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Delhi: Catholics in the Indian capital denied their Stations of the Cross
by Nirmala Carvalho

The police denied permission for the Palm Sunday initiative that had been held for years, gathering thousands of faithful, for reasons of ‘public order’. The Catholic association protests in the metropolis where BJP nationalists have recently returned to government: ‘Other communities and political groups are allowed processions and gatherings: the authorities must guarantee respect for religious freedom and equality’.

| 14/04/2025
| INDIA
 
Yet another Easter under arrest for Wenzhous' Bishop Shao

Again this year the bishop who refuses to join the Patriotic Association was taken away on the eve of Holy Week. Already at Christmas he was subjected to serious retaliation for having celebrated the opening of the Jubilee in the diocese of Zhejiang, where the Beijing authorities have put a priest ‘loyal’ to the Party in leadership.

| 11/04/2025
| CHINA
 
Parish priest in Latakia: we live in fear, Alawites (and Christians) want to flee

Brother Fadi Azar, a Franciscan from Jordan, has been a parish priest for five years in the coastal city, once an Assad stronghold. He talked to the Terrasanta online magazine about his fear that the civil war might start up again. In his testimony, he talks about the most tragic phases of the revolt repressed in blood, with thousands of deaths. Talks between Turkey and Israel are underway to avert an armed clash in Syria.

| 10/04/2025
| SYRIA – ISRAEL – TURKEY
 
Rossing Centre: one in three Christians in Israel wants to emigrate
by Dario Salvi

This is what emerges from a study by the Centre for Education and Dialogue, which denounces the increase in attacks by extremists and ultra-religious Jewish groups. The socio-political conditions and the low birth rate make the future of Christians in the country uncertain. The appeal for the ‘involvement’ of the Churches in the world. Hana Bendkowsky: ‘The attackers must be brought to justice’.

| 02/04/2025
| ISRAEL - PALESTINE
 
Zhang Zhan, Christian blogger who reported on Wuhan, goes on trial again

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders issued an appeal on behalf of the activist, who was jailed again a few months ago after serving four years in prison for her reports on the pandemic. Last November, she was indicted for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.”

| 24/03/2025
| CHINA
 
Church desecrated in Orissa. The bishop: ‘Prayer and penance’
by Nirmala Carvalho

In a sacrilegious act, thieves desecrated the Eucharist in the Holy Family parish in Titilagarh. The Bishop of Sambalpur, Mons. Sualsingh: ‘Let us remain united and trust in the Lord even in this moment of trial’.

| 24/03/2025
| INDIA
 
Tehran sentences three Christian converts to 40 years in prison, one a pregnant woman

Abbas Soori, Mehran Shamloui and Narges Nasri, about halfway through her pregnancy, have been sentenced without extenuating circumstances. Among the charges: ‘activities contrary to Islamic law’, belonging to ‘opposition groups’ and ‘propaganda against the state’. In addition, additional penalties including fines, deprivation of civil rights and a ban on travelling abroad. Somayeh Rajabi released on bail of 40 thousand dollars.

| 13/03/2025
| IRAN
 
Syria: Archbishop Mourad calls for UN peacekeepers to stop internal violence and Israeli attacks
by Dario Salvi

After days of violence and more than a thousand dead, including some Christians, the al-Sharaa government has declared the operation against the Alawites on the west coast of the country over. Damascus also signed a merger agreement with the Kurds. For the archbishop of Homs, peace requires an international presence and the end of sanctions. So far, the authorities have not fulfilled their promises.

| 11/03/2025
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
Christians among the victims of a massacre in al-Sharaa's 'new Syria'

Scores of Christians – priests, mothers, children – were caught up in the violence triggered by a revolt that broke out in Assad's former stronghold. In a message, Syrian patriarchs bemoan the “dangerous escalation of violence, torture and murder” against “innocent civilians, including women and children”. Syria’s Islamist president makes a belated appeal for unity. Fr Jihad calls for “fasting and prayers” for peace.

| 10/03/2025
| SYRIA
 
Bishop Shao arrested over “illegal” Jubilee opening Mass

The Public Security Bureau this morning arrested the underground bishop of Wenzhou (Zhejiang) after he refused to pay a 200,000 fine for celebrating Mass on 27 December before 200 people. Last week he wrote to the faithful asking them to attend Mass more often and pray the rosary for Pope Francis’s health.

| 07/03/2025
| CHINA
 
West Java: Islamic radicals against celebrating Ash Wednesday
by Mathias Hariyadi

Extremists target a facility built by a Catholic priest in Arcamanik claiming that it should be exclusively for social purposes, not religion. In fact, it has been used for some time for weekly services, although it is open to other activities. As the local Catholic community grows, so do its needs, which is why local Church leaders want the building to be officially designate as a place of worship.

| 06/03/2025
| INDONESIA
 
Christian convert arrested, Bibles and sacred objects confiscated

The raid by plainclothes agents in the province of Mazandaran dates back to the beginning of the month but only came to light in recent days.

| 21/02/2025
| IRAN
 
Wenzhou: fine and demolition order, the new weapons against Bishop Shao

The authorities have imposed a 200,000 yuan fine on the prelate and threaten to demolish his "illegal” building for refusing to join official bodies and celebrating Mass with 200 worshippers. At Christmas he wrote to the faithful of the diocese inviting them to live the Jubilee of Hope in communion with the universal Church.

| 14/02/2025
| CHINA
 
Turkey, nationalism and Islam: the two engines of anti-Christian persecution
by Dario Salvi

The report by Open Doors ranks the country among the top 50 in the world with the most cases of abuse, violence, targeted attacks and murders. The minority is the “most persecuted” and in the last year the phenomenon has increased. Protestant communities and historical groups such as Chaldeans, Armenians and Assyrians are in the crosshairs. The “Grey Wolves” in schools to convey clearly neo-Ottoman programmes.

| 11/02/2025
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
Second attack on a priest worries Singapore's catholics
by Santosh Digal

After last November's knife attack on Fr Lee, Fr Cary Chan of the Holy Spirit Church was targeted this time. A 22-year-old young man with mental and physical problems attacked him and hit him in the face. The priest suffered a haematoma, but still wanted to celebrate Mass. The archdiocese: ‘Remain calm and refrain from speculation’.

| 10/02/2025
| SINGAPORE
 
Nuncio in Kandhamal: ‘Like the first Christians, firm in the faith’
by Nirmala Carvalho

Archbishop Girelli's visit among the communities that were victims in 2008 of the most serious violence against Christians in India's recent history. "Happy and moved to find myself here praying before the memorial of the martyrs. Witnesses of peace, harmony, faith and love'. A letter to Pope Francis to include Fr Bernard Digal among the martyrs of the 21st century.

| 03/02/2025
| INDIA
 
Vakıflı: Turkey's last Armenian village at risk of expropriation

A post-earthquake reconstruction project threatens to cause a radical demographic change. The area is located in Hatay province and is the only one left following the forced displacement of residents from the Musa Dagh region in 1915. New housing and shopping centres are planned. New government clampdown on opponents and critics, İmamoğlu also in the crosshairs.

| 03/02/2025
| TURKEY
 
Aleppo parish priest warns not to forget Syria too quickley
by p. Bahjat Karakach*

Fr. Karakach reaches out to AsiaNews, sharing that the country still has ‘a long way to go’ to become a true ‘rule of law, stable and democratic state’. Among the positives are an open economy and conflict resolution with neighbours, concerns about ‘political freedom’ and an ‘Islamist’ matrix. Summary executions of at least 35 former Assad officials over the weekend.

| 27/01/2025
| SYRIA
 
Tehran: over 250 years in prison for 'Christianity' in 2024
by Dario Salvi

A six-fold increase from 2023 amid a growing crackdown that has seen 96 worshippers sentenced. This is what emerges from a study published by activist groups and titled “The Tip of the Iceberg.” Because, in reality, violations of practise of worship are far more widespread than the published data. The role of services and the search for contacts or funds from abroad.

| 21/01/2025
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
Bishop Toppo suspects foul play in fire that devastates historic chapel
by Nirmala Carvalho

The Chapel of St Therese of the Child Jesus in the village of Chokragaon was set on fire, a few days after the ordination of two local priests. The authorities have opened an investigation. The bishop of Tezpur praises the "intense solidarity" and "unity" among Christians following the incident.

| 18/01/2025
| INDIA
 
Christmas Eve arson attack on Tripura Christian's homes
by Sumon Corraya

The attack in a settlement in the Bandarban area, south-eastern Bangladesh, while the inhabitants had gone to a Christmas celebration in a church in a nearby village. They had been victims of extortion demands in the past weeks. The incident is part of a long-standing pattern of oppression against the indigenous hill communities in the three hill districts.

| 28/12/2024
| BANGLADESH
 
Aleppo parish priest: Christmas of hope, amid packed churches and no incidents
by Fr. Bahjat Karakach

The testimony to AsiaNews of Fr. Karakach, who speaks of a ‘very special’ celebration amid ‘reassurances’ from the new authorities and ‘massive security presence’. Compared to the past, there was no sign of celebrations on national TV. In some cities, ‘unpleasant’ episodes such as the burning of a Christmas tree, set up again with the help of Muslims. The Jubilee Year a source of courage.

| 27/12/2024
| SYRIA
 
Patton: From Christmas to the Jubilee, a year of ‘hope’ for the Christians of the Holy Land
by Dario Salvi

The provincial of the Franciscans custodians of the Holy Sites speaks with AsiaNews about the festivities once again without pilgrims, whose return is ‘linked to the end of the conflict’. The focus is on events in neighbouring Syria, amid ‘suspended’ or ‘moderately positive’ judgements. The Custody ‘increasingly international’ with ‘about sixty’ countries present. The ‘debt’ of Western Christians with their brothers in the Holy Land.

| 24/12/2024
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
Syria and Western indifference loom over Christmas for Chaldean Patriarch
by Dario Salvi

Card. Sako speakes of Iraqi Christians' preparations for the festivities as they watch events unfold across teh border with trepidation. The threat of a new Isis, and teh need to be ‘prudent’ and evaluating ‘facts’ not speeches. they need for a Syrian state based ‘on citizenship’ and fight against ‘all sectarianism’. The Christmas wish for a document between the Pope and the Shiite leaders of Iran and Iraq on the example of ‘human brotherhood’.

| 23/12/2024
| IRAQ
 
Georgia denies visas, repatriates Iranian Christians seeking asylum

A long report by Article18, CSW, Open Doors and Middle East Concern raises the issue. The future for migrants is uncertain with abuse and violence potentially waiting for them should they return to Iran. In 2023, 20 per cent of asylum seekers in Georgia came from Iran, 90 per cent fleeing after converting to Christianity.

| 20/12/2024
| IRAN – GEORGIA
 
China violates religious freedom by treating offerings as “fraud”

Increasingly, to crush house churches, Protestant communities independent of government-controlled bodies, the authorities are turning to charges of financial wrongdoings over tithes. Christian pastors, lawyers and faithful issued an appeal on behalf of the Linfen community hit by arrests. In their view, giving one’s “money to serve God, supporting church needs and caring for the poor” does not violate any law.

| 19/12/2024
| RED LANTERNS
 
Crosses destroyed and a horrendous murder: All is not well for Syria’s Christians
by Dario Salvi

In Damascus, threatening words against the Christian minority are spotted in a car. In Hama, someone using a Kalashnikov fired at the Greek Orthodox archbishopric. In a Christian village, a couple was killed during a "burglary" that ended with the man being beheaded. Source tells AsiaNews that Greek Orthodox are targeted because they are considered close to the Russians. Trappist nuns of A'zer note that in their area there is respect, but warn that releasing common criminals has created problems. Bishop Mourad: Beware of news on social media. 

| 19/12/2024
| SYRIA
 
A Christmas of hope and fear for Syrian Christians
by p. Bahjat Karakach*

 Aleppo's parish priests sits down with AsiaNews: in some cases women are asked to wear the veil or drivers to remove symbols such as the cross, but there are also examples of solidarity. And calls from Muslims to rebuild the nation ‘together’. The call for a ‘democratic and civil state’ in which all ‘citizens’ have equal ‘rights and duties’.

| 18/12/2024
| SYRIA
 
The death of Fr Matteo Chu, priest after 27 years in Chinese prisons

Originally from Shanghai, he passed away at the age of 91. He was imprisoned in the 1955 with other Catholics as well as five of his brothers. Their mother visited each in different prisons, bringing them support in the faith. Once he was freed, he resumed his novitiate with the Jesuits, and was ordained in 1994. Speaking to Mondo e Missione that year, he said: "There is joy and peace in my heart” because “I too know that I have done nothing against God or against my country”.

| 11/12/2024
| TAIWAN – CHINA
 
Assam: a Baptist the first arrested for the law against ‘magic healings’
by Nirmala Carvalho

38-year-old Pranjal Bhuyan had simply prayed for some of his villagers. Introduced by the local government of the BJP nationalists to ‘protect health’ it is in fact a new tool to target Christians. The man hit by the measure had already come under fire on charges of ‘conversions’ for some free lessons he offered at home to children.

| 10/12/2024
| INDIA
 
Bishop Bizzeti: a ‘Turkish Church’ fulfilment of mission in Vicariate of Anatolia
by Dario Salvi

Yesterday the Pontiff accepted the prelate's request for resignation, appointing auxiliary Msgr Ilgit as apostolic administrator. Satisfaction for the growth of a reality ‘of Turkish language and culture’. The earthquake of February 2023 still an open wound, need to rebuild from ‘living stones’. The testimony of refugees and displaced persons who broaden horizons on a ‘cultural, spiritual’ level.

| 26/11/2024
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
Nuncio to Damascus calls Fr Dall'Oglio a 'courageous voice' of dialogue in forgotten Syria
by Dario Salvi

Card Zenari remembers the founder of Mar Musa on his seventieth birthday. The monastery remains his “most living” legacy. The tragedy of the missing is compounded by that of refugees and the displaced, the ongoing war, and last year’s devastating earthquake. Increasingly frequent, Israeli raids have cut links with Lebanon which are an “umbilical cord". Pope Francis’s proclamation of the martyrs of Damascus is a “breath of fresh air”.

| 15/11/2024
| SYRIA – VATICAN
 
Lahore: Christian girl raped. Solidarity of religious leaders
by Shafique Khokhar

Minahil, only six years old, was raped in the Asan School System by Muhammad Hassan, an employee of the institute. The man was arrested after the family's complaint, tests on the girl confirmed the abuse and DNA results are awaited. Christian and Muslim leaders have visited the victim and expressed their closeness to the parents.

| 12/11/2024
| PAKISTAN
 
Knife attack at the altar, Singapore priest wounded
by Joseph Masilamany

Fr Christopher Lee was stabbed last night in St Joseph's Cathedral by a person with a history of drug offences. He underwent surgery and is recovering. “Violence has no place in the country,” said Prime Minister Wong. The diocese is asking Catholics to pray for a speedy recovery, while  Singapore’s Inter-Religious Organisation condemned the incident.

| 10/11/2024
| SINGAPORE
 
Archbishop Machado: When it comes to religious freedom, India is 'backward’. Meanwhile, attacks against Christians continue
by Nirmala Carvalho

Since 13 October, at least five violent incidents have been reported in different parts of the country, most notably in Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh. Prayer services and buildings were targeted, a family was not allowed to bury a loved one in the village cemetery. The police are complicit with the attackers. For the archbishop of Bangalore, government silence is “baffling”.

| 23/10/2024
| INDIA
 
Card. Mathieu: Christians in Iran, 'peripheral' but 'transparent' witness to faith
by Dario Salvi

Speaking to AsiaNews the cardinal-designate tells of a community that “is not a reality unto itself” but “shares difficulties and problems” with the rest of the population, which is “welcoming” but suffers “from sanctions.” In the cry of the poor, ecology, common home “the ground for dialogue” with Shiite Islam.

| 22/10/2024
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
Card. Sako: in Middle East 'weapons and disorder' win out over timid international mediation

The Chaldean Patriarch speaks to AsiaNews of a “worrying” situation especially for the civilian population, which pays “the highest price.” Mediations stagnate and the “economics of war” continue to prevail, triggering on other elements of crisis, such as demographics and climate. The role of Shiite militias in the Iraqi scenario and the “scandal” that hit the Chaldean Church recently.

| 15/10/2024
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
Vicar of Arabia calls for re-opening of Yemen mission, as soon as possible
by Dario Salvi

Msgr. Martinelli told AsiaNews that it is ‘urgent’ to relaunch the Church's ‘presence’ in the country tormented by conflict and violence. The testimony of the nuns, the work of Caritas and the local Christian reality. The Houthi missiles towards Israel, the neutrality of the Gulf and the fragile balance with Riyadh and Tehran. The Abrahamic House a model of encounter, confrontation and prayer.

| 08/10/2024
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
New cardinal in Tehran, in the footsteps of Saint Francis as an 'instrument of peace'
by Dario Salvi

AsiaNews met with Archbishop Mathieu on the sidelines of the Synod, a few hours before the announcement of his elevation to the rank of cardinal. The appointment shows the pope's "incessant desire" to "weave and strengthen bonds with all peoples." The Iranian people are "welcoming", not just " chadors and beards” as portrayed in the West.

| 07/10/2024
| VATICAN - IRAN
 
Acquitted on appeal, Armenian-Iranian pastor released after a year in Evin

Anooshavan Avedian, 62, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for leading a house church. An appeal court dropped the charges and ordered his release. Advocacy group is pleased about the turn of events but calls for the victim to be "compensated for all he has endured". At least 21 Christians are still in an Iranian prison because of their faith.

| 28/09/2024
| IRAN
 
Blasphemy remains an emergency in Pakistan as summary executions and extrajudicial killings continue
by Shafique Khokhar

Three cases shake the conscience of the country and revive the issue of abuses linked to blasphemy rules. In Sindh, police kill a doctor investigated for blasphemous posts; a suspect is killed by an agent in Quetta, and his relatives forgive the murderer; a Christian woman is sentenced to death for messages on WhatsApp.

| 20/09/2024
| PAKISTAN
 
Istanbul: Chechen Isis militiaman linked to Saint Mary's attack apprehended

Viskhan Soltamatov allegedly masterminded the assault on the Franciscan church and supplied the group members with weapons. The arrest took place during a joint operation at the weekend. Up to 42 people are on trial, of whom at least 31 are already in custody. Turkish Christians the most persecuted minority in the country.

| 16/09/2024
| TURKEY
 
Chengdu: raid during an Early Rain Church celebration, four arrests

Those arrested include preacher Li Yingqiang and three other church members. The authorities have imposed 14-day administrative detention for the "troublemakers", but the measure is likely to turn into “criminal” charges without release. In Guangzhou, a 30-year-old Christian woman was arrested for developing a religiously themed music application.

| 04/09/2024
| CHINA
 
Iraq’s first census in 27 years, an ‘important' step for the future, says Salloum
by Dario Salvi

On 20-21 November, a curfew will be imposed in all provinces to facilitate data collection. The last census occurred in 1997, while those that followed were postponed or cancelled due to violence and domestic conflicts. For Iraqi scholar, census data will inform policy making in a country shaped by sectarian and confessional divisions.

| 03/09/2024
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
Brainwashing: How Turkish school books narrate the Armenian genocide

Investigative journalist Uzay Bulut pens an article published by the Gatestone Institute that looks at a narrative that turns “history on its head", one that denies that Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks are indigenous in Anatolia. As Turkish children become adults, they parrot “the lies taught to them in their schools.”

| 31/08/2024
| TURKEY
 
UN condemns Hanoi for human rights abuses and violations of Montagnard

At the center of criticism in the UN experts' report is the trial of about 100 members of the Christian minority. The proceedings allegedly failed to meet standards and showed summary charges, torture and mistreatment. Also in the crosshairs are the stages of the trial and the role of the media. No comment from the government.

| 24/08/2024
| VIETNAM
 
Under shadow of Gaza, Israeli government backs settlers expropriating Christian land
by Dario Salvi

Fr. Ibrahim Faltas warns, “The situation is dramatic” and there is “deep concern” about a future without Christians. In the crosshairs of settlers and the governing ultra-right a UNESCO heritage area near Bethlehem. Also in the West Bank an escalation of violence, destruction, arrests and deaths. Alice Kisiya's “emblematic” story. Already more than 70 Christian families have migrated since the beginning of the war.

| 20/08/2024
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
Gao Zhisheng’s wife appeals seven years after he disappeared: ‘tell me if he is still alive’

On social media, Geng He appeals to the US government and the international community for news of her husband, a Christian lawyer and activist. She is not asking for his release, but wants to know about his fate. Five members of the Shengjia Church in Shunde are on trial on spurious charges of "illegal business operations", a generic term used to persecute believers.

| 15/08/2024
| RED LANTERNS
 
Bangladesh at a crossroads, amid economic, political, military, minority challenges
by Sumon Corraya

Speaking to AsiaNews, Card Patrick D'Rozario appeals “for peace, calm and no revenge”. For the first time, student leaders join a caretaker government. There is uncertainty over the role the military will play in the period leading up to the election, expected over the next three months. Activists and analysts stress the importance of maintaining stability.

| 10/08/2024
| BANGLADESH
 
UN report: minorities, including Christians, targeted by regime during pro-Mahsa Amini protests

A new report by a UN fact-finding mission exposes the repression endured by Iran’s ethnic and religious minorities. In the Islamic Republic, persecution on gender grounds intersects with persecution on ethnic and religious grounds. Even children are victims of particularly serious violence. The hijab hides “gender apartheid”.

| 10/08/2024
| IRAN - UNITED NATIONS
 
Card Sako: 10 years after the Islamic State, Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders ‘must stand together’ against hatred
by card. Louis Raphael Sako*

In early August 2014, the advance by the Islamic State sparked the great Christian flight from Mosul and the Nineveh Plain. This tragedy is still etched in the victims’ memory and only 60 per cent have returned to their lands. The Chaldean primate calls for a move away from "fear and despair" by stopping the conflicts that ravage the region.

| 09/08/2024
| IRAQ
 
Chinese Christian jurist asserts that freedom of worship complies with the constitution

In Shanxi, a court president illegally keeps three Protestant leaders in prison without trial. But the law can also be used to show that religious freedom conforms with the law, this according to Feng Xuewei, a legal expert who worked on China’s entry in the WTO.

| 08/08/2024
| RED LANTERNS
 
Br Patton: 'surreal' calm before Iran’s attack, while Christians struggle to survive
by Dario Salvi

Speaking to AsiaNews, the Custos of the Holy Land describes a surreal feeling, with something “looming" from Iran. Israel’s nationalist-religious leaders are fuelling the conflict, while Israeli civil society is unable to find a political response. Defending Christian-owned land and property is essential for the future.

| 06/08/2024
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
Christian persecution in Laos: evangelical pastor killed

Thongkham Philavanh, 40, was attacked in his home in the village of Vanghay. Rescued by his wife, he died on arrival in hospital. The murder of Pastor Sy Sengmany in 2022, a case that is still unsolved. A relative of Philavanh: ‘Groups of people do not like what he did’. 

| 26/07/2024
| LAOS
 
Sagar: Hindu extremists attack Catholic-run school teaching English for ‘hurting religious sentiments
by Nirmala Carvalho

In Madhya Pradesh a misunderstanding during a school lesson is exploited by Hindutva group to attack school run by the Sisters of Sain t Elizabeth. Bishop Athikalam slams the shameful violence against women who have been serving the community for 50 years, “working towards nation-building.”

| 25/07/2024
| INDIA
 
Iraq, the return of Isis in a crescendo of attacks. Card. Sako meets the premier

In the first six months of the year, the Islamic State has already carried out 153 operations and is reportedly trying to ‘rebuild itself’. The jihadists' strength in acting and carrying out their objectives is worrying. The prime minister praises the ‘diversity’ represented by Christians, who are a ‘factor of stability’. The Chaldean Synod closes with an appeal for unity among Churches and belonging to the land.

| 19/07/2024
| IRAQ
 
Jabalpur: scam to bring Christian schools to their knees
by Nirmala Carvalho

For almost two months a priest, a Protestant bishop, and some principals have been in prison on charges of collecting exorbitant school fees. The increase was calculated on the first COVID-19 year, when prices had been reduced by order of local authorities. “We've done nothing in mala fide,” said Bishop Arasu speaking to AsiaNews. “We're willing even to approach the Supreme Court.”

| 18/07/2024
| INDIA
 
Confessional violence, quotas and rights in meeting between Modi and Indian bishops
by Nirmala Carvalho

Yesterday the prime minister received a delegation led by the president of the Bishops' Conference (Cbci). In the letter, besides the ritual congratulations for the new mandate, all the concerns for Christians from the attacks in Manipur to the quota issue. Among the topics also Pope Francis' visit to India.

| 13/07/2024
| INDIA
 
Christians are the most persecuted minority group in Turkey in 2023

A report by the Freedom of Belief Initiative shows the extent of the problem. After Christians come Jews, Alevis, Yazidis, and atheists. Especially targeted are cemeteries, places of worship, homes, and schools linked to religious groups. Anti-Jewish violence has escalated since Israel's war in Gaza.

| 12/07/2024
| TURKEY
 
More arrests among Montagnard Christians despite Hanoi's progress with the Vatican

Shrouded in mystery is the fate of 11 Christians, including six Protestants (Degar) and five Catholics from the Ha Mon community. They had been sentenced in the past, when their sentences expired 'there is no news' and 'they seem to have disappeared'. The basis of the sentence was 'religious activity or affiliation'. Concerns about these repressions persist in spite of openness towards the local Church and the Holy See.

| 10/07/2024
| VIETNAM
 
Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh: Christians still targeted
by Nirmala Carvalho

An evangelical community that prayed in a private home battered and detained after Hindu extremists accused them of 'forced conversions'. In the district of Jabalpur, an investigation into book prices inflated by a publisher sent to prison only the leaders of the most renowned Christian schools, including a Protestant bishop and a Catholic priest.

| 08/07/2024
| INDIA
 
Christian man is sentenced to death for blasphemy over Jaranwala riots while those who torched churches and homes walk free
by Shafique Khokhar

A Punjab court issued a surreal verdict in connection with the brutal attack against a Christian neighbourhood in August 2023, handing down a death sentence against Ahsan Masih, a young man who, like thousands others, shared a post on a social media that was construed as “instigating” violence. By contrast, 135 people arrested for involvement in the incident have walked free. For Fr Khalid Rashid Asi, the sentence was issued under extremist pressure, but eventually “truth will win”.

| 02/07/2024
| PAKISTAN
 
Kurdistan: Turkish army strikes Christian villages, two churches destroyed

A series of bombings and raids have hit the Dohuk governorate over the weekend. Miska and Rabatkeh were targeted, houses and places of worship were hit. Residents put out a fire triggered by the bombs, limiting the damage. The hashtag #Turkey_Occupies_Dohuk has gone viral.

| 02/07/2024
| IRAQ - TURKEY
 
Catholics in Saudi Arabia: the 'hidden face' of faith, between Islam and religious freedom
by Dario Salvi

An AsiaNews source recounts the life of Catholics. One million people, mostly economic migrants, celebrate their faith "in private". The bond with the universal Church and the hope of one day being able to gather and pray in a church. The Internet has strengthened community relations and facilitated attendance at services. A "long history" of "discreet" presence in the region.

| 02/07/2024
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
Lynched and set on fire, Mohammad Ismail is the latest victim of Pakistan’s blasphemy rules
by Shafique Khokhar

The man was holidaying in the Swat Valley. Police arrested him on charges of burning pages of the Qur'ān, but a mob stormed the station and killed him. Activist accuses Pakistan of being "a barbarian state" while the authorities remain silent. For Naveed Walter, “No one is safe now.” In another case, the wife of Nazir Masih, another lynch mob victim, died from the traumatic experience. In Sialkot, a Christian man is on the run.

| 22/06/2024
| PAKISTAN
 
Shanghai: Is religious freedom Zhang Zhan's new 'red line'?

The blogger who spent four years in prison for reporting on the pandemic in Wuhan was threatened with arrest again a few days after her release. Three weeks ago, visibly distressed, she spoke about her faith behind bars in a Zoom meeting organised up by Chinese house churches, which are persecuted by the authorities.

| 19/06/2024
| CHINA
 
Mosul Eye: ten years after Isis, the eyes of a wounded people reborn
by Dario Salvi

On the anniversary of the Iraqi city's fall into the hands of the radical Islamist movement, Omar Mohammed - the blogger who chronicled its brutality - talks to AsiaNews about the importance of remembrance, the pope's visit in 2021 and the challenge of reconstruction based on ‘inclusion’. Chaldean Patriarch Sako: the memory of jihadist violence spurs the construction of a ‘civil and democratic’ state. 

| 11/06/2024
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
Turkey, Constitutional Court: Expulsion of Protestant leaders does not violate freedom of faith

The Protestant community, with more than 170 communities scattered throughout the country and 8,000 adherents, was in the crosshairs. For the judges, expelling or banning entry on the basis of intelligence reports does not constitute a violation of religious practice. A majority decision, opposed by the former president. In the meantime, there is renewed talk of a possible reopening of the Greek Orthodox seminary in Halki in the near future. 

| 10/06/2024
| TURKEY
 
Nazir Masih, Christian lynched on false blasphemy charges in Sargodha, dies
by Shafique Khokhar

The mob that attacked the victim on 25 May also set his home and business on fire. The rest of the family miraculously escaped. Doubts are being raised over the timing of his death, with some believing the government delayed the announcement to avoid international censure. Activists accuse the authorities of knowingly covering for the groups who use the law to kill indiscriminately.

| 03/06/2024
| PAKISTAN
 
Card. Zenari: Words from Brussels as Syria languishes forgotten
by Dario Salvi

Donor countries meet to discuss Syria, but the country's ‘forgotten war’ continues to provoke suffering and the flight of its population (about 500 a day). Speaking to AsiaNews, the apostolic nuncio in Damascus describes a ‘stagnant political process’ while ‘the only progress is in terms of poverty’. The exodus of Christians ‘another great wound that bleeds’. 

| 28/05/2024
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
Founded by missionaries in the early 1900s, Kermanshah’s Masih Hospital demolished

Designed by the Iranian-Armenian architect Markar Galstiants, the structure was one of the many hospitals and facilities founded by American Presbyterian missionaries at the start of the last century. Saved from demolition four years ago, it was described by city's heritage director as “valuable” and “historic”.

 

| 25/05/2024
| IRAN
 
Cotabato: government and Church unanimously condemn attack on Santo Niño Chapel

The raid took place on 19 May, Pentecost Sunday. Two men on a motorbike threw a grenade during the service. Marybel Atis, 40, and Rosita Tubilo, 65, were hit by the shrapnel, sustaining several injuries. Card. Quevedo: 'dastardly' attack and 'sacrilegious act'. Appeal to the authorities for justice to be done.

| 22/05/2024
| PHILIPPINES
 
The Sultan's basilicas: after St Sophia, Chora also reopens as a mosque

The building is accessible to the public and the faithful after the official inauguration ceremony. The former Christian place of worship was converted by presidential decree in August 2020. President Erdogan extols the thousands of 'ancestral heritage sites' to which he would 'breathe new life', but makes no mention of its origin as a basilica. 

| 08/05/2024
| TURKEY
 
Gaza, Abbot Schnabel: the ‘scandal’ of Christian forgiveness and the war that ‘de-humanises’
by Dario Salvi

The German-born Benedictine who leads the Dormition Monastery stigmatises the ‘fanatical’ attitude while ‘people are suffering, dying’. The opposing front seen as ‘monster’ or ‘animal’ to justify the violence. The rise to power of the ultra-right Ben-Gvir government has led to an escalation in anti-Christian attacks in the Old City. Like Jesus prayer and forgiveness in response to hatred, the way to reconciliation.

| 07/05/2024
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
Damaged by an earthquake, Aleppo’s Church of St George is rededicated

Reconstruction work lasted over a year. The entire Christian community, from Greek Melkites to the Evangelicals, gathered for a day of celebration. The service was led by Primate Youssef Absi. Caught between warrying Armenians and Azerbaijanis, the historic church of St John the Baptist in Shushi has been destroyed.

| 27/04/2024
| SYRIA – AZERBAJIAN
 
Gao Zhisheng, missing for seven years in China’s prison system

The Christian lawyer turned 60 on 20 April, but Chinese authorities have refused to provide any information about his fate. Repeated appeals from his wife, human rights NGOs, and UN agencies have been ignored. He is among the many victims of enforced disappearances by China’s communist regime.

| 27/04/2024
| CHINA



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