Persecuted Church News

Monday, March 12, 2012

Iranian Believer Released from Jail

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

TEHRAN, IRAN (ANS) -- An Iranian Christian news agency reports the release of a Christian believer after almost three months of detention by authorities.

Farsi Christian News Network (www.fcnn.com ) says Davood Ali-J

Davood Ali-Jani (David) [Photo courtesy FCNN].

ani (David) a 32 year old active member of the Church of “The Assembly of God” in Ahvaz, was seized by security agents at the church during a raid on Dec. 23.

FCNN says Davood was eventually allowed home on bail on Thursday, March 8.

According to FCNN, after the release of Mrs. Shahnaz Jizan, the wife of Pastor Farhad Sabokruh on the first day of the year following payment of US$ 200,000, it was hoped that the rest of those arrested would also be released. However, only Rev. Farhad Sabokruh, pastor of “The Assembly of God” Church, and Mr. Naser Zamen-Dezfuli, were released temporarily on about $200,000 bail for each of them on February 21.

FCNN states that on Friday, Dec. 23 at 11:00 local time, during the weekly service in the Church of The Assembly of God in the city of Ahvaz, which is the center of oil-rich province of Khuzestan and is located about 900 Km south-west of Tehran, a large number of State Security agents surrounded the building and raided the church, situated in Kianpars 3th street.

In its report, FCNN says: “All those present, including children attending their Friday school, were arrested, mobile phones confiscated, and the church building thoroughly searched by the plainclothes agents who refused to identify themselves.

“A number of computers, all Audio-Visual equipment, and hundreds of copies of Christian books, were seized and removed. Church attendees were relieved of their mobiles and taken on two buses to an unknown destination.”

FCNN reported that almost all detainees, after a thorough search and considerable verbal abuse, were released a few hours later.

** Michael Ireland is the Senior International Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior International Reporter

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Dutch Member of Parliament Demands Revocation of Pastor Nadarkhani’s Execution, delivers Petition to the Iranian Embassy in The Hague

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS (ANS) -- A petition to save the life of Christian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani has been hand-delivered to the Iranian ambassador in The Hague.

Dutch Parliamentarian Joel Voordewind and Peter Bronsveld of Jubilee Campaign delivering the Petition to the Iranian Embassy in The Hague.(Photo courtesy Jubilee Campaign)

According to Jubilee Campaign www.jubileecampaign.org , Joël Voordewind, Dutch member of Parliament, offered the petition with the more than 20,000 signatures directly to the Iranian Ambassador and demanded the revocation of the death sentence and Nadarkhani's immediate release.

Jubilee Campaign Netherland's Board Member, Peter Bronsveld, participated in the meeting.

Prior to the meeting, Jubilee Campaign had double-checked with inside sources to ensure that Pastor Nadarkhani is still alive.

Late last week, obscure sources released information that the execution had already taken place.

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which has been closely following the case and undertaking public efforts to stop the execution, also confirmed that the report was false.

In a media update, Jubilee Campaign’s Ann Buwalda, Chairman Jubilee Campaign The Netherlands, says: “Whether the execution order has been issued remains unclear because of denials by Iranian authorities, although reliable sources in the country state that the execution order has been issued.

“The fact that the Iranian authorities are denying the execution order is a clear result from all the prayers and advocacy efforts from around the world. Truly, Yousef Nadarkhani is only alive as a result of the ongoing international pressure and the media attention that has been given to this case.

“Our gratitude goes out to the growing group of citizens and politicians, at this moment more than 20.000 people, who made it possible for us to visit the Iranian Embassy by promoting our website through Twitter, Facebook and by forwarding our e-mailings.”

Ann Buwalda presents petition to Dutch Parliamentarian Joel Voordewind (Photo courtesy Jubilee Campaign)

Buwalda said that an important result of the visit to the Iranian embassy in The Hague is the invitation to Jubilee Campaign and Dutch Parliamentarian Joël Voordewind to go to Teheran for discussions and diplomacy.

“During his more than five years in the Dutch Parliament representing the Christian Union party, Mr. Voordewind has been a determined and unflinching advocate of persecuted Christians,” Buwalda said.

“After our visit to the Iranian Embassy we will certainly keep campaigning with undivided commitment! Please keep partnering with us in our struggle to save the life of Yousef Nadarkhani.”

Please pray for the release of all current 20-plus Christians in Iranian jails for their faith.

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Belarus Bishop’s request in letter complaining about pastor’s house raid has been denied

By Victoria Uzunova of the Christian Telegraph (www.christiantelegraph.com)
Special to ASSIST News Service

MINSK, BELARUS (ANS) -- The main Department of Internal Affairs of the Minsk City Executive Committee refused to examine a letter from Sergey Homich, Bishop of the United Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith in Belarus, in which he asked officials to explain why a pastor’s house was stormed reports the Christian mega portal -- www.InVictory.org -- in reference to Grace Church press center.

Men attacking the church (Photo: www.Invictory.org)

According to the Committee’s reply, the letter was denied since it “lacked the necessary documentation” that it said should have been included to confirm the applicant’s authority.

However, according the Belarusian law, written appeals do not require such documentation.

As was reported earlier, several men in camouflage burst into the house of a pastor from the John the Precursor Church in Minsk.

There were 50 people in the house at the time, 32 of whom were arrested and taken to the police department. After few hours, they were released.

Victoria Uzunova is a correspondent for the Christian Telegraph [www.christiantelegraph.com ], a unique Christian news service partnering with the largest Christian News Agency in Russian language InVictory News [www.invictory.org/news/] which is one of few news gateways of what is happening in Christianity in such former USSR countries as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Georgia and others.

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Russian Prosecutor General’s Office condemns hunt for Protestants

By Victoria Uzunova of the Christian Telegraph (www.christiantelegraph.com)
Special to ASSIST News Service

REPUBLIC OF BASHKORTOSTAN, RUSSIA (ANS) -- The Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation has demanded that comments from the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia that characterize certain registered religious groups as “destructive” be withdrawn, in reference to Associated Russian Union of Christians of Evangelical-Pentecostal Faith press center.

An Evangelical church service in the
Republic of Bashkortostan

A letter from Sergey Ryahovski, Supervisory Bishop of the Associated Russian Union of Christians of Evangelical-Pentecostal Faith, had entreated the Prosecutor General to respond to these allegations.

On October 25th, 2011, Artur Surin, the Deputy Minister of Education of the Republic of Bashkortostan sent letters around to authorities and heads of educational institutions about the dangers of “foreign religious organizations of destructive persuasion.”

These letters stated that there are nearly one hundred religious organizations of “destructive persuasion” in Bashkortostan, including Evangelical Christians, Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists and Evangelical Christian-Baptists.

In an official response to this letter, Victor Grin, the Deputy of Prosecutor-General of Russian Federation, noted that the religious organizations mentioned in Mr. Surin’s letter are “officially registered and act according to the Russian law.” Mr. Surin has also brought a charge by the Prosecutor General's Office.

The Advisory Council of Protestant Leaders of Russia, which consists of leaders of the biggest Russian Protestant unions, also sent an appeal concerning this case to the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.

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Sharp Increase in Religious Freedom Violations Ahead of Pope’s Visit to Cuba

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

Cuban leader Raul Castro under
pressure to improve religious freedom.

CUBA (ANS) -- A UK-based Christian human rights watchdog is expressing concern at an apparent increase in religious freedom violations ahead of Pope Benedict XVI’s planned visit in May.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) www.csw.org.uk says that since January 1, the group has recorded 20 separate incidents of religious freedom violations, compared with 28 in all of 2011.

CSW says some incidents involve a number of people, up to 30 in one case. Religious freedom violations range from preventing people from attending church services, to the seizure of church land, and official harassment, beatings and imprisonment of church leaders.

In a media update, CSW says that a number of Catholic human rights activists, primarily affiliated with the Ladies in White movement, have been arrested or violently prevented from attending church services.

The group says that Caridad Caballero Batista, her husband and 19 year-old son have been barred by the authorities from attending Catholic catechism classes and participating in any other religious activity since January 8.

The group goes on to say that on March 4 Batista and her husband were on their way to Mass when the police, led by a State Security Officer called Yordanis Martinez Leon, took them to the police station, where they were treated roughly and detained in a badly ventilated cell for three hours.

CSW said: “The cell was full of mosquitos, with only a hole in the floor to use as a toilet. Six other women in Holguin city were also prevented from attending church services.”

According to CSW, a Baptist church in Yaguajay, Sancti Spiritus Province, is facing the threat of losing their property.

CSW states that local authorities claim that the church land was nationalized in October 1980 and they are planning to turn over the church property to two state owned companies. The pastor, Yuri Castellanos, and congregation, with the support of the denomination, which owns the church, are calling for international support in their case. The historic church building belonged to the Western Baptist Convention prior to the Revolution.

CSW adds that the pastor of a Baptist church, linked to the same denomination, in Alamar, Havana has been repeatedly fined exorbitant sums of money, equivalent to several months’ salary, since December, because his church building is not registered. However, officials refuse to process his case, and as a result, the church is in danger of being forcibly shut down. The pastor and his family have also been forced into hardship as a result of the exorbitant fines.

CSW states that Francisco Rodriguez, pastor of Cristo Rompe las Cadenas Church, also in Havana, has been harassed by the authorities in recent weeks, including threats of physical violence.

The group says: “The church is also not registered, but it is also part of the Western Baptist Convention. It is thought that the church’s ministry with vagrants and delinquents, who are mostly young people, has brought the pastor to the attention of the authorities. A member of a Cuban rap group which is openly critical of the government is also reported to be attending services at the church.”

CSW explained that the Western Baptist Convention is, together with its geographical counterpart, the Eastern Baptist Convention, the second largest Protestant denomination in Cuba. The denomination operates legally but is not part of the Cuban Council of Churches.

CSW added that large growth in all denominations and severe government restrictions on expanding or building new church facilities has resulted in the mushrooming of “house churches” linked to legal denominations and registered churches. The Second Baptist Church of Alamar and the Cristo Rompe Las Cadenas church are examples of these unregistered churches which are part of a larger, legally recognized denomination.

“The Cuban government systematically applies pressure to religious leaders to expel and shun individuals linked to dissident and human rights groups. Church leaders who reject government interference in the church and who refuse to expel these individuals are particularly persecuted,” CSW stated.

CSW’s Advocacy Director Andrew Johnston said: “CSW is deeply concerned at the sharp increase in reported cases of religious freedom violations in Cuba. Our figures are not exhaustive; however they are an indication of a trend which our contacts have confirmed is affecting Christians of all denominations. In the run-up to Pope Benedict XVI’s visit, it is apparent that the Cuban authorities are conducting a crackdown on religious freedom, and this must not be allowed to continue unchallenged.”

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a Christian organization working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.

__________________________________________________________

For further information or to arrange interviews please contact Kiri Kankhwende, Press Officer at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44 (0)20 8329 0045 / +44 (0) 78 2332 9663, emailkiri@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk.

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Burmese Christians Seek Refuge in India

By Jenny Yang
Special to ASSIST News Service

The mountainous terrain of India's Mizoram State, on Burma's border.

BALTIMORE, MD (ANS) -- For years, I had heard that thousands of refugees from Chin State in Burma were fleeing into Mizoram State, India, to escape persecution at the hands of the Burmese military regime.

We heard these stories from the Chin people who were resettled to the United States through World Relief, pleading with us that their family and friends left behind in Mizoram desperately needed our assistance and protection. This population has been out of sight and out of mind of the international community because access to the Northeast area of India has been restricted for decades by the Indian central government. The Indian government lifted these restrictions in December 2011, which allowed me to participate in an assessment trip to see first-hand the challenges that these refugees face in this remote area of India.

Palm Sunday procession in Mizoram.

Mizoram State is a beautiful, rugged, mountainous area of India where houses hover on stilts over 40 feet ravines and children play alongside windy, unpaved roads. What’s striking to me about Mizoram is not only the physical beauty of the state but the vibrancy of the Mizo people’s Christian faith. Mizoram is the most Christian state in all of India where over 95 percent of the residents are Christians. In fact, the church is the strongest institution in the state, providing much needed social services through hospitals, orphanages and schools.

While the beauty and vibrancy of Mizoram shone, we also met with Chin refugees who are living in the shadows of this beautiful society. The horrific abuses they escaped in Burma are haunting and real. One woman, for example, was a teacher in Burma and one of her 14-year old students was raped by Burmese soldiers. When she reported this abuse to the authorities, they came to her house looking for her and she fled to India to seek safety.

She runs a small tea shop in Mizoram and tries to take care of her parents and brother who was tortured in Burma and escaped to India a few years before her arrival. We also met an 18 year old youth who was forced to porter for the Burmese military over 20 times in his young life, often for weeks at a time, carrying heavy military equipment and supplies with no pay, away from his family.

Chin refugee women sell vegetables in the marketplace to eke out a living.

While these refugees have found some safety in India, the fear that the refugees live with in India is palpable. Without any form of proper protection in the form of documentation, many fear being deported back to Burma where they could be persecuted again. For many Chin refugees, they hope for the day when they can return to a safe, democratic, free Chin state in Burma. In the meantime, the Chin people in Mizoram yearn to be able to integrate into their host country of India.

It is my hope that the international community will come alongside the church in Mizoram to welcome the Chins through protection and humanitarian assistance efforts, and that the U.S. government continues to raise with the Indian government the need to provide protection to this group of vulnerable refugees.

The full 134-page report with findings, recommendations, and photographs and a shorter executive summary can be found at www.chinseekingrefuge.com

Jenny Yang is Director of Advocacy and Policy at World Relief (www.WorldRelief.org).

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