Chief Rabbi Emeritus Lord Sacks addressed the Jewish News UK-Israel policy conference in Westminster this week. Here is the speech in full: “I was with the great scholar of Islam, Prof Bernard Lewis, in 2003 when someone asked him to predict what would happen in Iraq. His reply was memorable. He said, I am a…
The International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief has written to the President of Indonesia, encouraging him to “to protect religious minorities in the Republic of Indonesia and also address rising religious intolerance.” The letter was signed by 25 Parliamentarians from 12 different nations – including the Bishop of Coventry, Baroness Berridge, Lord…
Rising religious freedom abuses represent a challenge beyond the capabilities of any one government or organisation. But recent collective action efforts give cause for hope, writes Knox Thames in an opinion piece on the Tony Blair Faith Foundation website. On June 15, the international community joined together to launch a new effort to combat rising…
International Christian Concern claims that a dramatic increase on the persecution of Christians is missing from the Chinese Government’s 2014 Report on Human Rights. On June 8, China’s government released a glowing report on human rights in an attempt to push back criticism of its recent crackdown on human rights activists as well as the outcry against…
Coptic Solidarity hosted its 6th Annual Conference June 11-12th in Washington, DC to discuss the rising persecution of religious minorities in the Middle East. This past February, ISIS captured and martyred 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians in Libya followed by the murder of 30 Ethiopian Christians. Coptic Solidarity, host of the event, works to help Copts in…
The leaders of four branches of Islam in Lebanon gathered earlier this month to issue a joint statement in the face of sectarianism and the rise of the Islamic State, denouncing attacks against Christians in the region, reports the Catholic News Agency. “In the name of religious, humanitarian and national principles, the summit condemns religiously…
Baroness Berridge To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Government of Burma concerning the persecution and trafficking of the Rohingya Muslims and ethnic minorities in Burma. The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Anelay of St Johns) (Con): My Lords, the United Kingdom raises the problems in Rakhine…
Knox Thames writes on a blog on MENASource: “The quagmires of Syria and Iraq have forced millions to flee, both internally displaced people and new refugees escaping across borders. The international community is failing to meet their needs, with UN agencies announcing cuts in food programs due to a lack of funds. Ethnic and religious…
At a Parliamentary meeting yesterday the All Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief – officers, members and stakeholders – highlighted their determination to fight for freedom of religion or belief around the world. The All Party Group is genuinely all party – its officers are cross benchers, Conservative, Labour, SNP and…
Rev. Gerald Ragan wrote a guest column in The Augusta Chronicle on Saturday under this heading, inviting his readers to join him in an act of solidarity on Thursday. Here’s the column in full: Even before ISIS launched its ultra-violent campaign targeting Iraqi Christians in the summer of 2014, Pope Francis proclaimed that the current…