51 “Gunmen shoot Myanmar priest while he celebrates Mass," UCA News , 12 th April 2024 https://www.ucanews.com/news/gunmen-shoot-myanmar- priest-while-he-celebrates-mass/104766 [accessed 15/04/24]. 52 “China," US State Dept 2022 International Religious Freedom Report https:// www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/ china/ [accessed 28/05/24]. 53 “Chinese Communist Party promotes atheism, but many members still partake in religious customs," Pew Research Center , 5 th September 2023 https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/09/05/chinese-communist- party-promotes-atheism-but-many-members-still-partake-in-religious- customs [accessed 28/05/24]. 54 Ibid. ; ACN, “China," Religious Freedom in the World Report 2023 https:// acninternational.org/religiousfreedomreport/reports/country/2023/china [accessed 28/06/24]. 55 “China," US State Dept 2022 International Religious Freedom Report, op. cit. 56 Gao Feng, “China steps up political control over religious venues, sermons and activities," Radio Free Asia , 3 rd August 2023 https://www.rfa.org/english/ news/china/religion-controls-08032023122520.html [accessed 28/05/24]. 57 “Bishop Shao of Wenzhou arrested again," Asia News , 3 rd January 2024 https:// www.asianews.it/news-en/Bishop-Shao-of-Wenzhou-arrested-again-59866. html ; “Chinese Christian jailed for distributing Bibles ‘illegally’," UCA News , 29 th April 2024 https://www.ucanews.com/news/chinese-christian-jailed-for- distributing-bibles-illegally/104939 [both links accessed 28/05/24]. 58 Helier Cheung and Roland Hughes, “Why are there protests in Hong Kong? All the context you need," BBC News , 21 st May 2020 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ world-asia-china-48607723 [accessed 28/05/24]. 59 James Pomfret et al. , “New Hong Kong security law comes into force amid fears for freedoms," Reuters , 23 rd March 2024 https://www.reuters.com/world/ asia-pacific/new-hong-kong-national-security-law-comes-into-force-amid- international-2024-03-22; “Sacrament of Confession under threat in Hong Kong from Chinese security law," The Catholic Herald , 13 th March 2024 https:// catholicherald.co.uk/sacrament-of-confession-under-threat-in-hong-kong- due-to-new-chinese-security-law [both links accessed 28/05/24]. 60 “China," US State Dept 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom https:// www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/ china/ [accessed 01/07/24]. 61 “Bishop Shao of Wenzhou arrested again," op. cit. 62 “Sacrament of Confession under threat in Hong Kong from Chinese security law," op. cit. ; “Sixteen international experts express “profound and grave concerns” about looming threat to religious freedom and Sacrament of Penance in Hong Kong," Freedom House , 13 th March 2024 https:// freedomhouse.org/article/sixteen-international-experts-express-profound- and-grave-concerns-about-looming-threat [accessed 28/05/24]. 63 Chan Ho-him and William Langley, “Catholic Church reassures Hong Kong flock over secrecy of confession despite security law," Financial Times , 15 th March 2024 https://www.ft.com/content/51dd903d-eac0-41c2-a07b- f97d86e692df [accessed 03/07/24]. 64 “New Hong Kong security law comes into force amid fears for freedoms,” op. cit. 65 “The Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong has the following response to the recent social concern over Confession (Sacrament of Reconciliation)," Sunday Examiner , 15 th March 2024 “https://www.examiner.org.hk/2024/03/15/ the-catholic-diocese-of-hong-kong-has-the-following-response-to-the- recent-social-concern-over-confession-sacrament-of-reconciliation/news/ hongkong” [accessed 01/07/2024]. 66 “Chinese Christian jailed for distributing Bibles ‘illegally’," UCA News , 29 th April 2024 https://www.ucanews.com/news/chinese-christian-jailed-for- distributing-bibles-illegally/104939 [accessed 28/05/24]. 67 “Country Update: Egypt," USCIRF , May 2023 https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/ files/2023-08/2023%20Egypt%20Country%20Update.pdf [accessed 29/04/24]. 68 John Pontifex, John Newton and Fionn Shiner, Hear Her Cries: The kidnapping, forced conversion and sexual victimisation of Christian women and girls (London: ACN (UK), 2021), pp. 12ff. 69 Tim Dustin “Persecuted Christian in Egypt kidnapped," Global Christian Relief , 18 th May 2023 https://globalchristianrelief.org/christian-persecution/stories/ persecuted-christian-in-egypt-kidnapped/ [accessed 17/07/24]. 70 Rimon Rawy, “Minya Khayari village Copts attacked on suspicion of building church," Watani , 7 th September 2023 https://en.wataninet.com/coptic-affairs- coptic-affairs/sectarian/minya-khayari-village-copts-attacked-on-suspicion- of-building-church/42392/ [accessed 26/04/24]. 71 Girgis and Tim Dustin, “Persecuted Christian from Egypt kidnapped," Global Christian Relief , 15 th December 2022 https://globalchristianrelief.org/ christian-persecution/stories/persecuted-christian-from-egypt-kidnapped/ [accessed 12/03/24]. 72 Nabila El-Gaafary, “Muslim extremists reportedly burn down Christian homes in southern Egypt," The New Arab , 27 th April 2024 https://www.newarab. com/news/extremists-set-fire-christian-homes-southern-egypt [accessed 30/04/24]; ”Extremists attack Church construction site in Upper Egypt," CSW , 30 th April 2024. 73 ACN, “Eritrea," Religious Freedom in the World Report 2023, op. cit. 74 Ibid. 75 “Eritrea," USCIRF 2024 Annual Report, op. cit.
76 ACN, “Eritrea," Religious Freedom in the World Report 2023, op. cit . 77 Fredrick Nzwili, “Eritrean government rounds up teens from church service," Crux , 8 th September 2022 https://cruxnow.com/church-in- africa/2022/09/eritrean-government-rounds-up-teens-from-church-service [accessed 28/05/24]. 78 “Eritrea," USCIRF 2024 Annual Report, op. cit. ; ACN, “Eritrea," Religious Freedom in the World Report 2023, op. cit. 79 “Eritrea," Human Rights Watch World Report 2024 , 11 th January 2024 https:// www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/eritrea [accessed 28/05/24]. 80 “Eritrea – 200+ arrested, including children," Release International, 3 rd July 2024 https://releaseinternational.org/eritrea-200-arrested-including-children [accessed 08/07/24]. 81 “Eritrea: Events of 2023," Human Rights Watch World Report 2024 https://www. hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/eritrea [accessed 30/08/24]. 82 Ibid . 83 “Eritrea – 200+ arrested," Release International, op. cit . 84 “Eritrea," USCIRF 2024 Annual Report, op. cit .; Release International, “Eritrea arrests 103 Christians," 24 th April 2023 https://releaseinternational.org/eritrea- arrests-103-christians [accessed 28/05/24]. 85 “Eritrea," USCIRF 2023 Annual Report, op. cit . 86 “Eritrea," US State Dept 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-country-reports-on-human-rights- practices/eritrea [accessed 28/05/24]. 87 “Eritrea," US State Dept 2022 Report, op. cit. ; “Eritrean Authorities Seize Control of Catholic-Owned School, Set to Take Over Another," ACI Africa , 28 th August 2022 https://www.aciafrica.org/news/6556/eritrean-authorities- seize-control-of-catholic-owned-school-set-to-take-over-another [accessed 28/05/24]. 88 “Eritrean government rounds up teens from church service," op. cit. 89 “More Christians arrested in Eritrea," Christian Today , 31 st January 2023 https:// www.christiantoday.com/article/more.christians.arrested.in.eritrea/139774. htm; “Eritrea," Human Rights Watch World Report 2024, op. cit. 90 “Eritrea – More arrests, some Christians freed," Release International , 22 nd March 2023 https://releaseinternational.org/eritrea-more-arrests-some- christians-freed [accessed 28/05/24]. 91 “Eritrea arrests 103 Christians," op. cit. 92 “At least 30 Christians arrested in Eritrea as police raid baby’s first birthday party," Open Doors , 25 th January 2024 https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/ latest-news/eritrea-arrests-christians [accessed 28/05/24]. 93 Shireen Bhatia, “UCF reports massive surge in violence against Christians in India," Christian Today , 15 th January 2024 https://www.christiantoday.co.in/ news/ucf-reports-massive-surge-in-violence-against-christians-in-india.html [accessed 26/06/24]. 94 “United Christian Forum: Average two Christians attacked in India every day," CJP (Citizens for Justice and Peace) , 15 th December 2023 https://cjp.org.in/ united-christian-forum-average-two-christians-attacked-in-india-every-day/ [accessed 21/03/24]. 95 “Sharp Increase in Violence Against Christians in 2024," United Christian Forum , 21 st March 2024 https://acn-canada.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Sharp- increase-in-violence-against-Christians-in-2024-1.pdf [accessed 26/06/24]. 96 Luke Coppen “Indian bishop denied bail in alleged conversion case," The Pillar , 6 th June 2023 https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/indian-bishop-denied- bail-in-alleged [accessed 21/03/24]. 97 USCRIF 2024 Annual Report , p. 50. 98 Despite initial resistance to the idea that there was a religious dimension, it became more widely accepted. David Cameron told the House of Lords on Tuesday 16 th April: “It is right to say that we should not downplay the religious aspects of some of the strife. Yes, sometimes it is communal, tribal or ethnic, but in many cases there is a clear religious part of it… There is a clear religious dimension.” See “‘There is a clear religious part’ to strife in Manipur: UK ex-PM Davis Cameron," Times of India , 18 th April 2024 http://timesofindia.indiatimes. com/articleshow/109382337.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_ medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst [accessed 22/04/24]. 99 Makepeace Sitlhou and Greeshma Kuthar, “Meitei Christians in India’s Manipur Face Broad Attacks," New Lines , 27 th December 2023 https:// newlinesmag.com/reportage/meitei-christians-in-indias-manipur-face-broad- attacks/ [accessed 24/05/2024]. 100 “Hindu nationalists go after another Christian orphanage in Madhya Pradesh," Anglican Ink , 25 th September 2023 https://anglican.ink/2023/09/25/hindu- nationalists-go-after-another-christian-orphanage-in-madhya-pradesh/ [accessed 21/03/24]. 101 “India: Christian families being denied right to bury their dead," Christian Post , 27 th November 2023 https://www.christianpost.com/news/india-christian- families-being-denied-right-to-bury-their-dead.html [accessed 21/03/24]. 102 “Telangana: Mob chanting Jai Shri Ram attacks Dalit Christian church, several injured," The News Minute , 15 th February 2024 https://www.thenewsminute. com/telangana/telangana-mob-chanting-jai-shri-ram-attacks-dalit-christian- church-several-injured [accessed 21/03/24]. 103 “Relatives Kill Christian Woman with Axe Blows, Stones in India," Morning Star News , 4 th July 2024 https://morningstarnews.org/2024/07/relatives-kill- christian-woman-with-axe-blows-stones-in-india/ ; Nirmala Carvalho, “Christian
40 Persecuted and Forgotten?
Powered by FlippingBook