroon, seeks to impose a strict version of sharia (Islamic law) throughout Nigeria, and the terrorist organization has ties to Al Qaeda. Ethnic Fulani herdsmen, some of them from outside of Nigeria, are carrying out their assaults in military camouflage and armed with sophisticated weapons."