Aid to the Church in Need have launched Persecuted and Forgotten? A report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2013-2015 in Parliament, accompanied by an endorsement from Prime Minister David Cameron. He wrote “The persecution of Christians, and indeed individuals of all faiths, anywhere in the world, is of profound concern to me. The freedom to…
CALL FOR EVIDENCE ON THE TREATMENT OF PAKISTAN’S CHRISTIANS AND OTHER MINORITIES – NOVEMBER HEARINGS AT WESTMINSTER All Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Parliamentary Inquiry Call for Evidence ‘The Plight of Minority Religious or Belief Groups in Pakistan and as Refugees: Addressing Current UK & UNHCR Policy’ Pakistan represents one of the worst situations…
A report from World Watch Monitor highlights a relatively unknown militant group that has intensified attacks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), raising fears of the emergence of a new jihadist organisation in central Africa. It concludes: “MDI constitutes a real security threat for the DR Congo and the entire central African region. It adds…
Earlier this month, in an official statement reported by Al-Arabiya (and many more), the Church’s Patriarch Kirill said “Russia took a responsible decision to use military forces to protect the Syrian people from the woes brought on by the tyranny of terrorists.” The Patriarch cited the suffering of Christians in the region, the kidnapping of clerics…
While the Society for Humanism (SOCH) Nepal thanked the Constitution Assembly of Nepal for endorsing a secular constitution, “which is the key to protecting the rights and dignity of all minority groups of the nation,” and stated “Now, the Nepali constitution guarantees the right to accept any religion or leave as per the consent of individual,”…
At a two-day conference held in Bangkok, and the first of its kind, faith-based and other groups committed to working to enhance the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief in Southeast Asia. For the first time, approximately 70 human rights defenders, members of religious groups, rights groups, UN agencies and representatives from the ASEAN…
The Edward Cadbury Centre for the Public Understanding of Religion, University of Birmingham, has announced the establishment of the Commonwealth Initiative for the Freedom of Religion or Belief (CIFORB) with effect from 1 October 2015. The Initiative has been funded by a generous contribution from the Templeton World Charitable Foundation and will establish a team of…
With Saturday marking the third anniversary of his arrest, and days after Parliamentarians appealed on his behalf – and days before President Rouhani addresses the UN General Assembly – Middle East Concern reports that the prospects for Saeed Abedini have considerably worsened. A family member was able to visit Saeed yesterday at Rajaei Shahr Prison,…
Cognizant that severe violations of freedom of religion or belief continue to occur around the world, perpetrated by states, state proxies, and non-state actors; Taking note of studies indicating an increase in restrictions on the free practice of religion or belief, with the majority of the global population living in countries where their freedom to…
International Development Select Committee, Oral evidence, Tuesday 15 September 2015 Q38 Fiona Bruce: How can we ensure that minority religious and ethnic groups, who are fleeing persecution from radical forces such as ISIS, are not left behind? If I can set this in context by relaying some concerns from the region, reports from the camp areas say…