USCIRF News Digest

        Source:            www.uscirf.gov
Date:                 January 21, 2020

Download the 2019 USCIRF Annual Report: Key Findings and Recommendations

Top News from Around the World

Algeria
 Order issued to close church building in Oran, Algeria (Evangelical Focus)
China
 China’s Courts Continue to Punish Falun Gong Adherents for Their Faith (Epoch Times)
 Underground bishop Msgr. Cuitai freed. He will be re-arrested after the Chinese New Year (AsiaNews.it)
 Battered but Resilient After China’s Crackdown (NYT)
Egypt
 Ululations at Cathedral, tears in Fao (Watani)
India
 Repeal CAA, Punjab urges Centre in House resolution (The Hindu)
Indonesia
 People’s Possible visit to Indonesia, East Timor, and PNG (Catholic Weekly)
Iraq
 Christians in Iraq welcome 2020 with confidence and desire for change (Al-Monitor)
An Iraq for All: Improving the Status of Assyrians in the Iraqi Constitution (API)
Iran
 Iran's Regime Arrests Famous Christian Convert in Tehran (Jerusalem Post)
Christian convert, 65, sentenced to three years in prison (Article 18)

 Malaysia
 Excessive religious rituals affects student performance, parents complain (FreeMalayiaToday)
G25: Apostasy a major sin, but Constitution provides freedom of worship for Muslims too (Malay Mail)
Nigeria
 Boko Haram kills CAN chairman in Adamawa

 Pakistan
 Pakistani far-right activists sentenced over blasphemy protests (Al Jazeera)

 Saudi Arabia
 Saudi Arabia: Walid Abu Al-Khair and Khalid Al-Omair remain on hunger strike (GCHR)
 Saudi Arabia runs squalid, abusive jails for women disowned by their male guardians — a forgotten chapter in its rush to champion women's rights (Insider)

 Turkey
 AKP, MHP councilors vote down proposal to recognize cemevis as places of worship (Ahval)
 Family of Chaldean priest kidnapped, missing for 10 days (Bianet)
 Confidentiality order on file for missing Syriac couple in Şırnak (Bianet)
 Djemevi attacked in Istanbul (Bianet)
 Investigation launched into attack on Istanbul cemevi (Duvar)
 Djemevis not recognized as places of worship in Istanbul by AKP, MHP votes (Bianet)
 AKP, MHP councilors vote down proposal to recognize cemevis as places of worship (Ahval)
 Leading figure of Naqshbandi Islamic order killed in armed attack eastern Turkey (Ahval)

USCIRF News Digest - January 21, 2020