In Depth:  Release International

Three new reports confirm the rising tide of violence against Christians in Nigeria and suggest that more Christians are being killed there than anywhere else in the world.

According to the latest report by Nigerian NGO Intersociety, in the four months from January to April 2021 Nigeria ‘lost no fewer than 1,470 Christians … the highest number recorded since 2014’.

The Day of the Christian Martyr was commemorated on 29 June, remembering the 4,000 Christians a year (or 11 per day) killed for their faith.

Release International held a live Facebook event with a short video presentation featuring interviews with courageous Christians serving in Iran and Nigeria, where many believers are dying for their faith.

After media reports on the ‘brainwashing’ camps for Uighur Muslims, a Christian human rights organisation said the news was the ‘tip of the iceberg’.

Reports from China indicate Christians are facing the worst persecution since the Cultural Revolution.

A major new report on international Christian persecution omits the country of North Korea, it was noted in July.

The annual Pew Report uncovered a record increase in restrictions on religion imposed by many governments around the world. It also finds violence and harassment against religious groups are on the rise. Paul Robinson of Release International welcomed the report, but raised concerns that North Korea had been left out of the study.

Eritrea cracked down on Christians ahead of the country’s Independence Day on 24 May with arrests of more than 140 Christians who were meeting in private in the capital Asmara.

Fourteen children were among the 141 detained, after the authorities raided a Christian gathering in Mai Temenai. The streets were filled with police and secret police trying to prevent protests.

Christians in Central Asia are facing worship bans, arrest and torture as Islamic nationalism gains ground in their countries.

Pastors in the underground church have been describing their ordeal to Release International, who have launched an appeal to help the church in Central Asia.

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Release International

Tougher regulations on religious affairs come into force in February, giving the state greater control over churches and other places of worship.

Those new rules will mean unregistered house churches will face increasingly tough measures to control their activities.

Release International is warning that the flight of faith witnessed in 2015 is set to continue into 2016, as Christian refugees are driven out of their communities and countries because of their religious beliefs.

Release’s annual review of persecution trends finds two key contexts where persecution is set to increase: in the wake of Islamist terror groups, such as IS and Boko Haram, and under authoritarian governments, which regard Christians as a threat or even enemies of the state.

Reports emerged from Iran that an imprisoned Christian pastor is being tortured in jail, and could face more charges as Christians prayed on 26 September, marking the third anniversary of the imprisonment of Saeed Abedini.

The US-Iranian pastor is serving an eight-year sentence for his involvement in Iran’s house church movement. Pastor Saeed, who comes from a Muslim background, is credited with establishing scores of house churches in cities across Iran.

Many Muslims say they’re sick of violence, it was reported in August.

Cairo theology professor, Dr Anne Zaki, said: ‘Disillusionment with Islam is the number one reason Muslims are asking questions of the Christian faith.’ Mario Basselios, an Egyptian church worker, agreed: ‘They say if God is commanding us to kill, then something is wrong with what we are learning. Many who’ve had closed minds for years are now coming to church and asking to meet Jesus. The ministry is wide open. What is God doing? He’s shaking the beliefs of many people. Atheists are seeing the truth, meeting God in visions, following Jesus and going through persecution.’

According to Middle East Concern, Islamic State (IS), the militant group controlling Mosul, summoned Christian leaders to a meeting on July 17 to notify them of Islamic rules to be applied to non-Muslims, including the imposition of jizya, a protection tax (IS is imposing strict shari’a law over the territories it has taken by force).

When Christian leaders failed to attend, IS announced that remaining Christians should leave Mosul or face execution by July 19. They were ordered to leave all their property behind. Earlier, IS reportedly marked houses belonging to minorities with the phrase ‘property of the Islamic State’. The houses of Christians were marked with ‘N’ for Nazarite.

A Christian woman from Pakistan acquitted on blasphemy charges in December has moved to a safe house after death threats.

Agnus Bibi (not to be confused with Asia Bibi, who is on death row for blasphemy and unrelated), is a 56-year-old mother of five from Faisalabad and a nurse. She was accused of blasphemy after a property dispute turned sour. A property developer levelled the accusation against her after failing to intimidate her.