world news
Ninety-Year-Old Hong Kong Cardinal Arrested

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, 90, retired archbishop of Hong Kong, and three democracy activists were arrested on foreign collusion charges Wednesday by Hong Kong’s national security police.
Cardinal Zen was taken into custody at the Chai Wan police station, a police sergeant told Reuters. The officer said Cardinal Zen was questioned for his involvement in a now-disbanded humanitarian fund for protesters involved in pro-democracy activities. He was released on bail after being interrogated.
Others arrested included senior barrister Margaret Ng, activist and singer Denise Ho, former lawmaker Cyd Ho (already imprisoned for illegal gathering), and former academic Hui Po-keung. They and Cardinal Zen had to surrender their travel documents before being released on bail.
The four were trustees of the “612 Humanitarian Relief Fund” which helped cover legal and medical costs for protesters who were arrested during the pro-democracy movement since 2019. The government, however, said the fund supported violence.
Their arrests come three days after a rubber-stamp election to pick Hong Kong’s sixth chief executive. Former police officer and security chief John Lee was the only candidate. He vowed to strengthen national security and facilitate greater integration of the city to communist China.
A Christian cleric from Hong Kong who asked to remain anonymous told ICC, “Cardinal Zen is the first Catholic Cardinal arrested on Chinese soil in the last few decades. He reminds us of the heroic Shanghai Cardinal Kung who was arrested in 1955. We are very sorry that this happened, and we pray that God will give him grace and strength to continue his battle for religious freedom and democracy.”
Cardinal Zen is known for being a staunch advocate for religious freedom and democracy. A native of Shanghai, he often calls for democracy and criticizes China for its oppression against Chinese people — especially those from the underground Catholic community.
He criticized the 2018 Sino-Vatican agreement that gave Chinese authorities greater influence on bishop appointments. And his stance against the Chinese Communist Party and support for pro-democracy activists have made him an easy target. He was called a “false prophet” and received threats last June as he prepared to hold Mass in remembrance of the victims of the Tiananmen Massacre.
“The erosion of freedom in all aspects in Hong Kong is very concerning as increasing numbers of freedom fighters are arrested and incarcerated for fabricated charges,” said Gina Goh, ICC’s Regional Manager for Southeast Asia. “If a 90-year-old revered cardinal could not even be spared, it indicates the legal system will continue to be abused by the HK SAR government to nab anyone in Hong Kong they find to be a threat to the city. The Vatican and the world need to speak up and stand with Cardinal Zen.”
Sources:persecution
world news
Iraqi Christians Create Syriac TV Channel

Iraq —After years of persecution and destruction, the Christian in community in Iraq takes a step forward as they start a new television channel conducted entirely in Syriac, the traditional language of Christians in the area.
The public TV channel may indicate a step forward in the wider acceptance of Christians across Iraq.
Syriac is an ancient language derived from the language of Aramaic which is most known as the language that Jesus spoke while He was here on Earth. Historically, Syriac has been used by Christians in schools and in church services.
Twenty years ago, there were 1.5 million Christians in the country. According to the United States’ yearly report on International Religious Freedom, this number is down to just 150,000 Christians in 2023 due to multiple wars and unrest. Many people sought to find safer places to reside, leaving the remaining Iraqi Christians secluded in the Northern portion of the country.
The creation of a Syriac television channel may be helpful to more than just Christians in Iraq. As many countries in the Middle East continue to be ravaged by persecution and violence, the creation of a Christian-specific television channel may encourage other neighboring countries to allow for similar avenues of accepting religious diversity.
The conditions for Christians in Iraq have improved in the last few years. The historic visit from the Pope and his meeting with Iraq’s former Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, established the National Day of Tolerance and Coexistence in Iraq. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) quoted one Iraqi resident experiencing this occasion as saying, “I can’t describe my happiness, it’s a historic event that won’t be repeated.”
After the visit from the Pope in 2021, NPR quoted a 59-year-old Iraqi schoolteacher saying, “It will attract people to the country. They will hear about it in Italy and France and elsewhere, that a senior cleric went to Iraq, and was protected, and came to no harm.”
As Iraq continues to demonstrate its acceptance of other religions, there is an increase in hope for the centuries-old Christan population to return to their home country – the home of Abraham, the home of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Sources:persecution
world news
നൈജീരിയയിൽ അജപാലന ശുശ്രൂഷക്കു ശേഷം മടങ്ങിയ വൈദികനെ കൊലപ്പെടുത്തി

നൈജീരിയയിൽ അജപാലന ശുശ്രൂഷക്കു ശേഷം മടങ്ങിയ വൈദികൻ വെടിയേറ്റു കൊല്ലപ്പെട്ടു. ജൂൺ ഏഴാം തീയതി ബെനിൻ സിറ്റി അതിരൂപതയിലെ വൈദികനായ ഫാ. ചാൾസ് ഒനോംഹോലെ ഇഗെച്ചി ആണ് അജ്ഞാതരുടെ വെടിയേറ്റ് മരണമടഞ്ഞത്. ആ ഗസ്റ്റിൽ പൗരോഹിത്യ സ്ഥാനാരോഹണത്തിന്റെ ഒന്നാം വാർഷികം ആഘോഷിക്കാനിരിക്കെയാണ് യുവ വൈദികൻ കൊല്ലപ്പെട്ടത്.
എഡോ സ്റ്റേറ്റിലെ ഇക്പോബ ഹില്ലിലെ ബൗണ്ടറി സ്ട്രീറ്റിനു സമീപമാണ് വൈദികന്റെ മൃതദേഹം കണ്ടെത്തിയതെന്ന് ബെനിൻ സിറ്റി ആർച്ചുബിഷപ്പ് അഗസ്റ്റിൻ ഒബിയോറ അകുബെസെ വെളിപ്പെടുത്തി. കൊല്ലപ്പെട്ട വൈദികന്റെ ആത്മാവിന് ദൈവം നിത്യശാന്തി നല്കട്ടെയെന്നും തുടർന്നും രൂപതയിലെ ജനത്തെ നയിക്കാൻ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പ്രത്യേക ഇടപെടലുണ്ടാകട്ടെ എന്നും രൂപത പുറത്തിറക്കിയ പ്രസ്താവനയിൽ പറയുന്നു.
ബെനിൻ സിറ്റിയിലെ സെന്റ് മൈക്കിൾ കോളേജിലെ വൈസ് പ്രിൻസിപ്പലാണ് കൊല്ലപ്പെട്ട വൈദികൻ. ആഫ്രിക്കയിലെ ഏറ്റവും ജനസാന്ദ്രതയുള്ള രാജ്യത്ത് പുരോഹിതരെ ലക്ഷ്യം വച്ചുള്ള അക്രമപ്രവർത്തനങ്ങളുടെ പരമ്പരയിലെ ഏറ്റവും പുതിയ കുറ്റകൃത്യമാണിത്. മുൻപും വൈദികർക്കു നേരെ നൈജീരിയയിൽ ആക്രമണങ്ങൾ നടന്നിട്ടുണ്ട്. ഈ മാസം രണ്ടാം തീയതി ന്നെവി രൂപതയിൽ നിന്നുള്ള ഒരു വൈദികനെ തട്ടികൊണ്ടു പോയെങ്കിലും ആക്രമികൾ വിട്ടയച്ചിരുന്നു.
Sources:azchavattomonline
world news
Fulani Militants Murder 300+ Christians and Destroy 28 Churches since mid-May

Nigeria —Fulani militants murdered more than 300 Christians, including two pastors, and destroyed 28 churches since mid-May in Plateau State, Nigeria. The Islamic extremists also displaced 30,000 Christians and destroyed 2,000 homes in recent attacks, according to local sources.
The Christian population in Nigeria faces a growing persecution threat since Boko Haram’s insurgency in the 2010s. The insurgency and its splinter group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), primarily operate in northeastern Nigeria, while Fulani militants operate in the central and southern regions. Fulani militants execute a “comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity,” according to a report by the UK All Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief (APPG).
In 2022, Nigeria ranked first in the number of Christians killed, assaulted, or abused and ranked second in the number of Christians displaced, and churches attacked, according to the Open Doors 2023 World Watch List report. The report also noted that “[2022] has also seen violence spill over into the Christian-majority south of the nation,” and that “Nigeria’s government continues to deny this is religious persecution.” International Christian Concern (ICC) has previously reported on the numerous murders committed by Fulani militants earlier in 2023 and 2022.
Sources:persecution
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