Azjerbaijan :Protestant groups face crackdown
16 Aug 2012A lawyer from Alexandria has submitted a report to the public prosecutor requesting that Egypt's Coptic Christians be excluded from the committee forming the nation's new constitution. Sherif Gadallah claimed that Orthodox Coptics are not representative of Egypt's Christian population because they're not Nasara, the so-called ‘true’ Christians of Islam's Qur'an, a book in which the word ‘Christian’ never appears. Since Orthodox Copts are not Nasara, or even Christians, Gadallah said they can be counted as polytheists, which will make Coptics non-representative of Egypt's Christian population. Gadallah justified his report by the Qur'an, which claims the prophets of Allah - Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad - are all mere humans sent by God to pass his message on to creation. Since Christians believe Jesus to be the divine Son of God, they are polytheistic infidels and not the Nasara of the Qur'an; therefore, Copts who also profess the divinity of Christ as expressed in the Trinity must be barred from having any say in Egypt's new constitution
Pray: against any move to marginalise Coptic Christians which would restrict full representation of all people on the constitutional committee. (Pr.29:14)
More: http://www.worthynews.com/11682-lawyer-wants-copts-removed-from-egyptian-constitutional-committee
Azerbaijan:12 April liquidation for Baku church?
05 Apr 2012Exercising the right to freedom of religion or belief without state permission is illegal in Azerbaijan, in defiance of international human rights standards. However nearly 19 years after gaining state registration with Azerbaijan's Justice Ministry and despite no complaints about its conduct, the Protestant Greater Grace Church in the Azerbaijani capital Baku could be liquidated within two weeks. The Judge hearing the liquidation suit lodged by the State Committee for Work with Religious Organisations is to give her decision on the afternoon of 12 April when the case resumes. If the Judge rules to liquidate the church, all its activity will become illegal and its members will be liable to prosecution.
Pray: that restrictions would not hinder the spread of the Gospel in Azerbaijan, but rather opposition would bring about a spiritual revival. (2Th.3:1)
More: http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1686
Following a raid on a Baptist worship meeting in Neftechala, Pastor Telman Aliev, his wife and all Church members were summoned for police questioning on 23 December and threatened with criminal prosecution. The authorities declared the Church ‘closed’ and confiscated all the books they could find. Officials also asked for the full addresses of all Church members and their ethnicity. The State Committee for Work with Religious Organisations said, ‘Without registration you can't pray. We close any place of worship that isn't registered, including mosques. We don't ban, we just demand documents.’ The Church has applied for re-registration, but its application has not been answered. Exercising the right to freedom of religion or belief without state permission is illegal in Azerbaijan, in defiance of international human rights standards.
Pray: that these restrictions would not hinder the spread of the Gospel in Azerbaijan. (2Th.3:1)
More: http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue14955.html
Azerbaijan: Riot police versus worshippers
16 Apr 2011
Three Christian communities in Azerbaijan's second city Gyanja have been banned from meeting for worship.. Babek Sadykov of Gyanja Police completely denied this, claiming to Forum 18 news that ‘no one is being prevented from worshipping’. Local people, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of state reprisals, told Forum 18 that one of the communities was warned that ‘if they met for worship on the following Sunday or at any future date they will all be arrested’. Two buses full of ordinary police and riot police later arrived to prevent any religious worship. Protestants said the church had already reluctantly decided not to hold one big Sunday service that day. ‘People are now very afraid.’ Meanwhile, a government-initiated World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue was told by President Ilham Aliev that freedom of religion, freedom of conscience have been fully established in Azerbaijan. Pray: for Star of the East Pentecostal Church, the New Apostolic Church and a Baptist congregation to be able to worship legally and freely in Gyanja. (Ps.91:4,5) More: http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1560
Azerbaijan: Religious tolerance?
09 Nov 2010
Four Baptists in Azerbaijan were each given a five day jail term after a police raid on a Harvest Festival celebration in a private home, Forum 18 News Service has learned. Around 80 Baptists were present when police raided the home after turning off the gas and electricity to prevent church members from preparing a festive meal. They recorded the names of all those present also photographing and filming them. After a late night closed court hearing the home owner and three others were given five-day prison terms. Police insisted there was nothing unusual about a late Sunday evening court hearing, claiming that ‘it happens’. In a separate case a court in Baku has handed down a large fine on a Jehovah's Witness for offering religious literature on the streets. More stories of religious intolerance can be found by clicking the more button. Pray: for all that is ungodly in Azerbaijan to be revealed and removed from the legal system. (Job.8:20) More: http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1505
Azerbaijan: Christians under increasing pressure
16 Feb 2013Tough regulations have made it difficult for churches to complete necessary registration. The process is ‘mired in bureaucracy’ and applications are often refused. State opposition has become the ‘biggest obstacle’ facing churches in Azerbaijan today. Recently 30 police officers visited a pastor's home and told him it was illegal to spread the teachings of Jesus in Azerbaijan, despite religious freedom being guaranteed in the constitution. He was told he would be spared prison if he ceased working as an evangelist. The pastor refused and was jailed for 18 months - accused of keeping weapons. Another pastor explained, ‘They are afraid that if people become Christians they would prefer the interests of Russia over those of Azerbaijan.’ Head of the Baptist Union of Azerbaijan said, ‘At any moment the pastor of a church can be imprisoned.’ Despite this the church in Azerbaijan is growing with an estimated 10,000 members.
Pray: for God to raise up people to defend the rights of believers, for Christians to come together without fear of government, police, security services or extremists. (Ps.12:5&7)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/azerbaijan.christians.under.increasing.pressure/31593.htm
The leaders of two small Baptist churches in north-west Azerbaijan have been given heavy fines for holding worship services – and threatened with even tougher penalties unless they stop. At a hearing on Good Friday, judges fined pastors Zaur Balayev and Hamid Shabanov 1,500 AZN (£1,270) each. The average wage in Azerbaijan is £200 a month. The two pastors have suffered persecution for more than 15 years, according to Archbishop Malkhaz Songulashvili of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia. They have also been warned that if they do not comply with the decision of the court they will be either fined for a bigger amount or arrested. Archbishop Malkhaz said restrictions on religious liberty could get 'out of control' unless the court decision was challenged by international organisations. Pastor Hamid was briefly detained in November when police raided a church meeting at his house (Prayer Alert, November 9). The two pastors plan to appeal against the court decision.
Pray: that God will strengthen the persecuted church (Ps.23:4) May He unite church leaders and international organisations to bring about religious freedom in Azerbaijan. (Ps.23:3)
A Christian congregation in Azerbaijan is waiting pensively to see if a judge will uphold a court order that banned its right to meet and could ‘liquidate’ the church. ‘They are upset, but at the same time they continue coming out hoping for the best,’ said Mechti Suleymanov, an elder at Greater Grace Church in Baku, Azerbaijan, which has been meeting for roughly 20 years. Judge Tahira Asadova of Baku’s Administrative Economic Court on April 25 ordered the Greater Grace Church to be ‘liquidated’ after the State Committee on Work with Religious Organizations (SCWRO) filed suit against it for failing to register with the committee. The liquidation rendered all activities of the church illegal. The church appealed against the decision on May 24 and is waiting for another ruling, scheduled for July 17, from a judge at the Baku Court of Appeals.
Pray: for the church in Baku that the Court of Appeal will reverse its thoughts on liquidation. (Pr.29:26)
More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/easterneuropeandeurasia/article_1610756.html