religious persecution
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.
Escaping Pakistani persecution, Ahmadi activist finds refuge — and purpose — in US
By Madiha Waris Qureshi — August 1, 2017
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Given his fiery online writings about minority rights — a potential death sentence for Pakistani activists and journalists — Ehsan Rehan was forced to leave his native coutry.
Are Chinese Christians persecuted? Not exactly
By Richard Mouw — July 12, 2017
I saw no sign of it last month when I visited Harbin, a city of ten million in the northeastern province of Heilongjian.
Pope visit to Egypt to go ahead despite blasts but security big concern
By Jerome Socolovsky — April 10, 2017
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Diplomats and Vatican sources cautioned that the trip could be put in jeopardy or parts of it changed if the security situation worsened.
Rage at abandonment by the state as Egypt’s Christians dig graves after bombing
By Reuters — April 10, 2017
TANTA, Egypt (Reuters) - ISIS claims responsibility, warning of more attacks and boasting of the number of people killed by three church bombings it says it has carried out since December: 80.
Explosion at Egypt Nile Delta church kills at least 25, injures 60
By Ahmed Tolba — April 9, 2017
(Reuters) There was no immediate claim of responsibility and the cause of the blast, just one week before Coptic Easter and the same month that Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Egypt, was not known.
Trump is right: It’s moral and legal to prioritize persecuted Christians
By Johnnie Moore — February 7, 2017
(RNS) For far too long, our country has not done enough to help religious minorities in the Middle East via safe zones or refugee resettlement.