Sudanese Christians stay at home from services amid attacks on churches
Nairobi, Kenya Evangelist James Kuwa is unable to continue his ministry in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, as his church, along with hundreds of others, has faced ongoing attacks. “We are unable to gather for services and worship God due to attacks on places of worship,” he stated. He pointed out that even mosques have […]
Azerbaijan: As COP29 begins, some voice concerns over religious freedom in host nation
ALEJA HERTZLER-MCCAIN, of Religion News Service, reports on questions about human rights and religious freedom violations in the former Soviet republic…
An American pastor detained in China for nearly 20 years has been released
Washington DC, US AP A Christian pastor from California has been freed from China after nearly 20 years behind bars and is back home in the US, the State Department said Monday. David Lin, 68, was detained after he entered China in 2006, later convicted of contract fraud and sentenced to life in prison, according to the […]
Azerbaijan named among religious freedom violators by religious liberty watchdog
United States RNS An independent watchdog on religious liberty has recommended Azerbaijan be listed among the State Department’s “countries of particular concern” that have committed the most egregious violations of religious freedom. In its annual report, issued on Wednesday, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom also urged the addition of Kyrgyzstan to the department’s […]
US religious freedom watchdog “implores” Biden administration to designate India
Washington DC, US Reuters The US religious freedom watchdog on Friday again called on the Biden administration to designate India as a “country of particular concern” under the US Religious Freedom Act, citing its alleged targeting of religious minorities overseas. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent federal government commission, said “recent […]
Essay: Repression of women points to worsening religious freedom trends abroad
NURY TURKEL, co-founder of the Uyghur Human Rights Project and chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, and Rabbi ABRAHAM COOPER, director of global social action for the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and vice chair of USCIRF, say that denying religious freedom and women’s rights go hand-in-hand…
Iran, 27 other countries critiqued by US watchdog for religious freedom violations
United States RNS A watchdog for global religious freedom has used its new annual report to call out the Iranian Government for targeting women’s rights protesters during demonstrations last year. The report also points out the country’s “decades-long campaign” against religious minorities. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom criticised Iran for repressing the religious […]
Members of US religious freedom panel speak out against China-Vatican deal
Vatican City RNS Members of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom criticised a recently renewed Vatican deal with China, saying it emboldens the Chinese government to crackdown on Christian communities. The secretive provisional agreement, originally signed in 2018 and renewed on 2nd October, allows Beijing to have a say in the appointment of bishops in […]
Taliban impose “harsh” limits on Afghans’ religious freedom – US panel
Washington DC, US Reuters Conditions for religious freedom in Afghanistan have “drastically deteriorated” since the Taliban seized power last year as the last US-led foreign troops pulled out after 20 years of war, a bipartisan US commission said on Tuesday. The Sunni Muslim extremists’ “harsh enforcement” of their hardline version of Islam “violates the freedom […]
Biden names Catholic activist Stephen Schneck to religious freedom panel
United States RNS Stephen Schneck, a prominent Catholic political activist and academic, has been appointed by US President Joe Biden to serve on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, a federal government panel dedicated to protecting religious minorities and other persecuted groups abroad. Schneck, 69, confirmed his appointment on Wednesday in an email to […]