International | October 25, 2021
India: Human rights groups document over 300 acts of Christian persecution in 2021
International | October 25, 2021
Human rights groups in India say they have documented over 300 incidents of Christian persecution in just the first nine months of 2021, warning that this year might be the worst in terms of the number of such incidents in the country’s history.
While Christians make up only 2.3% of India’s population and Hindus comprise about 80%, radical Hindu nationalists have been carrying out attacks on Christians under the pretext of punishing the minority for using force or monetary rewards to convert Hindus to Christianity,
A.C. Michael, the National Coordinator of the United Christian Forum, said at a press conference in Delhi this week, “The brutal attacks have taken place across 21 states. Most of the incidents are taking place in northern states and 288 instances were of mob violence,” he added, according to the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern… (Excerpts from the Christian Post)
International | September 16, 2021
READ: Pastor Artur Pawlowski’s statement to the court
International | September 16, 2021
Pastor Artur Pawlowski spoke in court this morning as the judge heard arguments regarding the punishment that Pastor Artur will face for violating Alberta’s lockdown rules.
Today’s hearing determines the difference between “time served” and Pastor Artur going back to jail. The court has been adjourned until October 13 when we will hear the judge’s final decision.
You can read Pastor Artur’s full statement to the court below:
I am here, before this court as a political prisoner of conscience!
The AHS and the politicians have found a new way of penalizing anyone that is opposing their unconstitutional medical Tyranny!…. (Excerpts from RebelNews)
International | August 16, 2021
Christian persecution ‘set to rise’ after Taliban takeover of Afghanistan
International | August 16, 2021
Release International is warning of a likely increase in attacks on Christians across Afghanistan and the region after the Taliban’s rapid takeover of the country following the US and Nato troop withdrawal.
The speed with which the Taliban re-took control of the country has shocked the international community.
While the Taliban has asked for a peaceful transfer of power, Release International says the dramatic turn of events will only embolden extremist activity.
One church leader in Afghanistan told the charity that Christians there are living in great fear. They include some Christians who worked for the government and are now at risk of reprisals.
Release warned that anyone identified as a Christian could be killed for their faith, and that they risk betrayal or falling victim to an honour killing by their own family members.
One Christian contact told Release that the situation there is “dire”. .. (Excerpts from Christian Today)
Florida, International | August 16, 2021
Trump barred from Twitter, but Taliban spokesman tweets away
Florida, International | August 16, 2021
. . Twitter’s standards were called into question on Sunday after users pointed out that a key Taliban spokesman has been using the platform to give updates about the group’s advance within the country while former President Trump’s account remains permanently suspended. Zabihullah Mujahid’s account is not verified but has nearly 280,000 followers and is regularly cited by major news outlets. He recently tweeted an update on “military units” entering Kabul. He wrote that their “advance is continuing normally.” Jerome Riviere, the French politician, took to Twitter and posted: “Freedom and democracy are not doing well when #Twitter continues to ban #Trump’s account but relays the #Taliban spokesperson’s without any second thoughts.”… (Excerpts from Fox News)
International | August 1, 2021
Sky News Australia Suspended by YouTube
International | August 1, 2021
YouTube has temporarily suspended Sky News Australia from posting on its video platform, issuing a first strike to the popular conservative news channel over “COVID-19 misinformation,” according to a statement.
The tech giant said its decision to issue a strike was based on local and global health authority guidance, which Sky News Australia challenged as being constantly “subject to change” alongside updates to guidance from the various authorities.
Sky News Australia said the suspension was over “old videos” posted on its channel.
The strike means that Sky News Australia is suspended for a week from uploading content to its 1.85 million subscribers on its YouTube account.
“Specifically, we don’t allow content that denies the existence of COVID-19 or that encourages people to use hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin to treat or prevent the virus,” YouTube said in an early version of its statement that was sent to local media. “We do allow for videos that have sufficient countervailing context, which the violative videos did not provide.”
Sky News Australia said it “expressly rejects that any host has ever denied the existence of COVID-19 as was implied, and no such videos were ever published or removed.”
It added that the network acknowledges YouTube’s right to enforce its own policies and “looks forward to continuing to publish its popular news and analysis content back to its audience.”
“We support broad discussion and debate on a wide range of topics and perspectives which is vital to any democracy,” a spokesperson for the network added. “We take our commitment to meeting editorial and community expectations seriously.”
Local media reported that the strike came into effect on July 29.
According to YouTube’s policies, three strikes within a 90-day period will see a channel banned permanently from the platform.
One of Sky News’ reporters has consistently been the first to cover controversial updates on global efforts to track down the origins of COVID-19, some of which were initially dismissed as “conspiracy theories” by other outlets but have since gained wider recognition as possible explanations.
Sky News Australia investigative reporter Sharri Markson was among the first to report on existing footage of bat research from inside the Wuhan Institute of Virology, dating back to May 2017, while members of the World Health Organization’s investigative team continued to deny that live bats had ever been housed at the facility…. (Excerpts from Epoch Times)
International | August 1, 2021
One Woman’s Struggle against the Cuban Regime
International | August 1, 2021
On July 22, 2012, in the neighborhood of El Cerro in Havana, Cuba, Rosa María Payá said goodbye to her father as she would have on any other day, with a kiss on the cheek. But that day would not be like every other day.
After lunch, she received a series of muddled texts: An accident. Militia everywhere. Three people taken to the hospital. “Help!” She called her father’s phone. Over and over again. No answer.
Finally, around 4 p.m., someone picked up. Immediately, Rosa María called out: “Papá, papá, papá.” A female voice responded, stumbled, claimed to be a doctor. Finally, the voice said: “There has been a fatality.”
That was the moment when Rosa María Payá understood her father had been murdered by the Castro regime.
Her father was Oswaldo Payá, head of the Varela Project, which he launched in the late ’90s, proposing freedom of speech, association, religion, and press, along with free elections, free enterprise, and the release of political prisoners in Cuba…. Excerpts from the National Review)