religious persecution
Putin disavows crackdown on Jehovah’s Witnesses, giving hope to detained
By Marc Bennetts — January 9, 2019
MOSCOW (RNS) — After the arrests of dozens of members of the group, the Russian president's comments seem to challenge a 2017 ruling by the country's Supreme Court marking the church as a terrorist organization.
Pakistani Christians face an uneasy Christmas in the wake of Asia Bibi’s release
By Bob Smietana — December 20, 2018
LAHORE, Pakistan (RNS) — The fallout from the release of Bibi — whose death sentence for blasphemy was rescinded this year — has left Pakistan's Christians wary of a backlash this Christmas.
Prince Charles calls for Middle East peace at service for persecuted Christians
By Catherine Pepinster — December 3, 2018
LONDON (RNS) — The plight of persecuted Christians is a cause that has become dear to the heir to the British throne.
Pastor talks of breakdown in Turkey, but also forgiveness
By Ben Finley — October 20, 2018
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — People the Brunsons had known testified against him, but Andrew Brunson said, 'It's not an option not to forgive; we are required to as Christians.'
As refugee admissions drop, fewer persecuted Christians admitted to US: World Relief
By Emily McFarlan Miller — October 18, 2018
(RNS) — The drop comes despite President Trump’s pledge during his first week in office that helping persecuted Christians overseas would be a priority for his administration.
Why evangelical Christians — and all of us — should stand up for the Uighurs
By Bob Roberts — September 10, 2018
(RNS) — Religious freedom isn’t just for your own faith. It’s for people of all faiths or it isn’t religious freedom at all.
A year later, fractured Rohingya community sees little hope
By Julhas Alam — August 24, 2018
KUTUPALONG, Bangladesh (AP) — One year later, despite months of discussions among Myanmar, Bangladesh, the United Nations and a string of aid agencies, there are few signs that the Rohingya can go home anytime soon.
Myanmar snubs Hague court’s intervention in Rohingya crisis
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 10, 2018
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — The government refuses to recognize the Rohingya as a legitimate native ethnic minority. Most Rohingya are denied citizenship and other rights.
Trump: US to impose sanctions on Turkey over detained pastor
By Susanna George — July 26, 2018
Shortly after the possibility of sanctions was first announced by Vice President Mike Pence Thursday, Trump wrote on Twitter that the U.S. "will impose large sanctions on Turkey for their long time detainment of Pastor Andrew Brunson."
Turkey: American pastor on trial for terror let out of jail
By Zeynep Bilginsoy — July 25, 2018
An American pastor who had been jailed in Turkey for more than 1½ years on terror and espionage charges was released Wednesday and put under house arrest as his trial continues.
Stop the ‘weaponization’ of religion in Pakistani politics
By Johnnie Moore — July 24, 2018
(RNS) For Pakistan’s Christians and minority Ahmadi Muslims, the run-up to Wednesday’s (July 25) elections has been terrifying. Now, without sustained pressure on the vote's winners, the country's religious minorities will soon face an existential threat.
Global religious freedom commission cites 28 key nations for ‘ongoing downward trend’
By Adelle M. Banks — April 25, 2018
(RNS) — Commissioners traveled to a dozen countries to assess religious freedom conditions, prioritizing religious prisoners of conscience, blasphemy laws and the connections between women’s equality and freedom of belief.
‘I feel trapped’: Violence fuels fear among Myanmar Muslims
By Foster Klug — February 12, 2018
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Rohingya in Yangon describe a sense of rising persecution and hatred, of vanishing freedoms and opportunities, of Buddhist neighbors and friends suddenly more willing to publicly express sympathies with the military's destruction of Rohingya villages in Rakhine.
The history of the persecution of Myanmar’s Rohingya
By Engy Abdelkader — September 21, 2017
(The Conversation) — This pattern of persecution goes back to 1948 – the year when the country achieved independence from their British colonizers.
North Korea releases Canadian pastor sentenced to life in prison
By Lauren Markoe — August 9, 2017
(RNS) — The Rev. Rim Hyon Su was accused by the state of using religion as a ruse to overthrow the government.
