Tajikistan: Children barred from attending church, 5,000 Christian calendars burned

A church in Isfara, northern Tajikistan. (Photo: 2005, World Watch Monitor)
Tajik authorities implementing a new religion law are barring children from attending religious services and have burned thousands of calendars with Bible verses. Amendments to Tajikistan’s Religion Law came into force in January last year, giving the state greater control over religious education, and increase the amount of information religious organisations . . . Read More

CAR: Children hurt as another displaced persons camp attacked

As many as 100 civilians lost their lives in an attack on a refugee camp and cathedral in Alindao last month, said Amnesty International. (Photo: Catholic Church in CAR)
A church-run camp for displaced people in south-eastern Central African Republic was attacked on Tuesday, 4 December, less than three weeks after 60 people, including two priests, were killed in an attack on another camp. Tuesday’s attack took place in the town of Ippy, which is 200km north of the . . . Read More

Syrian village bombed: five children under 15 – three from same family – among 12 killed

Syrian village bombed: five children under 15 – three from same family – among 12 killed
The children were still playing in the streets on Friday night. Then the rebels bombed the village. On Saturday, they should have celebrated a wedding in Mhardeh, a Christian village in northwest Syria. Instead they had to carry ten of their own to the grave; two more later died in . . . Read More