Middle East

Despite the UN vote in favour of a moratorium on capital punishment, Iran and China continue to kill prisoners. The right to life should be upheld for everyone, convicts as well as unborn children.

Iraqi leaders and Kurdistan premier agreed to extend the work of the High Committee for Implementation of Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution for another six months, according to a UN press release. Article 140 called for the people to vote on the status of oil rich city by December 31, 2007; however, there were too many “technical difficulties,” but also too many conflicting interests.

Saudi Justice Minister says that the act of clemency does not mean the king doubts the country’s judges, but it does highlight the need for justice reform, which the Saudi monarch might just do.

Under pressure from the international community, the authorities are carrying out a violent campaign of intimidation to discourage Iranians from participating in any form of protest against the government, or against the male authority figure in the family. Many internet cafes that do not respect Islamic values have been closed, women have been arrested, and executions have been broadcast on state television. And tomorrow, in the prison in Evin, a young wife who was abused by her husband will be sentenced for having rebelled against him.

The Greek-Orthodox Patriarch was elected by the Synod in 2005, following the removal of Ireneos I. The Israeli government had refused to recognise the election stalling the juridical situation of the Patriarchate. The Supreme Court prepares to intervene.

Invited by Saudi King Abdullah, the Iranian President will be the first head of state of his country to make the pilgrimage. Tight security and health measures are in place to cope with possible loss of life which in the past marred the event.

Turkey’s press and government tend to play down the attack, choosing instead to refer to it and similar incidents as “isolated cases.” The long list of attacks against Christian clergymen shows by contrast that a widespread campaign of defamation and hatred against Christians is underway. In the country for the past 27 years, Father Franchini himself has been the object of various media attacks in the past.

Commission member Monsignor Vegliò and Custodian of the Holy Land Father Pizzaballa share this view. Both discuss the situation of Christians in the Holy Land, stressing the different situations they live depending on whether they live in Israel or the Palestinian Territories. Father Lombardi reiterates that “conditions for a papal visit [. . .] are not yet in place.”

According to eye witnesses the priest was wounded by an “unknown hooligan”, never seen before in the Bayrakli Church, in Smirne, where the attack took place. His condition is reported to be reserved.

According to eyewitnesses, the assailant had attended Bayrakli parish, Izmir for over three years. The attack took place after the capuchin’s last in a series of refusals to baptise him: he still wasn’t ready. Msgr. Franceschini to AsiaNews: “They will claim that he is mad, but if so then the number of madmen has considerably increased, and they only attack religious and Christian foreigners”.

Msgr. Luigi Padovese, Apostolic Vicar of Anatolia confirms to AsiaNews, adding: “They can only hypothesise on the author of this attack, what remains certain is that attacks against Christians continue. There are many diseased branches on the tree of Turkey”.

Bilateral dialogue has been ongoing for over 14 years. The date for the next plenary is set for May 2008 in the Vatican.