Tag: Minorities

Pope and Assyrian patriarch ‘share suffering’ of Christians in Middle East

November 12, 2018 Assyrians, Iraq, Middle East, Minorities, Pope Francis, Syria

Pope Francis met with Mar Gewargis III, Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, at the Vatican on Friday, 9 November. (Photo: Getty Images)

Pope Francis and the head of the Assyrian Church of the East, Mar Gewargis III, have called for an end to the violence against Christians in the Middle East, following their meeting in Rome on Friday, 9 November, reports Catholic news site Crux. The church leaders said both communities “shared . . . Read More

Iraq: Christian school’s reopening a ‘victory over extremism’

November 8, 2018 Iraq Children, Education, Iraq, Islamic State, Minorities, Mosul, Terrorism

The reopening of the oldest Christian school in Mosul – a northern Iraqi city once controlled by IS – has been hailed as a “victory over terrorism and extremism”. The Shimon Safa Elementary School was closed for four years, but has welcomed 400 students – aged between six and 12 . . . Read More

Islamists suspected of bus attack killed, as Copts mourn

November 5, 2018 Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Anba Macarius, Copts, Egypt, Islamic State, Minorities, Minya, Mohamed Morsi

Egypt’s interior ministry claimed yesterday to have killed 19 Islamist militants suspected of carrying out the bus attack on Friday that killed seven Copts and injured over a dozen others. The militants were killed in a shootout in the desert area west of Minya governorate, where the attack took place, . . . Read More

Pakistan paralysed following Asia Bibi’s victory in Supreme Court

November 2, 2018 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Islamic extremism, Minorities, Pakistan, Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan

The victory of Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi in the Supreme Court has sparked nationwide protests, led by supporters of the Islamist political party Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP). TLP, which stands for the “Here-I-Am Movement”, is a rising party known for organising street protests in opposition to any changes to the blasphemy . . . Read More

‘Untouchable’ caste identity haunts Pakistani Christians like Asia Bibi

November 1, 2018 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Caste, Gilgit, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Karachi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lahore, Minorities, Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, Peshawar, Punjab, Quetta, Sindh, Sweepers

Asia Bibi was on death row for blasphemy, after offering drinking water which she, as a Christian, was considered to have made “unclean” by her touch. She got into an argument over this. Many Pakistani Christians – who are about 2% of the population – are children of converts to . . . Read More

‘A victory for Pakistan and millions of its marginalised people’ – son of governor who was killed for defence of innocent Asia Bibi

October 31, 2018 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Islamabad, Islamic extremism, Lahore, Minorities, Mumtaz Qadri, Pakistan, Salmaan Taseer, Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan

Shahbaz Taseer. (Photo: beenasarwar.com)

Demonstrations were held in several cities in Pakistan following the acquittal of Asia Bibi of blasphemy charges by the Supreme Court earlier today (31 October). However, the numbers were in the hundreds rather than the thousands that might have been anticipated. And the son of the ex-Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, . . . Read More

Pakistani mother Asia Bibi wins appeal against death sentence for blasphemy

October 31, 2018 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Imran Khan, Islamabad, Islamic extremism, Lahore, Minorities, Mumtaz Qadri, Pakistan, Salmaan Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti, Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan

Asia Bibi is finally free, almost one decade after she was first imprisoned. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman on death row for blasphemy since 2010, has won her final appeal. She is expected to be freed from prison soon, but there are still fears for her personal safety, as many in the country still believe that she should die. Her case has divided . . . Read More

Indonesia: New religious education bill requires registration of Sunday schools

October 30, 2018 Indonesia Ahok, Blasphemy, Education, Indonesia, Indonesian Ulema Council, Joko Widodo, Minorities

Under the new religious education law churches will also need government approval to hold Sunday school and Bible classes. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Christians in Indonesia are opposing a new religious education bill that will require them to obtain government approval for holding Sunday schools or confirmation classes, reports the Catholic news site UCAN. The draft bill prescribes that these classes can only be offered if there are at least 15 participants and . . . Read More

Religious freedom key to ensuring other human rights, say UN rapporteurs

October 24, 2018 Global News -- No Particular Country Ahmed Shaheed, Human rights, Minorities, Religious freedom, UN

Desecrated church in Qaraqosh, Iraq (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

The level of religious freedom in a country is a good indicator of its general human rights situation, UN special rapporteurs said at an event at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday, 22 October. “Infringements on freedom of religion or belief serve as the early warning signs of . . . Read More

Asia Bibi appeal complainant not even present at time of her alleged ‘blasphemy’

October 19, 2018 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Minorities, Pakistan, Prophet Muhammad, Quran

Asia Bibi with Punjab Governor, Salmaan Taseer, who was assassinated for supporting her case. (Photo: Office of the Governor of Punjab)

Asia Bibi’s final appeal against her execution in the Supreme Court of Pakistan went on for more than two hours. Below, World Watch Monitor provides details of what was said. Asia Bibi’s appeal hearing on 8 October took place before a three-member bench – Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Asif . . . Read More

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