Press Releasesuuid:888d988f-4410-42ff-b712-f5db27cc2def;6371467200000000002020-01-15T08:00:00Zuuid:84ffc0c0-9237-ea11-a828-000d3a2cff99;637475499590000000From North Korea to Burkina Faso – the world is becoming less tolerant of Christians.<p>Latest research shows a continued rise of persecution against Christians around the world.</p>
2020-01-15T08:00:00Z2021-01-29T20:45:59ZTesting Testuuid:f7b95f81-aec9-e911-a828-000d3a2cff99;637281635990000000Syrian pastor is a lifeline to his community<p>Pastor Abdalla’s church has become a Centre of Hope, one of 16 centres already established across Syria. Centres of Hope are not big buildings, but simple, low-cost places through which the local church can bring hope to their community.Through Centres of Hope, Open Doors is providing vital aid for 12,000 vulnerable families. The Centres of Hope offer relief aid, medical care, trauma care, vocational training and loans, children’s activities, marriage courses and Alpha courses.</p>2019-08-30T07:00:00Z2020-06-19T11:39:59ZErin Jamesuuid:18d27b15-aac9-e911-a828-000d3a2cff99;637281635990000000Vietnamese Christians severely beaten after their conversion.<p>Six year old Phouc is recovering from a coma after being attacked because her parents converted to Christianity. Phouc was hit on the head and punched so severely in the stomach that she lost her appetite and constantly vomited. She became very ill and had severe head and stomach pain and had to be rushed to hospital where she fell into a coma for a month. After a month she recovered but was unable to recognise her parents or remember the incident.</p>2019-08-28T07:00:00Z2020-06-19T11:39:59ZErin Jamesuuid:97cb5e7b-debd-e911-a828-000d3a2cff99;637281635990000000Healed from deafness, rescued from drowning – Indian Christians empowered by God’s miracles<p>Persecution of Christians in India forces believers to choose between their faith and their family.</p>2019-08-13T07:00:00Z2020-06-19T11:39:59ZErin Jamesuuid:10c765f4-ddbd-e911-a828-000d3a2cff99;637281635990000000Kashmir’s Christians fear increased persecution as the region loses special status<p>The newly revoked Article 370 of the Indian Constitution had given special status to the Muslim-majority region allowing it to have a separate constitution, a state flag and autonomy over the internal administration of the state.Kashmiri Christians, many of whom are from a Muslim background, often face pressure from their local communities. They are now concerned that persecution will increase under an increasing Hindu nationalist agenda as power dynamics in the region shift.</p>2019-08-09T07:00:00Z2020-06-19T11:39:59ZErin Jamesuuid:cc72ff23-5fb8-e911-a828-000d3a2cff99;637281635990000000New type of atrocity marks 10 years of Boko Haram violence<p>Boko Haram have rained down terror on northern Nigeria for ten years. Despite Nigerian officials repeatedly claiming victory over Boko Haram, the group has fractured and split and has taken their violence into Cameroon, Niger and Chad too. According to the BBC, the conflict has been responsible for over 30,000 deaths with millions more displaced from their homes.</p>2019-08-07T07:00:00Z2020-06-19T11:39:59ZErin Jamesuuid:b3a91a98-38b8-e911-a828-000d3a2cff99;637281635990000000Miracles in India - embracing a new faith through healing<p>Raman*, 29, grew up in a Hindu family, where his grandfather, a Hindu priest, would sacrifice animals for gods and perform curses for a fee. His mother also made money using black magic. At the age of nine, Raman started to become sick. His sickness made him weak and he would frequently collapse: “At that time, I was determined that there was no god, because I was asking, ‘Why do I have to suffer like this?’”</p>2019-08-06T07:00:00Z2020-06-19T11:39:59ZErin Jamesuuid:9e82dc63-f7b1-e911-a828-000d3a2cff99;637281635990000000Muslims save 20 Christians from al-Shabaab attack<p>The foiled attack took place in Mandera County, in the northeast corner of Kenya. This area borders Somalia and is Muslim majority. According to an Open Doors worker this was a “show of solidarity from locals”.</p>2019-07-29T10:00:00Z2020-06-19T11:39:59ZErin Jamesuuid:2ca78709-ebb1-e911-a828-000d3a2cff99;637281635990000000Attacked Iranian Christian arrested, while her attacker goes free<p>Iranian Christian Fatemeh Mohammadi, 20, was assaulted while travelling on a bus by another passenger who accused her of not wearing her headscarf properly. Iranian police arrested Fatemeh when she went to the police station to file a complaint against the woman</p>2019-07-29T07:00:00Z2020-06-19T11:39:59ZErin Jamesuuid:d15307ab-51ad-e911-a828-000d3a2cff99;637281635980000000President Trump meets persecuted Christian, Esther from Nigeria<p>CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland, Henrietta Blyth said, “It is vital that world leaders like President Trump champion freedom of religion and belief. This week President Trump heard stories of the persecution of Christians from North Korea, Nigeria and Myanmar as well the plight of the Rohingya, Yezidi and many more. Hearing these stories is not enough, policy and action must follow.</p>2019-07-24T19:30:00Z2020-06-19T11:39:58ZErin Jamesuuid:f15062eb-4fad-e911-a828-000d3a2cff99;637281635980000000Open Doors urges New Prime Minister to deliver on support for persecuted Christians<p>Following the new Prime Minister’s July 8th tweet pledging support for those facing persecution Open Doors UK and Ireland CEO Henrietta Blyth said: “I am delighted that Boris Johnson said that he would ‘prioritise protecting religious freedoms’ as Prime Minister and that he ‘would stand up for those facing persecution’. I look forward to seeing quick action to deliver greater protection for religious minorities.”</p>2019-07-23T07:00:00Z2020-06-19T11:39:58ZErin Jamesuuid:9c027392-85a8-e911-80f7-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Eritrean authorities close ALL Christian run hospitals and health centers<p>In June, Open Doors reported that the Eritrean government was closing Christian run health centres. Now the charity has heard that the all Catholic hospitals and health centres have been shut in Eritrea. Eritrean police closed the country’s last open Christian run health facility in Zager about 30 km from Asmara, on Friday 5 July. </p>2019-07-17T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45ZErin Jamesuuid:b804c044-97a4-e911-80f7-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Violent extremism against Christians increasing across the Sahel belt<p>There are many causes for the violence and instability including the toxic mix of poverty, unemployment, corruption and lack of governance. For Christians, increasing Islamic extremism is the factor wreaking the most havoc. The region is becoming a major new hotspot for Islamic militant groups that are partially home-grown and also part of international terror franchises like IS and Al-Qaeda.</p>2019-07-12T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45ZErin Jamesuuid:77a464b0-789d-e911-80f6-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Nepal: Church demolished, hospital attacked, Christians fearful<p>Nepal’s Christians are facing increased persecution by Hindu radical groups who want to turn Nepal into a Hindu state again. These radical groups have close ties with Hindutva groups in neighbouring India. In addition, the Nepalese Government is limiting freedom of religion and in 2017 it adopted new anti-conversion laws.</p>2019-07-03T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45ZErin Jamesuuid:90eeaec4-e29c-e911-80f6-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Christians branded as 'anti-Indian' amid increased violence and hostility against the minority group<p>“In the past, India was known as a country of diversity. But today’s leaders don’t want diversity. They want uniformity and they want it by force,” said Maruc*, a church leader in India and an Open Doors partner. We all know that we are moving towards the goal of unifying India under one religion.</p>2019-06-28T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45ZErin Jamesuuid:4701f350-f198-e911-80f6-000d3a23e0d0;636999889000000000Violent attacks on Christians increasing in India<p>Abishek* is considered a threat to India because he is a Christian. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the militant Hindu nationalist group linked with the ruling BJP, have stated that they want to see India free of Christians and Muslims by the end of 2021. Increasingly, Indians see Christianity as unpatriotic therefore violent attacks against Christians are increasing.</p>2019-06-27T10:00:00Z2019-07-29T09:21:40ZErin Jamesuuid:01afae30-2997-e911-80f6-000d3a23e0d0;637835660840000000Increased surveillance of North Koreans says Open Doors researcher<p>An Open Doors researcher who wished to remain anonymous for their safety said: “We can confirm that there is intense surveillance in both North Korea and North East China. It seems that the North Korean and Chinese governments are working closely together.”</p>2019-06-25T07:00:00Z2022-03-22T17:14:44ZErin Jamesuuid:85a9300e-7293-e911-80f6-000d3a23e0d0;636994849460000000Sri Lanka church bombings 2 months on<p>Two months ago, on Easter Sunday, 21 April 2019, three bombs exploded in three churches in three different parts of Sri Lanka – St Anthony’s Church in Colombo, St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo, and Zion Church in Batticaloa. Three hotels were also targeted. Responsibility for these coordinated attacks, which killed 253 and injured hundreds of others, was later claimed by so-called Islamic State extremists.</p>2019-06-20T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:22:26ZErin Jamesuuid:e6f7f6ba-9d91-e911-80f6-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Christian run health centres shut by Eritrean government<p>The Eritrean government has shut down health centres run by the Catholic Church after they refused to hand them over. Security officers then removed the staff from the health centres and closed them down. It is not yet known why the Eritrean government took this action. </p>2019-06-18T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45ZErin Jamesuuid:69454901-8f8e-e911-80f6-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Convert, Pay or Die: 5 years on from the fall of Mosul<p>Up to 500,000 citizens left Mosul, including approximately 3,000 Christian families. Only 25 Christian families stayed in the city after the ultimatum – they were all too old, ill or disabled to flee. Some converted. No one knows what happened to the rest.Most Christians fled to the city of Erbil or to the Kurdish region in the north of Iraq.</p>2019-06-14T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45ZErin Jamesuuid:c69c0423-098d-e911-80f5-000d3a23e0d0;63699484905000000019 Christians killed in attack in Burkina Faso<p>The grip of Islamic militants on northern and eastern parts of Burkina Faso is growing.On Sunday 9 June at least 19 people died in another jihadist attack. “Several dozen armed men carried out an attack on the district of Arbinda, shooting several people dead,” said a local official who wished to remain anonymous. </p>2019-06-13T08:30:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45ZErin Jamesuuid:acae5802-f68c-e911-80f5-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Girl beaten and imprisoned by her family for converting to Christianity<p>Amira was born in a small village in a country in Central Asian and raised as a Muslim. Two years ago she moved to work in a city. Here, she met Christians and started to attend a church. According to research by Open Doors, Christian women, like Amira, are doubly vulnerable to persecution; targeted for both their faith and gender. Their suffering is often unseen and is ignored by the world around them.</p>2019-06-12T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45ZErin Jamesuuid:acc69c37-df86-e911-80f4-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Christians still homeless two years on from the Marawi siege in the Philippines<p>On May 23, 2017 hundreds of armed members of an ISIS-linked militant group stormed into the city of Marawi in the Philippines. During the five month siege that followed, 1,000 people died and more than 300,000 people were displaced. Now, two years after the war broke out, more than 2,000 families are still in temporary shelters and more than 11,000 families are still living with relatives and friends. The ongoing military operation of clearing undetonated bombs and landmines and building delays have stopped people from being able to move back to the city.</p>2019-06-04T17:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45ZErin Jamesuuid:e416e04b-1586-e911-80f4-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Foreign Secretary writes to 20 year-old Esther who escaped Boko Haram<p>Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has written to Esther, a Nigerian Christian who was abducted as a teenager by Boko Haram militants. The letter was one of 40 letters written by the Foreign Secretary to persecuted Christians and those who support them.</p>2019-06-03T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45ZErin Jamesuuid:60af1e62-677d-e911-80f4-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Indian Christians worried by BJP’s victory<p>“It is an increasingly worrying time for Christians in India. Over the last five years they have experienced a significant level of violence, discrimination and intolerance against them. We hope that this second BJP victory will not be a mandate for increased persecution but will instead be an opportunity to heal the increasing divides in India.”</p>2019-05-23T08:30:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45ZErin Jamesuuid:35aca072-697c-e911-80f4-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Indonesian Christians welcome the newly-elected president and hope for an end to discrimination<p>Indonesian Christians are filled with hope that the new president will bring improvement to all parts of the country regardless of the faith of the local communities.</p>2019-05-22T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45ZErin Jamesuuid:4fda419b-f777-e911-80f4-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Laws preventing people from converting away from Hinduism may increase in India if the BJP wins the elections<p>India’s Christians are expecting that in the possible event of the BJP’s victory in the general elections, the so-called anti-conversion laws that prevent people from converting to any religion from Hinduism will be implemented more rigorously and in more states than they are now. Already in states like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh where those laws are in force, the persecution of Christians is on the rise.</p>2019-05-16T17:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45ZErin Jamesuuid:66bc7781-1a73-e911-80f3-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Open Doors calls on Home Secretary to stop deportation of Pakistani Christian campaigner facing a fatwah.<p>Azeem Wazir left Pakistan in 2015 in fear of his life after a fatwah was issued against him due to his protesting against the Blasphemy law and his involvement in the campaign 'Stop Killing Christians'. </p>2019-05-10T09:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45ZErin Jamesuuid:17fe1fd5-2f72-e911-80f3-000d3a23e0d0;637057809410000000Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi reunites with her daughters in Canada<p>Open Doors welcomes the news of Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi’s arrival in Canada, following eight years in prison on blasphemy charges and six months in protective custody following her acquittal.</p>2019-05-08T07:00:00Z2019-10-04T10:15:41ZSimon Thomasuuid:11242eec-cc70-e911-80f3-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Death or family: The extreme choice facing Christian women<p>During Ramadan, the pressure on secret Christians in Islamic societies is more intense than usual. As the Muslim world celebrates Ramadan, Open Doors shares the story of Aizah, Christian convert from a Muslim background, who risked everything to become a Christian and now helps other women like her.</p>2019-05-06T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45Zuuid:a5e3f727-836d-e911-80f3-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Open Doors CEO says government policy must change after interim findings of review into UK response to persecution of Christians<p>“The interim report is grim reading. It reinforces over 25 years of World Watch List research and is long overdue. It shows that many countries are denying their citizens the fundamental human right of freedom of religion or belief despite being signed up to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Open Doors urges the UK government to use its influence to exert pressure so that governments around the world make fundamental policy changes to ensure that Christians and other religious minorities are free to follow the faith of their choice.” Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland said today.</p>2019-05-03T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45Zuuid:d2505097-586b-e911-80f3-000d3a23e0d0;637475499580000000Open Doors advocacy team wins parliamentary award<p>Open Doors has won the award for best social, religious or family campaign at the Parliamentary Charity Awards, awarded by polling organisation, ComRes.The awards recognises campaigning charities that lead their field in communicating with parliamentarians.</p>2019-04-30T09:30:00Z2021-01-29T20:45:58ZTesting Testuuid:f5c24ff7-ba65-e911-80f3-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Sri Lanka terror attacks: thousands of lives will never be the same again<p>Open Doors staff have visited Batticaloa to visit those affected by the attacks on Christians in Sri Lanka. The country was rocked by some of the deadliest Easter attacks on Christian targets in history. Official sources report that the latest death toll stand at 310, with at least 500 people wounded.</p>2019-04-23T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45Zuuid:57ac42c6-ce61-e911-80f3-000d3a23e0d0;637475499580000000Open Doors welcomes Foreign Secretary’s Easter message of Hope to Brother Andrew and persecuted Christians around the world.<p>Responding to the Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s Easter message of hope, which stated his desire to “Encourage and bolster Christians under attack” Henrietta Blyth, CEO Open Doors UK and Ireland said: “Families are left scarred by the loss of loved ones and communities are devastated at a time when they should simply be celebrating the Easter message joyfully and freely.</p>2019-04-20T07:00:00Z2021-01-29T20:45:58ZTesting Testuuid:e68ca290-295d-e911-80f3-000d3a23e0d0;637021669060000000"They have seen hell" Over 110 Chibok girls still missing<p>Five years since the 14 April 2014 abduction of approximately 230 girls by Boko Haram in Chibok, Nigeria, parents whose daughters have not yet returned say it still feels like a “fresh wound” but refuse to give up hope for their return.<strong> </strong>Following the abduction of the girls on 14 April 2014 from the Government Secondary School, 103 of them have been released, 110 girls still in captivity. It is not known how many of them remain alive.</p>2019-04-12T07:00:00Z2019-08-23T14:21:46ZErin Jamesuuid:f1df9bcf-6a5b-e911-80f3-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Teenage girl’s incarceration and forced marriage highlights persecution in Colombia’s indigenous communities<p>Christian girls are regularly forced to marry men from their community as a means of ensuring any resulting children are not Christian children. Marriage also prevents the girls from having access to their Christian community and teachings and is therefore effective at stifling faith.</p>2019-04-10T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45Zuuid:f2e8e2bb-8157-e911-80f2-000d3a23e0d0;637021658920000000India’s Christians fear election rigging amidst rising persecution levels<p>One pastor told Open Doors: “People regret their choices of 2014. Where I live, most people don’t like the BJP at all. They shouldn’t win. But we are afraid that the elections will be rigged. Maybe the voting machines will be hacked or maybe people will be given money if they vote for the BJP. We, as pastors, were promised land and protection if we voted for them.”</p>2019-04-05T07:00:00Z2019-08-23T14:04:52ZErin Jamesuuid:5c14289b-1556-e911-80f2-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Teenage Boko Haram escapee learns to love her ‘Boko Haram baby’<p>Esther was 16 when Boko Haram extremists attacked her village in Borno state, Nigeria. Esther and her father tried to escape. The militants struck her father and left him in a heap on the ground. They carried Esther off into the forest with several other young women.</p>2019-04-03T07:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45Zuuid:f56ec63b-9e50-e911-80f2-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000Mother’s day: Empowering women in Northern Nigeria’s IDP camps<p>The Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria has created a humanitarian disaster. It is estimated that Boko Haram have killed over 20,000 people and displaced about 2.6 million others. Women in particular are struggling; many have been abducted or widowed by Boko Haram, so they have no income and no home. Open Doors is providing them with aid and counselling and by showing mothers that God sees and loves them no matter what they have suffered.</p>2019-03-27T08:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45Zuuid:988ba1f0-8e49-e911-80f2-000d3a23e0d0;636994849050000000North Korean Christians say food situation is so desperate that growth of children is stunted<p>Lack of food is stunting children’s growth in North Korea, according to an eyewitness. Food shortages threaten an entire generation of children.</p>2019-03-14T09:00:00Z2019-07-23T13:21:45Z