Iraq

| IRAQ

Cardinal Sako appeals to Prime Minister al-Sudani. Sites at risk due to construction projects. Request to “fence off and monitor” sites facing “imminent threat”. Their value “goes beyond the Christian community” and concerns “the entire” population, including Muslims.

by Dario Salvi

The cardinal has dedicated his work to defending a community that is part of the country and its history. The principle of citizenship, fraternal but frank dialogue with Islam and the courage of ‘transparency’ are the cornerstones of his mission. Among the most significant moments was the Pope's visit to Iraq. For the Conclave, the hope is for a pope capable, like Francis, of ‘reading the signs of the times’.

| 03/05/2025
| TOWARDS CONCLAVE / 15
by Dario Salvi

The upcoming vote will be the sixth since the fall of Saddam Hussein. This will occur against a background of intra-Shia divisions while incumbent Prime Minister al-Sudani is looking for a strong coalition to win a second term. The election appears competitive in Kurdistan, with opposition parties trying to break the KDP-PUK stranglehold. The Christian vote remains an unknown factor while doubts linger over representativeness.

 

| 29/04/2025
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
by Dario Salvi

The Chaldean Patriarch spoke to AsiaNews about the late pope on the eve of his departure for Rome to attend the pontiff's funeral and the conclave. Francis was a "prophetic" voice that spoke not only to Christians, but to all Iraqis. His historic trip in March 2021 and the message of peace and brotherhood are his legacy. He “was able to read and grasp the signs of the times better than anyone else.”

| 23/04/2025
| IRAQ – VATICAN
by Dario Salvi

Speaking to AsiaNews, Jordanian scholar Al Sabaileh says that reports that several Shia groups in Iraq plan to disarm are likely accurate. US pressure and the fear that Iraq might become another battleground like Syria, Lebanon and Yemen have been decisive. But with the end of the armed struggle, the militias’ political weight will not be the same in upcoming October elections.

| 11/04/2025
| IRAQ – IRAN
by Dario Salvi

According to Amnesty International's report, 91 per cent of known death sentences have been handed down in Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. There is no reliable data for China, North Korea and Vietnam since the information is treated as a state secret. Iran has experienced a boom in executions, partly to crack down on protest. Governments have weaponised the death penalty under the pretext of improving security.

| 08/04/2025
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST

The inauguration of a place of worship and pilgrimage four years after the papal visit sends a message. Both Christians and Muslims worry about the pontiff's health. A country’s cultural lasting heritage is a treasure that supports the economy. For the patriarch, the secular nature of the state remains a key issue; in the meantime, he appeals for an end to wars and extremist ideologies.

 

| 26/02/2025
| IRAQ
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by Nirmala Carvalho
In the state that includes Mumbai, the state government is targeting people who allegedly hide their conversion to Christianity to avoid losing benefits reserved for disadvantaged groups. The state legislature is expected to vet a new anti-conversion ...
| 19/07/2025
| INDIA
 
by Dario Salvi
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| 17/07/2025
| ISRAEL - PALESTINE
 
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| 17/07/2025
| RED LANTERNS
 
by Vladimir Rozanskij
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| 16/07/2025
| TAJIKISTAN
 
by Dario Salvi
The founder of the Religious Freedom Data Center views settler attacks as a “disturbing development”. Israeli ministers and police legitimising it is worrying. A Judeo-centric ideology has “taken root”, but minority rights are ...
| 10/07/2025
| ISRAEL – PALESTINE
 
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| 10/07/2025
| JAPAN
 
According to anonymous sources, the dissident who publicly challenged "dictator Xi Jinping" in October 2022 and inspired the "blank paper" protest against the zero-COVID policy has been tried and convicted. Human rights groups are calling on Beijing ...
| 09/07/2025
| CHINA
 
The 62-year-old missionary in Bangladesh was elected this morning by the General Assembly underway in Rome. For the next six years, he will lead the institute founded by Bishop Angelo Ramazzotti, now present with 400 missionaries in 20 countries around ...
| 07/07/2025
| ITALY
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”