Day: September 17, 2009
Communist China: “Beijing Public Security Officers Seize House Church Pastor Hua Huiqi”
“Beijing Public Security Officers Seize House Church Pastor Hua Huiqi”
— China Aid: “Pastor Hua Huiqi has been repeatedly arrested, beaten, and tortured for his faith by Chinese officials”
— China Aid reports: “On September 17 (Beijing time), Hua Huiqi, Pastor of the Tent-Making Ministry, was seized by Public Security and State Security agents from Fengtai District in Beijing. After learning what happened to his church and his vocational school, Pastor Hua was returning home from ‘forced vacation’ in Shanxi, when five PSB officers immediately surrounded his apartment home.”
— “Around 5:00 PM he was invited to go out to dinner at a restaurant, to talk about the last Sunday’s incident at the vocational school (View details from the Tent-Making Ministry Raid). About half an hour later, his wife, evangelist Ju Mei, received a phone call from Hua. Secretly from his cell phone, Hua told her that he had been forced into a PSB car on the highway. Before 6:00 PM, Hua called his wife again, and said he was taken to an unknown location by a group of PSB officers. The phone went dead, and the family members lost contact with him.
— “At approximately 10:20 PM, a Beijing PSB officer named Ding Xu went to Hua’s home to pick up some clothes for Hua. When Ju Mei asked him what had happened to her husband, and whether he was dead or alive, Officer Ding Xu refused to answer. He reportedly pointed to his police badge and said, ‘Don’t you know who I am? I have no obligation to answer your questions!'”
— “ChinaAid President Bob Fu called the Director of the Domestic Security Protection Squad of PSB of Fengtai District of Beijing this morning, at 7:00 AM CST, inquiring about Pastor Hua’s status. The Director confirmed that Hua is still in their custody but refused to reveal his condition and whereabouts.”
Indonesia: Church protests as law on stoning for adultery approved
Somaliland: COMPASS report – “Converts from Islam Jailed, Pursued in Somalia’s Breakaway Region”
Somaliland: COMPASS report – “Converts from Islam Jailed, Pursued in Somalia’s Breakaway Region”
— COMPASS reports:
— “A convert from Islam in Somalia’s self-declared state of Somaliland has been jailed for distributing Christian materials, and another is on the run from both family members and police upset over his new faith.”
— “Christian sources said Somaliland native Osman Nour Hassan was arrested on Aug. 3 for providing Christian literature in Pepsi village, on the outskirts of the breakaway region’s capital city, Hargeisa.”
— “Promotion of any religion other than Islam in Somaliland is prohibited, contrary to international standards for religious freedom such as Article 18 of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 5(1-2) of the Somaliland constitution states that Islam is the state religion and prohibits the promotion of any other faith, according to the U.S. Department of State’s 2008 International Religious Freedom Report, and Article 313 outlines penalties for Muslims who change their religion.”
— “Hassan was accused of providing Christian literature to a village Muslim boy, who later showed it to his family and friends. The boy’s Muslim family reported the incident to the police, the sources said, leading to the arrest of the 29-year-old Hassan. He was taken to Hargeisa central police station.”
— “The arrest has upset underground Christians who see it as a muzzle on religious expression. They said other Muslim villagers had received Christian materials from Hassan and took no offense, and that Christian Ethiopian refugees in the area have distributed the same literature without problem.”
— “On Aug. 6, the Muslim family who accused Hassan met with his family and agreed that Islamic teachers, or sheikhs, should go to see him in jail to advise him on Islamic doctrine. Two sheikhs met him in the police station cell and implored him to stop spreading Christianity.”
— “‘You are from an Islamic family, and therefore you should not disgrace or paint a bad image of the family,’ argued one of the sheikhs, according to a source who spoke with Hassan. In response, according to the source, Hassan told them that he had received the Christian materials as educational material for himself and for others who cared to read them, and that Jesus was his Savior.”
— “Convinced that Hassan had truly left Islam, and angered by his defiance, the sheikhs urged authorities to take him to the harsher conditions of a jail in Mandera, 60 kilometers (37 miles) away, but at press time Hassan was still incarcerated in Hargeisa.”
— “Somaliland, which is vying for international recognition as a nation, is bordered by the Gulf of Aden to the north, by Ethiopia to the southwest and by Djibouti to the northwest.”
— “Fleeing Somaliland”
— “Another Somaliland convert to Christianity, Mohamed G. Ali, is on the run from both authorities and family members. Ali has fled to neighboring Ethiopia, but the 27-year-old father of three said this will not be enough to deter relatives who seek to punish him for leaving Islam.”
— “He said relatives previously abducted his wife, who is expected to give birth to their fourth child within the next two weeks, and that they are again looking for ways to kidnap her as well as the children.”
— “The native of Hargeisa said he has already survived several attempts on his life by Muslim fanatics since becoming a Christian in 1998. Family members, close relatives within his tribe, the larger community and local officials have all done him harm, he said.”
Italy: Moroccan man accused of ‘honor killing’
Italy: Moroccan man accused of ‘honor killing’
— AKI reports:
— “A Moroccan man is facing murder charges after allegedly stabbing his 18-year-old daughter to death for falling in love with an older man in a small northern Italian town. Sanaa Dafani was stabbed in the throat while she was sitting in a car with her 31-year-old boyfriend in Montereale Valcellina, northwest of Trieste, late Tuesday.”
— “Her father, El Ketawi Dafani was later detained by police and interrogated overnight. Some Italian news reports said he had made some admissions about being present at the scene of the alleged crime but had also contradicted himself in relation to the evidence.”
— “There is also widespread speculation that El Ketawi Dafani, believed to be a Muslim, objected to religious differences between his daughter and her boyfriend and their plans to live together.”
— “According to media reports, the victim’s father blocked the car and threatened his daughter. Her boyfriend Massimo De Biasio tried to protect her from the attack and was injured in an alleged assault from the father.”
— “The case has already drawn comparisons with the controversial murder of a young Pakistani girl, Hina Saleem, who was killed by male relatives in August 2006.
— “Hina’s father Mohammed, confessed to slitting 20-year-old Hina’s throat for ‘dishonouring the family’ because she lived with an Italian man, wore jeans and worked in a pizzeria.”
“Pakistani Christians demand repeal of blasphemy law not revision vow of Shahbaz Bhatti”
“Pakistani Christians demand repeal of blasphemy law not revision vow of Shahbaz Bhatti”
— Pakistan Christian Post reports:
— “Dr. Nazir S Bhatti, President of Pakistan Christian Congress PCC said that Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities have lost confidence of Pakistani Christians and his vows to revise blasphemy laws in a meeting with US Commission on International Religious Freedom in Washington is not acceptable to Christians who want repeal of controversial blasphemy law which have caused violence against them.”
— “Nazir Bhatti said ‘Shahbaz Bhatti is not elected representative of Pakistani Christians but selected and imposed on Christians by Pakistan Peoples Party PPP'”
— “‘Shahbaz Bhatti vowed to repeal blasphemy laws when he was awarded by US Commission on International Religious Freedom but now he is speaking their master’s voice in Pakistan government and Pakistan Peoples Party’ added Nazir Bhatti”
— “‘US and EU can not end terrorism in South Asia until Article 2 of Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan is amended and blasphemy law is repealed because its is root cause of religious extremism and protecting terrorist in Pakistan’ said Nazir Bhatti”
— “Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities, have failed to protect Christians who have been targeted in Pakistan nor he have brought culprits to justice but distributed cash to Christian victims and protected Muslim attackers who burnt alive Christians, destroyed hundreds of homes and churches.”
— “Nazir Bhatti urged US administration to press upon Pakistan government to repeal blasphemy laws and condition US aid to Pakistan in fight against terrorism with amendment in Article 2 of constitution and repeal of blasphemy.”
— “Nazir Bhatti also appealed to International Forums to voice for protection and security of Pakistani Christian who are attacked by Muslim extremists and targeted on accusations of blasphemy.”
— “Nazir Bhatti said ‘I will present memorandum to US commission on International Religious Freedom to repeal blasphemy law on behalf of Pakistani Christians who demand repeal not revision as Shahbaz Bhatti claimed'”
New Mexico: Nazi Flag Flyer Investigated for Alleged Bomb Threats Against Government
Las Cruces Sun-Network: Nazi flag flying high over East Mesa again
— Las Cruces Sun network reports:
— “The U.S. Secret Service confirmed it is investigating a Las Cruces man’s not-unprecedented threats against the government.”
— “Ken Triplett, 54, whose Nazi flag caught the attention of neighbors and veterans last week, is on three years’ supervisory release after a 2008 conviction for felony assault on a federal officer, U.S. Attorney spokesman Norm Cairns and U.S. Probation Office Deputy Chief Jose Cordova confirmed.”
— “Alleged threats on Labor Day, that Triplett “said that he was heavily armed and that if he had to, he would strap bombs to himself and go to Washington, D.C., to take care of the government,” reported by neighbors to Las Cruces police, got the attention of the Secret Service.”
— New Mexico Independent: Man flying Nazi flag draws Secret Service attention
Egyptian Christian’s murder sparks sectarian tension
Saudi Arabia: Philippine Woman Imprisoned for Being Rape Victim “Under Shariah Law”
— GMA News: “Family of raped, jailed Pinay in KSA seeks help”
— GMA News reports:
— “The family of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who claimed to have been raped is asking for help after she was sent to jail by her employer in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.”
— “Dennis Neri, an OFW based in Doha, Qatar, told GMANews.TV that his 36-year-old sister Nerissa was raped last August by unknown men in Dammam where she works as a janitress.”
— “Under Sharia’h Law, unmarried women who engage in sexual acts or are impregnated are liable for the crime of fornication or adultery. Punishment for the two acts varies depending on the judges and whether the person is Muslim or not.”
— “Dennis said his sister has been in jail since September 11. Nerissa has since told him and their mother Deofila in the Philippines about what happened to her last August.”
— See also:
— February 11, 2009: Saudi Rape Victim Sentenced to 100 lashes by extremists
—- gang rape victim tortured for committing “adultery”
Pakistan: Questions Asked About Death of Christian Youth Arrested for “Blasphemy” — Protests Against “Blasphemy” Law Broken Up — Youth Buried
Additional reports on the burial of Robert Danish aka Falish Masih, questions being asked about his death in prison while being arrested for “blasphemy,” and clashes ending protests against Pakistan blasphemy law.
— Pakistan Christian Post: “Robert Danish, a Pakistani Christian youth killed in Sialkot Central Jail was laid to rest in Christian Town graveyard under tear gas shelling and baton charge of police here today.”
— “The dead body was brought to CTI ground where administration have deployed contingents of security agencies from dawn of September 16, 2009.”
— “According to PCP sources, police had blocked all roads leading to CTI ground, which led to this century old Christian Technical Institute in Sialkot.”
— “Only relatives and dozens of Christians were allowed to gather for funeral of Robert Danish alias Falish Masih who was arrested on September 11, 2009, under blasphemy charges and mysteriously killed in jail on September 15, 2009.”
— “The father of Robert Danish and his family insisted to bury him in their native village Jhethe Key but administration not allowed and pressured Riasat Masih his father to bury him in Sialkot.”
— “The native village of Robert Danish is 20 kilometer from Sialkot city but due to anger among Christians in towns and villages of Sialkot district Punjab government not permitted procession of funeral to Jhethe Key.”
— “The Civil Lines Sialkot Police Station registered FIR against jail official on killing of Robert Danish on complaint of Riasat Masih and mourners sitting with dead body of Robert were shown copy of FIR to compel protestors to bury him who were demanding arrest of killers.”
— “Albert Masih, one protestor told PCP ‘We not trust on their FIR and arrests because government will get their bail from courts and Enquiry Committee formed by Inspector General Police Punjab will declare killers to be innocents after few weeks and they will be reinstated'”
— “The protestors were demanding repeal of blasphemy law and formation of Commission to investigate killing of Robert Masih.”
— “The police followed protestors in streets and used hundreds of tear gas shells to disperse them. The Muslim parliamentarians from Sialkot also attended funeral while Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister not bothered to travel to Sialkot. Kamran Michal, a Christian minister in Punjab government was present during last rituals of Pakistani Christian youth who was victim of controversial blasphemy law in Pakistan.”
— “The increasing incident of violence against Christian on accusation of blasphemy and recent killing of Robert Danish have created fear among 20 million Christians in Pakistan.”
— Pakistan Christian Post: “Robert Danish (alias or also known as Falish Masih) was mysteriously found dead in special security zone of Sialkot Central Jail at 8:30 AM to day.”
— “Robert Danish was arrested under section 295 B PPC on September 11, 2009, vide FIR number 1176/207/09 of Sambarial Police Station on complaint of Mohammad Asghar Ali resident of village Jhethey Key. He was produced before local magistrate and sent to judicial custody in Sialkot Central Jail where he was killed according to his family.”
— “‘Muslim jail officers are involved in his killing’ one of Robert Danish relative told PCP”
— “There is widespread anger among Christians in Pakistan after news of killing of Robert Danish in jail custody.”
— “According to PCP, Christians of Sialkot have announced to observe two days strike and mourning on killing of Christian youth.”
— “The incident was conspired by local Muslim clerics who hoisted banners with slogans ‘Kill the blasphemers’ on Wazirabad-Sialkot road in Sambarial after incident of Gojra where Muslim burnt alive Christians on August 1, 2009.”
— “On September 11, 2009, a village barber named Mohammad Asghar Ali accused Robert Danish to push her daughter Hina Ali who was coming home after Quran recitation.”
— Pakistan Rights Groups Seek Answers on Christian’s Death
— New York Times reports:
—- “A Christian man detained on blasphemy charges was found dead in his jail cell on Tuesday in eastern Pakistan. Human rights groups here said he appeared to have been killed, perhaps in collusion with the authorities.”
—- “The death of the Christian, Robert Fanish, 20, is part of a rising trend of violence against minorities in Pakistan, a panel of Pakistani human rights groups said in a news conference on Wednesday. It follows the burning deaths of six Christians in July, and mob attacks against Christian houses and a church in March and June.”
—- “‘This is a pattern,’ said Asma Jahangir, the chairwoman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, a prominent watchdog group that is independent of the government.”
Pakistan: Christian’s death in jail sparks protests
— Pakistan Daily Times reports: “Minority and human rights activists staged protests in Lahore on Tuesday after word of Masih’s death got out, with some carrying posters calling it a murder.”
— Pak Christians Clash With Cops at Funeral of ‘Murdered’ Youth
— Christian Post reports:
— “Violence broke out in certain parts of Pakistan even as Christians buried Robert Masih, 21, who was mysteriously found dead at his jail cell a day earlier in Sialkot, in the eastern province of Punjab.”
— “Pakistani Christians clash with security officials Wednesday even as Christians attended the funeral of Robert Masih, accused of blasphemy was mysteriously found dead at his jail cell Tuesday in Sialkot, in the eastern province of Punjab.”
— “Robert, also known as Felish Masih, 21 was accused of desecrating Quran, the holy book of Islam. He was jailed Saturday on charge of blasphemy after a Muslim family accused him of throwing pages of Koran in the drain; but his local supporters said the family claimed that he had been admiring their daughter, according to Pakistan Christian Post.”
— “leaders of the Christian community alleged that Masih was ‘tortured to death’ by jail officials. They claimed the officials ‘staged a drama’ about Masih committing suicide.”
Additional Reports:
— September 15: Pakistan: young Christian man accused of blasphemy killed in prison
— Pakistan: Christian Church torched in Sialkot over ‘desecration'”
— Pakistan: Additional Report on Church Burning in Sialkot
— September 12, 2009 – Asia News reports: “According to preliminary reports, the real cause of tension is a relationship between a twenty year old Christian, whose name is Fanish, and a Muslim girl.”
— “‘Muslims can not tolerate a Muslim girl falling in love with a Christian,’ says father Mani, confirming the news of the young man’s arrest this morning by police officers”
— Pakistan Dawn: “The religious chauvinism that has become rampant in the country is nowhere in better evidence than in the case of Fanish Masih”
