“Unfortunately, church closures are continuing. Four more churches have been ordered to cease all their activities, but they have not been physically sealed,” Daniel Hoffman of Middle East Concern says.

“In total, 20 churches have been stopped from meeting and operating by the authorities.”

Algerian Christians face systemic persecution through the legal system. A 2006 law requires all non-Muslim religions to register their place of worship, but officials have yet to approve any applications. More about that here.

Earlier this year, three previously-closed churches appealed their court-ordered closure. A judge allowed the churches to reopen and stay open during the legal proceedings, but the final ruling did not favor the believers.

“In July of this year, those three churches were [re-closed and] sealed,” Hoffman says.

Once a court orders a church to close, “the police come, and they put wax on the door, so you can’t open the door without breaking the seal. That’s a crime in itself,” he continues.

“No churches have been allowed to reopen.”

Connect with Middle East Concern here for practical ways to help. “Pray Christians in Algeria will remain encouraged during the challenges and difficulties they’re facing,” Hoffman requests.

“Pray for their protection, and for justice to be done in these different court cases and the church closures, and for them to be reversed.”

You can post your prayer for Algerian Christians on Twitter by tagging @MiddleEConcern.

“If we’re able to tell them people are praying for them, that is always a great encouragement, and it strengthens them in the midst of their challenges,” Hoffman says.

Header image depicts a church that was closed and sealed in 2019. (Photo courtesy of Middle East Concern)

Algeria (MNN) — There may be a new Prime Minister at the helm in Algeria, but persecution isn’t likely to let up. See our full Algeria coverage here.

“The problems Christians face are largely coming from the Ministry of Interior, who looks at the Christian community — especially the Protestant community — and sees them as a political threat. That is why they are clamping down on them,” Daniel Hoffman, Executive Director of Middle East Concern, explains.

“As long as that doesn’t change, the situation for Christians is probably not going to improve.”

When Algeria’s former Prime Minister, Abdelaziz Djerad, resigned in late June, Finance Minister Ayman Benabderrahmane stepped forward to take his place. The president has tasked Benabderrahmane with forming a new government.

The Hirak movement led to Bouteflika’s ouster in 2019, and hasn’t lost any steam.
(Photo courtesy of Amine Rock Hoovr/Unsplash)

It’s only the third vote in Africa’s biggest nation since long-time President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned in April 2019. The same protest movement that called for his ouster continues today.

“Some figureheads have changed, but overall, policies towards Christians, [as well as] the wider political direction of the country, will not be affected,” Hoffman says.

Legal persecution

As described here, 98-percent of Algeria’s population follows Islam, and the constitution establishes Islam as the national religion. Believers face challenges on many levels, especially those who turn to Christ from a Muslim background.

One believer, “Hamid Soudad, is sentenced under the blasphemy law,” Hoffman says.

“He is accused of having insulted the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, [and] he has been sentenced to five years in prison…. He is now serving his sentence; even though he’s further appealing, he is in prison at the moment.”

Algerian officials commonly use Islamic laws to persecute the Christian community. See examples here. “In addition to people who have been sentenced to prison, there are court cases involving (church) buildings,” Hoffman says.

“Since late 2017, the government has been closing church buildings and ordering the leadership of the churches to seize their activities … [16 churches have been physically sealed and] another four churches have been closed. Some of them were house churches, so the government could not forcibly seal those buildings, but they have been closed.”

Support persecuted Algerian Christians through Middle East Concern.

Find your place in the story

Despite forced church closures, false accusations, and incarcerations, the Body of Christ is growing. “The Church, especially the Protestant Church, in Algeria is strong,” Hoffman says.

“One of the main reasons the government perceives them as a threat is because they are growing, and they are predominantly composed of Algerians who were born as Muslims and then came to faith [in] Jesus later in life.”

Thank God for continuing to draw people into a saving relationship with Christ despite widespread opposition. “That is continuing, regardless of the actions of the authorities,” Hoffman says.

“The most important things that Algerian Christians [ask] for is prayers; both prayer for the Church in Algeria, they will remain encouraged, that they will remain strong, and for those Christians who have been sentenced or who are currently before the court. [Pray] for them to be released or to be acquitted of the charges.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of nasro azaizia/Unsplash.

Todd Nettleton, spokesman for The Voice of the Martyrs USA, says the silence might not be a bad thing.

“Sometimes, for the sake of justice and for the sake of the judge being free to make the right decision without pressure, it’s better if a case is sort of ‘under the radar’ of the international community,” he explains.

“The world will say, ‘hey, you can’t sentence a Christian to prison just for being a Christian.’ But within his country, devout Muslims will say, ‘you have to sentence this person who has left Islam, you have to sentence this apostate.’ It’s hard to know if this is one of those situations [because] we don’t know a lot of details.”

What happened?

Brother A stands accused of converting Muslims to Christianity. He was cleared of previous theft charges in April.

“Our friends at Middle East Concern have been covering this case, but they aren’t releasing a lot of details,” Nettleton says.

“He has been flogged, he has been locked in prison, so he has already faced a great deal of pressure and persecution. And now, potentially, he’s on the cusp of being sent back to prison.”

Brother A’s family is in danger, too.

“His wife has been pressured to divorce him. Her family has taken her, at different points, away from Brother A. There is a prayer request for her and their son because what happens to Brother A will have a direct impact on them,” Nettleton says.

Muslims in a mosque in Saudi Arabia.
(Photo courtesy of Pixabay)

Understanding the severity of Brother A’s case requires context, he continues. “There are a couple of significant things to understand,” Nettleton says.

“First, he’s not a foreigner living in Saudi Arabia; he is an Arab, and he has lived in Saudi Arabia his whole life. Saudi Arabia recognizes the right for Saudi Arabs only to be Sunni Muslim; there’s no option of being a Christian [or] a Shia [Muslim]. If you are a Saudi Arab, you’re supposed to be a Sunni Muslim.”

Secondly, Nettleton continues, “he was instrumental in his sister coming to faith in Christ as well, and Brother A has faced pressure from the extended family.”

How can we help?

Ask the Lord to comfort Brother A, give him peace, and protect his family. Pray Brother A will not receive the death penalty and that the Lord will also spare him from a severe prison sentence.

“It is not clear in the reporting exactly what the sentence is. It doesn’t at this point mention the death penalty, but at the very least, he is facing a long prison sentence,” Nettleton says.

“There are many within Islam who would say, ‘Someone who has left Islam is an apostate. They should be given the opportunity to return to Islam, and if they choose not to, they should be executed.’”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Bill Oxford/Unsplash.

On Sunday, Pope Francis encouraged Christians in Nineveh to forgive their persecutors and rebuild communities. Believers say it will take significant changes on the ground to make that happen.

Squatters or armed militia now occupy the homes left behind when Christians fled persecution.

“It’s difficult [for Christians] to get a home back because they are vulnerable. They don’t have big militia groups or other powerful forces within the country to support them, and it’s very difficult to rectify these kinds of abuses,” Middle East Concern’s Daniel Hoffman says.

“Pray for the continued presence of the Christian communities in Iraq, that they will take their place as ‘light and salt’ in the country.”

Property seizures began in 2003 when Christians started leaving Iraq in droves. More believers followed in 2014 as the Islamic State waged war on historic Christian communities, leaving homes vacant and vulnerable.

Pope poster in Erbil, Kurdistan.
(Photo, caption courtesy of Enno Lenze via Flickr/CC2.0)

“This issue of taking over property is not solely aimed at Christians. Other communities suffer from it as well, but they often have powerful forces – militia or other backings in other countries – that can help and protect them, while the Christians do not. Therefore, they (Christians) are more vulnerable,” Hoffman explains.

Activists held little hope that the papal visit would fix this ongoing issue, AFP reports. “Of the cases I know, 20 percent were resolved. But the remaining 80 percent are still a huge problem,” said Yunan al-Farid, a Greek Orthodox priest in Baghdad who advocates on behalf of victims of squatting.

MEC speaks up for believers at the highest level. Learn more here.

“We speak with politicians, saying, ‘When you discuss the future of Iraq, please be aware that this is happening and ask the Iraqi authorities to rectify these situations to make it possible for people to reclaim their property,’” Hoffman describes as an example.

Pray believers can reclaim their homes. Ask the Lord to protect Iraqi Christians from new threats.

“The Shabak community [is trying] to force Christians out of their villages in the Nineveh Plain as well so they can take over their property,” Hoffman says. More about that here.

Header image depicts a cross atop Saint Matthew Monastery (Der Mar Matti), a Syriac Orthodox monastery overlooking the Nineveh Plains towns of Bashiqa and Bartella, in between the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. (Photo, caption courtesy Levi Clancy via Wikimedia Commons/CC4.0) 

Michael, a German citizen, came to Turkey as a relief worker following the 1999 earthquake in Izmit in which about 17,000 people were killed. He and his family settled in Yalova, where he has been pastor of Yalova Lighthouse Church since 2003.

Pastor Michael Feulner leads Yalova Lighthouse Church.
(Photo courtesy of Middle East Concern)

In February 2020, about to take a flight, Michael was instead held for 30 hours in a cell at the Istanbul airport, a detention his lawyer says was illegal. He was informed that he had been labeled a threat to Turkish national security and had 10 days to leave the country.

His lawyer opened two court cases: one in Ankara to appeal the deportation order and one in Istanbul to contest the security designation and ask for its removal. Michael has so far been allowed to remain in Turkey while his case proceeds.

The first hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on 11 February in the administrative court in Istanbul.

Since early 2019 approximately 70 foreign Christians have been similarly designated and expelled from Turkey as threats to national security. One of those was another church leader from Yalova Lighthouse Church, married to a Turkish citizen.

Prayer is requested that:

• Michael’s lawyer will be able to contest the order to the best of her ability.
• The court will responsibly assess the reason behind the directive and recognize that Michael is not a security threat and does not deserve to be labeled and treated as such.
• Michael and his family will be able to remain in Turkey and continue their ministry, providing aid to many needy families in Yalova and other parts of Turkey.
• The church in Yalova will be strengthened and encouraged despite this action against pastor Michael and the other church leader.
• The Turkish state will no longer see foreign Christians as a threat but learn to accept them and appreciate their value to society.

Header image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Minya, Egypt

A Muslim neighbor protected the man’s family from rioters who targeted his house, CBN reports. Police arrested 100 Muslims and Christians following the attack and are now submitting several of them to local courts for consideration.

“Police detain people from both sides just to make sure they are not accused of being biased,” Hoffman says.

“Normally, [police] would release everyone involved [but] in this case, 20 Muslims have been referred to the public prosecutor’s office. About 15 Christians were referred as well to decide whether charges will be brought against them. But no decision has been made.”

Unfortunately, unfounded attacks on believers are pretty common in Egypt. Hoffman explains why.

Rumors, lies, and accusations

As described here, Christians are free to dwell in Egypt, but believers face intense opposition if they try to share their faith. Sectarian conflict between Muslims and Christians usually springs from one of three sources, Hoffman says. More details here.

“Either there is a rumor that a Christian has done something insulting to Islam, or there is an allegation that Christians are trying to open an unlicensed church in the village,” Hoffman says.

“Muslim people object and usually attack the building which [is rumored] to be turned into an unlicensed church,” he continues, describing the second reason as most frequent.

“The third cause for these attacks [can be] a rumor that there is an illicit relationship between a Muslim and a Christian; usually [it’s] the Christian men who would have an illicit relationship with the Muslim woman.”

Although unfounded, accusations like these often leave Christians paying for a crime they did not commit.

(Photo courtesy of Open Doors USA)

“Historically, these situations are resolved by what is called a ‘reconciliation meeting’ where Christian leaders and the Muslim leaders of the village come together. The Christians would accept that they did something to upset the Muslims and apologize; they may be charged a fine,” Hoffman explains.

“The Muslims would not face any negative consequences, so that has reinforced the idea that a Muslim can do these kinds of attacks with impunity.”

Use the prompts listed alongside this article to guide your intercession. If you live in the U.S., consider sharing this article with your elected officials. Find your representative here.

“Try and encourage your local representatives to take an interest in the persecution of Christians internationally, and to support resolutions that will come up in Congress,” Hoffman suggests.

Header image is a representative 2010 photo of an Egyptian policeman. (Photo courtesy of Silar/Wikimedia Commons)

Middle East Concern’s Daniel Hoffman says some leaders call it an ‘unnecessary’ move – one that carried a message.

“Muslims were already praying in a section, and the call to prayer was already going out from the Hagia Sophia, so [it was] done as a statement against the Christian communities and the Christian presence in Turkey,” Hoffman explains.

“[Authorities were] saying, ‘You’re not important to us; what we want to do is reestablish Turkey as a strongly conservative Muslim country’ – which makes Christian communities nervous.”

Originally built as a church, the Hagia Sophia became a mosque under the Ottoman Empire. It was converted into a museum in 1935 and stood as an icon of religious freedom for decades.

Hagia Sophia: from museum to mosque

The Hagia Sophia represents centuries-old tension between Christian and Muslim populations. As described here, Turkey’s first president converted it into a museum to “neutralize” conflict and secularize the country. Seeking to rally support from conservative Muslims, President Erdogan pushed to reverse that historic decision and turn the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque. More about that here.

Turkey’s highest court was supposed to issue its verdict on President Erdogan’s request earlier this month. Instead, it delayed to July 17, and then unexpectedly released a decision last week.

Ceiling decoration in the Hagia Sophia. The Christian cross can be seen through later decorations. (Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

“[Erdogan] issued a presidential decree that it (the Hagia Sophia) would be open for Muslim prayers again [and] become a mosque as of the 24th of July,” Hoffman says.

Although this change doesn’t impact daily life for Turkey’s believers, it sets a worrisome precedent.

“Any negative statements verbally or, in this case, by action from the Turkish Government – especially one as strong as this – is making Christian nervous about the future,” Hoffman explains.

“The government feels the [political] pressure; they are looking for people to scapegoat. In the media, Christians are regularly mentioned as some of the forces behind the difficulties Turkey is facing.”

How to help

Physical boundaries may separate us from our Christian brothers and sisters in Turkey, but nothing can stop prayer. Use the prompts listed alongside this article to guide your intercession.

“Pray for wisdom for Christian leaders to know how to respond to this. Pray as well that the attitude toward Christians will change, both from the government and wider society,” Hoffman requests.

“[Pray] that they will see Christians not as [being] opposed to the well-being of Turkey, but those who are good citizens and valuable members of society.”

Header image courtesy of Rumman Amin via Unsplash.

Turkish authorities target foreign Christian leaders, and the world-renowned Hagia Sophia is in the cross-hairs, too.

“As President Erdogan continues to lose support, he is looking to ‘scapegoat’ people for the pressure and the difficulties, especially economically, that Turkey is facing. He’s, among other things, accusing the Christian communities of working ‘behind the scenes’ to damage the economy and the country,” Hoffman continues.

More about persecution in Turkey here.

Hagia Sophia

One of the world’s oldest churches, the Hagia Sophia, currently functions as a museum in Istanbul. President Erdogan wants to convert it into a mosque. Turkey’s highest court was supposed to announce its decision a few days ago. Instead, the court delayed until July 17th.

The Hagia Sophia was built in the 6th century AD.
(Photo by Meriç Dağlı on Unsplash)

Hoffman says criminals have targeted churches at the local level more than once in recent weeks. More about that here. “When the police arrested the perpetrators, they would say things like, ‘Well, we attack them (Christians) because they are behind the spread of the coronavirus,’ which is nonsense, of course,” Hoffman states.

“It’s probably inspired by some of these media reports that minority communities, including the Christian community, are working together with foreign countries to damage [Turkey].”

Decades of debate surround the Hagia Sophia. “It’s one of the oldest churches in the world and one of the key centers, especially for Eastern Orthodox communities around the world,” Hoffman explains. Read a brief history of the Hagia Sophia here.

In short, the church became a mosque during the Ottoman Empire, and then a museum in 1935. “There have been periods where Turkey’s Muslims have pushed for returning the building into a mosque, [which] is strongly opposed by the Christian communities,” Hoffman says.

“It’s coming up again now [because] it’s pushed by President Erdogan. He has been losing a lot of support over the last few years, so he’s trying to do things that will please his base. It’s especially that base which has been pushing for this.”

Foreign Christians

The difficulties surrounding foreign believers are slightly more complicated. More details here.

“There have been quite a number of expatriate Christian leaders who have received an entry ban. So, when they leave, they’re not allowed to come back into the country. It’s difficult to know exactly why this is happening,” Hoffman explains.

“[Several] people have challenged these entry bans in court, but even their lawyers do not get access to their case files. They’re all sealed by the intelligence, so it’s very difficult for the lawyers to defend these people.”

Answers may be elusive, but some facts are definite. “It started after the court case against Andrew Brunson and his deportation from the country,” Hoffman says. More about Brunson here.

Andrew Brunson
(Photo courtesy of Middle East Concern)

“Some people believe that maybe it is ‘revenge’ from individual sections of the Turkish authorities. [A few] people were individually sanctioned by the American government as part of their pressure on the Turkish authorities to release Andrew,” Hoffman describes.

“It appears that everyone who has received an entry ban, in this case, was a participant in one or more of three meetings that were happening last year. [It] appears that authorities are trying to figure out which foreigners were at these meetings, and if they discover a new name of a participant, they will issue an entry ban against them.”

Pray for strength as believers continue Gospel work in Turkey.

“One of the main things that we can do to stand with them is to support them in prayer,” Hoffman says. “[It’s] something they would very much appreciate.”

Header image courtesy of Adli Wahid on Unsplash.

Middle East Concern’s Daniel Hoffman says 21-year old Mary Mohammadi was among them. “She is active in a movement that tries to get official recognition or Iranians who converted to Christianity,” he says.

“Most of these are based outside of Iran, but she is one of the very few who is involved with this movement very publicly inside the country.”

Learn more about Middle East Concern here.

Coronavirus in Iran

As previously noted, Iranian officials tried to minimize the extent of coronavirus infections from the beginning. However, as more high-level officials become ill and subsequently die, it’s harder to cover up.

On Sunday, government health officials announced 49 new deaths related to the coronavirus, bringing the total death toll to 194 and the number of infections to 6,566. The following day, those numbers climbed again to 237 deaths and 7,161 infections.

The people of Iran spraying antibacterial chemicals to help keep the coronavirus under control.
(Wikimedia Commons)

Reporting from Tehran, FRANCE 24’s Reza Sayah says schools and universities have been closed until early April:

“In less than two weeks, it’s Nowruz, the Persian New Year, perhaps the biggest and most popular national holiday when Iranians get together and socialise with family and friends. That’s not going to happen the way it usually does, and that’s another hit to this country that has seen many crises over the past couple of years.”

Trouble may be widespread, but there are a few glimmers of hope.

Who is Mary Mohammadi?

Authorities arrested 21-year-old Christian convert and social activist Mary (Fatemeh) Mohammadi in January during protests in Tehran. “She was kept without any access to family or lawyers… she was beaten. She was humiliated in the way that she was processed by the authorities,” Hoffman says.

At the end of February, authorities released Mohammadi on 30 million Tomans bail (more than $2,000 USD).  Last week, authorities postponed her hearing due to the coronavirus.  It’s a temporary comfort, but there could be more trouble ahead.

“No new date has been set for the hearing, and she has been charged with… acting against the regime,” Hoffman says.

“She’s not the only one who’s in prison or before a court at the moment…but I think they’re definitely trying to scare her into toning down her activities.”

(Article18/Twitter @Marymohammadii)

Mohammadi stands boldly for her faith, following the example set by martyrs who went before her. She conducted this interview with Arian Soodmand, youngest daughter of Pastor Hossein Soodmand, who was executed for apostasy in 1990.

Next steps

Whenever you see Iran in the headlines this week, would you pray? “Pray for God’s encouragement, provision, and protection over those who are currently in the prison system or who are before the courts,” Hoffman requests.

“[Iranian believers] are praying not just for themselves but for the wider situation [and for] God’s mercy on their country. The Iranian Christians would appreciate if we prayed with them along these lines as well.”

Giving to Middle East Concern provides tangible and legal support to persecuted Christians throughout the Middle East and North Africa.

Header image is a representative stock photo obtained via Pixabay.

A member of the ruling council told reporters “authorities in Khartoum had agreed to send to the International Criminal Court all those who had an arrest warrant against them, so that would include the former president, Omar al Bashir,” Middle East Concern’s Daniel Hoffman says.

“If that [happens], that will be very big; it will be enormous.”

Bashir drama: what’s next?

Sudan’s former president, Omar al-Bashir, circa 2015.
(Wikimedia Commons)

The ICC issued warrants for Bashir’s arrest in 2009 and 2010, BBC News reports. He was the first sitting president to receive ICC warrants, and – prior to Bashir’s ouster – Sudan’s government refused to hand him over:

Non-cooperation has prevented the ICC from executing arrest warrants for senior figures in the Sudanese government, including former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who has sought to undermine the Court through the African Union.

If transferred to the ICC, Bashir would stand trial for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide connected to the ongoing Darfur conflict. More about that here. However, “nobody really expects that the military would agree to that (handover), partly because it may open the prospect of some of them being charged… with the same crimes,” Hoffman explains.

“Some of them, including the Vice President of the Council, [were] very much involved in those kinds of atrocities.”

While it’s a positive development, Bashir’s potential transfer isn’t the only noteworthy change in Sudan.

As described here, Sudan was known for years “as the world’s most violent abuser of the right to freedom of religion and belief.” More about persecution in Sudan here. Pressure began to lift last April with Bashir’s ouster.

In December, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok met with USCIRF officials; it was the first time a Sudanese government leader visited the U.S. in 30 years. Members of the transitional government visited one of Khartoum’s larger Christian churches at Christmastime, and they even designated Christmas as a national holiday.

(Photo courtesy of Middle East Concern)

“The Minister for Religious Affairs recognized that, in the past, Christians had been persecuted by the previous regime and apologized for that, and said they want to rectify some of the abuses,” Hoffman says.

Read more Sudan headlines here.

“The transitional government has made a lot of statements [about how] they want to improve the situation for religious minorities, including the Christian communities,” Hoffman continues.

However, “some of the larger issues, especially revolving around properties that were confiscated by the previous regime… are still ongoing.”

How to pray

Now that you know, how will you respond? “The most important thing they can do is continue to pray for the country of Sudan,” Hoffman notes.

Pray authorities will move toward an “open and democratic government… governed by the rule of law [with] human rights for everyone,” he requests. Ask the Lord for progress in cases involving church property confiscated by the government.

“Pray for the Church in Sudan as well, that they will … seek to be a force for good for the whole country, and a living testimony to Jesus Christ.”

Header image depicts Sudan’s former president, Omar al Bashir.  Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs.