UN Human Rights Council Approves Inquiry into Eritrea
On Saturday the UN’s Human Rights Council created a commission of inquiry into Eritrea, one of the world’s most repressive states, according to International Christian Concern.
Christian Persecution – Africa
Meriam Ibrahim Released from Detention; Charged with Attempting to Travel on False Documents
Meriam Ibrahim, a Sudanese woman who was formerly charged with adultery and apostasy, has been released from detention in Khartoum after being rearrested on Tuesday. However, she faces new charges of attempting to travel on false documents punishable by up to five years in prison.
Nigeria’s Boko Haram ‘Seizes Women’ in Borno
More than 60 women and children have been abducted in northern Nigeria by militant Muslims, according to the BBC.
Egyptian Christian Sentenced to Six Years for Blasphemy
A Christian in southern Egypt has been sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison and fined the equivalent of $840 on charges of blasphemy and contempt of Islam for simply “liking” a Facebook page, according to International Christian Concern.
Meriam Ibrahim Rearrested at Airport
Meriam Ibrahim, a Sudanese woman who was sentenced to death for the crimes of adultery and blasphemy, was released yesterday — only to find herself rearrested at the airport as she was trying to leave Sudan, her legal team told CNN.
Meriam Ibrahim ‘Freed’ From Prison
Meriam Yahia Ibrahim, along with her 22-month-old son and 4-week-old daughter, have been released from the Omdurman Federal Women’s Prison by the Khartoum Court of Appeals, according to International Christian Concern.
Church Leaders Condemn Conditions in Eritrea
Four senior church leaders in Eritrea have published an open letter criticizing the African state as “truly shameful and unacceptable,” according to Barnabas Aid.
Egyptian Convert Sentenced to Five Years
Wednesday a judge in Egypt’s Minya Criminal Court sentenced the first Egyptian to legally challenge his official religious status to five years in prison and a fine, according to Morning Star News.
Congress Urges Kerry to Prioritize Ibrahim Case
Thirty-eight U.S. lawmakers sent an open letter to Secretary of State John Kerry Thursday urging him to expedite the case of Meriam Ibrahim, according to International Christian Concern.
Egypt: Over 500 Christian Girls Kidnapped and Forced to Convert since 2011
Hundreds of Coptic Christian women in Egypt have been kidnapped and forced to convert to the Islamic religion of their abductors, according to Christian Today.
Nigerian Village Attacked, 15 Killed, Boko Haram Blamed
Nearly 20 suspected Boko Haram gunmen killed 15 people Sunday in Nigeria’s Borno state, according to CNN.
Al Shabaab Kills Christians in Kenyan Coastal Town
Somalian militants of Islam’s Al Shabaab attacked a predominantly Christian town on Kenya’s coast Sunday night, selectively killing more than 50 Christian males, according to Morning Star News.
Egyptian Christian Teacher Sentenced for Blasphemy
An Egyptian appeals court has upheld the blasphemy conviction of a Coptic Christian living in exile, sentencing her to six months in prison and overturning an earlier ruling that only imposed a fine, according to Yahoo News.
Suspected Boko Haram Insurgents Attack Cameroon Village
More than 300 armed men suspected to be militants of Nigeria’s Islamist Boko Haram sect have attacked the village of Gorsi Tourou in Cameroon, burning churches and looting property, according to the Voice of America.
Bill to Grant Meriam Ibrahim Legal US Status Introduced
Congressman Tom Cotton (R-Dardanelle) Thursday introduced H.R. 4821 to give Meriam Ibrahim and her two children permanent legal status in the United States, according to International Christian Concern.
Islamists torch Christian-owned shops in southern Egypt
A mob of Islamists burned down several Christian-owned shops in southern Egypt near Luxor, according to Jewish and Israel News.
Sudanese Woman Appeals ‘Apostasy’ Death Sentence (Video)
Meriam Ibrahim, the woman sentenced to death in Sudan for refusing to recant her Christian faith, has appealed the verdict against her.
Scores Killed in Fresh Boko Haram Attacks
Heavily armed Boko Haram militants dressed as soldiers shepherded Christians into a church apparently hiding for their safety before being slaughtered in the latest of fresh attacks in the northeastern Borno state of Nigeria.
Sudanese Bombs Kill Nuba Mountain Christian
Last month, the Sudanese Air Force had bombed civilian targets in South Kordofan state, killing at least one Christian while damaging the region’s only hospital as well as a school and a relief agency, according to Morning Star News.
Terror Threat Against Christians in Uganda
The U.S. State Department issued a warning in Uganda of possible attacks. The warning indicates that “churches” face “specific” threats from al-Shabaab, a Somalia-based terrorist organization. The warning comes from the rise of peacekeeping troops arriving in Somalia.