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By Elizabeth Kendal
AUGUST 2016 UPDATE -- this month we prayed concerning ...
* Islamic State's DABIQ magazine (RLPB 369), the latest issue of which targets Christians and Christianity. Titled 'Break the Cross', the magazine is sure to fuel anti-Christian hostility in would-be jihadists.
* SYRIA (RLPB 370), where al-Qaeda-led Jaysh el-Fatah broke through government lines and declared its intent to take the jihad into government-controlled western Aleppo. This is home to more than a million loyalist Syrians -- i.e. non-Islamist Sunnis, Alawites and some 40,000 mostly Armenian and Assyrian remnant Christians.
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| Alaa: wounded when rebel shells struck her home in western Aleppo. source: RT video report |
UPDATE: On Friday 26 August US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, met in Geneva for nearly ten hours of talks on the Syria crisis. Russia wants America to convince US-backed 'rebels' to separate themselves from al-Qaeda affiliates so that al-Qaeda jihadists can be targeted without hitting US-backed 'rebels'. The US, however, has not been able to do this, and this is hampering US anti-terror efforts and preventing co-operation with Russia in the battle against al-Qaeda.
On Monday 29 August Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, lashed out against the rebels who are preventing UN-funded aid convoys from delivering food into rebel-held eastern Aleppo. The rebels, who know how to fight asymmetrically, want their human shields starving and pitiful for propaganda purposes. Also on 29 August Islamic State confirmed that its spokesman and chief propagandist, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani (39), has been killed in Aleppo. Al-Adnani was the US' second most-wanted IS figure after al-Baghdadi. May the Lord intervene in Aleppo to 'frustrate the way of the wicked' (Psalm 146:9 NIV).
* PRISONERS (RLPB 372): in Algeria, where a Christian has been sentenced to five years in prison for 'blasphemy'; Iran, where numerous Christians are in prison because of their Christian witness; and Sudan, where four believers -- two Nuba pastors, one Darfuri convert and a foreign (Czech) film-maker -- are facing national security charges that carry the death penalty.
UPDATES
MORE ARRESTS IN IRAN
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| Ramiel Bet Tamraz |
TRIAL RESUMES IN KHARTOUM
As World Watch Monitor reports, the trial of the two Nuba pastors, one Darfuri convert and a Czech film-maker resumed on 29 August. The men stand accused of capital crimes associated with what the prosecution refers to as the 'fabrication' of 'false' stories of Christian persecution and Nuba genocide. Western diplomats and representatives of foreign aid groups attended the hearing. Please pray.
AUGUST ROUND-UP -- also this month ...
* EGYPT: PRISON BREAKS HEGAZI
Long-time intercessors will be familiar with the case of Mohamed Hegazy (34). In 2007, Hegazy became the first Muslim-born Egyptian to sue the Interior Ministry for his right to change his religion from Islam to Christianity. The court ruled against him, affirming the Sharia principle that apostasy is impermissible. His family vowed to kill him. With his wife and child safe overseas, Hegazy changed his name to Bishoy Armia and in 2011 began working as a freelance writer, reporting on the violent persecution of Coptic Christians in Upper Egypt. In December 2013, Hegazy was arrested and held for 15 days [RLPB 240 (10 Dec 2013)]. Re-arrested in June 2014, he was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of inciting sectarian strife and spreading 'misinformation' [RLPB 266 (25 June 2014)]. As reported in RLPB 312 (2 June 2015), Hegazy has suffered much in prison, including routine beatings and intense pressure.
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| screenshot of Hegazi (29 July). source: Morning Star News |
On 23 July 2016 Mohamed Hegazy was released from prison. On Saturday 30 July footage appeared on YouTube showing his conversion to Islam. Recorded on Friday 29 July, it shows Hegazy reciting the Shahadah (the Islamic statement of faith), apologising to his Muslim family and declaring that he would never again speak to the media. Human rights and religious liberty advocates fear Hegazy has succumbed to extreme pressure. His lawyer, Karam Ghobria, believes Hegazy's 'conversion' is the act of 'a terrified and broken man'. Hegazi has been released into the custody of his parents who had previously vowed to kill him. Please pray for Mohamed Hegazy.
'But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.' Psalm 3:3 ESV
* INDONESIA: FAILED TERROR ATTACK IN MEDAN CHURCH
On Sunday 28 August a teenage would-be terrorist launched a failed attack on a Catholic priest as he celebrated the Mass in St Yoseph's Catholic Church in Medan, North Sumatra. When his home-made bomb detonated but failed to explode, Ivan Armadi Hasugian (18) rushed at Rev Albertus Pandiangan (60) with a knife and an axe. Parishioners wrestled the attacker to the ground and the priest suffered only minor injuries. Hasugian claimed to be inspired by Islamic State propaganda (no doubt including DABIQ magazine) and by the 26 July attack in France [RLPB 368 (27 July)] in which two Muslim youths slaughtered a Catholic priest as he celebrated the Mass.
* PAKISTAN: ASIA BIBI'S SUPREME COURT APPEAL SLATED FOR OCTOBER
Pakistan's highest court has announced that it will hear the appeal against Asia Bibi's death sentence for blasphemy during the second week of October. It is reasonable to expect that, as in the past, this news will trigger Islamic protests, sit-ins and calls for Asia Bibi's death. It may also trigger anger and mob violence against Pakistan's vulnerable Christian communities. As the appeal hearing draws closer, the threat to Asia's life will escalate. If acquitted, Asia and her family will need high level security immediately, as well as sanctuary in a safe country, if they are to be spared vigilante extra-judicial killing. The Church must be praying for this whole process, and the West must take a stand for religious liberty and Christian security.
* RUSSIA: ANTI-MISSION LAW KICKS IN
On 7 July Russia's President Vladimir Putin signed into law a controversial 'anti-terror' package which includes anti-mission measures that eviscerate religious freedom [RLPB 365 (8 July 2016)]. Five cases came before the courts during August. A Hare Krishna devotee was acquitted. Of four Protestants to be charged (two of whom are foreigners), three have been fined and one was due in court on 29 August. Furthermore, a case was launched on 22 August against the director of an Adventist church who stands accused of illegal evangelism for sending Christian literature to the leadership of the district administration. [See Forum 18 for details.] Pray that the anti-mission measures will be either radically amended or repealed.
* SCOTLAND (UK): 'NAMED PERSON' SCHEME DEEMED UNLAWFUL
The UK Supreme Court has ruled in the case of The Christian Institute and others v The Lord Advocate (Scotland). The case concerns Scotland's highly controversial and unacceptably intrusive Named Person scheme [see RLPB 246 (10 June 2014)]. On Thursday 28 July the five judges of the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Scottish government's Named Person scheme, as it stands, is unlawful. There can be no appeal. The scheme would have seen every child in Scotland under the age of 18 assigned a state guardian to monitor their 'well-being'. Christian Institute director Colin Hart praised the ruling as a win for families. However, the Scottish government remains 'firmly committed' to the scheme while reluctantly acknowledging it would have to be optional rather than mandatory. Praise God!
'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.' Joshua 1:9 ESV
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Elizabeth Kendal is the author of Turn
Back the Battle: Isaiah Speaks to Christians Today (Deror Books, Melbourne,
Australia, Dec 2012) which offers a Biblical response
to persecution and existential threat; and, ‘After Saturday Comes
Sunday’: Understanding the Christian Crisis in the Middle East (Wipf and Stock, Eugene, OR, USA, June
2016). For more information see www.ElizabethKendal.com
