Christian Persecution – Africa

Supporters of five religious rights groups have demonstrated outside the Eritrean embassy in London against “human rights violations” in Eritrea where up to 3,000 Christians remain detained without charges, organizers said Friday, May 29.

Three women were free Friday, May 8, as Eritrean authorities unexpectedly released them from a notorious military prison camp where they were detained for six months because of their membership of a “banned” Christian movement, an advocacy group with close knowledge of the situation said.

Christians in Sudan faced another tense day Wednesday, April 29, amid reports that followers of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir have intensified attacks on Christians and others they believe support the International Criminal Court’s recent decision to prosecute the president for his alleged involvement in atrocities in the Darfur region.

An ex-Muslim who converted to Christianity and her Christian husband were in hiding Tuesday, April 28, amid threats from family members and police, the latest in a series of attacks against Coptic Christians this month, in which at least two people were killed, several sources said.

Minority Christians in Pakistan feared more attacks Sunday, April 26, after militants of the Taliban group executed two residents in a Christian neighborhood while one child died during a crackdown on believers, local Christians and rights investigators confirmed.

Amid international pressure, Libya has released four Christians who were detained for converting from Islam, after nearly three months of imprisonment, Worthy News learned Tuesday, April 21 from a key advocacy group involved in the case.

Christian rights activists have expressed concerns over the alleged international efforts by Eritrea’s government to intimidate opponents of its policies, after an Italian human rights defender was seriously injured when Eritrean government supporters apparently threw rocks and bottles at her during a demonstration in Rome.

Four religious liberty groups urged the European Commission, the European Union’s executive branch, Wednesday, April 1, “to ensure that aid money” allocated to Eritrea “reaches and benefits the people of that country,” amid concerns it may only reach “one of the most repressive” governments of Africa.

Morocco said Sunday, March 29, it has expelled five Christian missionaries because they were “ilegally” trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.

Two Italian nuns kidnapped by Somali gunmen in a cross-border raid into Kenya in November were spent another day in freedom Thursday, February 26, after they were suddenly freed, missionaries confirmed.

The Christian mother of two 14-year-old twins Andrew and Mario Medhat was preparing legal action Saturday, February 21, after receiving the right to challenge a custody decision awarding her sons to their Muslim father.

Six Christian brothers who refused to close their cafe during the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadan, were behind bars in Egypt Saturday, February 21, after they were sentenced to three years in prison with hard labor, a rights group confirmed.

A Christian human rights activist and Internet writer spent his first weekend in freedom Saturday, February 14, after he was suddenly released by Egyptian security forces.