ICC's April E-Newsletter, Persecution

International Christian Concern

PERSECUTION April 2012

WHAT DOES

SCRIPTURE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT ADVOCACY?

CAPTURED, TORTURED, SET FREE: OUR SUCCESS STORIES

HIDDEN HEROES OF ADVOCACY: THE CONGRESSMEN WHO FIGHT FOR THE PERSECUTED

THE

ADVOCACY ISSUE

INSIDE THIS ISSUE APRIL 2012

3

Why Advocate?

4

Advocacy Works: Our Success Stories

9

Hidden Heroes of Advocacy

11

The Pitts of Advocacy

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The Cycle of Advocacy: A Detailed Look at a Current Case

Exploring the top three reasons why ICC actively pursues justice, and why you should as well.

Through key relationships with concerned congressional offices, ICC has been at the forefront of freeing dozens of imprisoned Christians, overturning oppressive policies, and enabling churches to worship freely.

In the last two years alone, ICC has worked extensively with three exceptional leaders who stand up for persecuted men and women around the globe.

Rep. Joe Pitts sits down with ICC to talk about fighting religious persecution at the legislative level.

While a group of 35 Ethiopian Christians await their fate in a Saudi Arabian jail, ICC works ceaselessly through many advocacy avenues to have them released.

Send donations to: PO Box 8056 Silver Spring, MD 20907 or online at www. persecution.org ICC makes every effort to honor donor wishes in regards to their gifts.

Occasionally, a situation will arise where a project is no longer viable.

In that case, ICC will redirect those donated project funds to one of our other funds that is most similar to the donor’s original wishes.

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International Christian Concern is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) (all donations tax-deductible). Š Copyright 2012 ICC, Washington, D.C., USA. All rights reserved.

Permission to reproduce all or part of this publication is granted provided attribution is given to ICC as the source.

LETTER FROM THE

PRESIDENT

Decades ago, American Christianity fractured in the sense that a divide was created between sharing the Gospel and doing good works. Liberal Christians focused on the body (physical needs) while conservative Christians focused on the soul (spreading the Gospel). I always found this puzzling because if you look at the ministry of Jesus you see no such split. You see holistic ministry. He fed the poor, he healed, but he also boldly proclaimed that he was the only way, the truth and the life, and no one would find God unless they came through him!

As the president of ICC, I find it immensely appealing that ICC can attempt to mirror, in some small way, Jesus’ holistic ministry, and repair this rift.

Advocacy, awareness and assistance are the three pillars of ICC; but I would say advocacy is our least understood, partly because many Christians regard anything to do with government as “worldly,” since it is associated with worldly power.

Yet God says, “the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord and he directs it where he pleases” (Proverbs 21:1). Furthermore, the Lord calls us to stand up for those who have no worldly power, who are oppressed. “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 82:3-4).

I wanted to devote this month’s issue to advocacy, in attempts to help our partners understand this vital area of ministering to the persecuted; we seek to defend, to maintain rights, and to shout for the weakest and powerless.

Would you please join me in serving your persecuted brother and sisters? Please give generously and joyously and know that whatever you decide to invest in the persecuted via ICC will be used prayerfully, efficiently, and effectively.

I promise...

WHY ADVOCATE? Advocate (verb and noun): To please the cause of another; siding with; vindicating; recommend publicly. One that pleads in another’s behalf; an intercessor.

Scripture commands us to.

There is a clear Biblical mandate for Christians to be an advocate on behalf of the persecuted.

“Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you are also in the body.”

Hebrews 13:3 “Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.”

Isaiah 1:17 “Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed.”

Jeremiah 22:3

“Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die!”

Psalm 79:1 “Open your mouth for the mute, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

Proverbs 31:9 “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.”

Psalm 82:3

Because Jesus is the one being persecuted.

When Saul was on his way to Damascus to murder Christians, Jesus appeared and asked, “Saul, why do

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you persecute me?”

There is a world of theology packed away in this simple sentence but it points to the truth that the worldwide collection of believers, is truly his body: “now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12).

When believers are tortured and imprisoned, Jesus feels their pain!

It is effective.

You will read many testimonies of those who were released from prison, their charges dropped, their fines forgotten, due to the efforts put forth by ICC. Their testimonies grow stronger because of their time in prison, yet these men and women are grateful that they can tuck their children into bed tonight.

ADVOCACY WORKS OUR SUCCESS STORIES

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“Unless you advocate for us, we are completely helpless and have no defense. The government does not care about us, but will only listen to outside pressure. ” - Egyptian pastor to ICC

While diplomacy can be slow, advocacy is a unique and invaluable tool and mission to defend the cause of the persecuted to the U.S. government. In key relationships with concerned congressional offices, the State Department and even the White House at times, ICC has been at the forefront in freeing dozens of Christians from prisons, overturning oppressive policies, and enabling churches to worship freely.

Ethiopia INNOCENT LOST, JUSTICE SERVED Expansion of radical Islam has increased the number of attacks against Christians, and for the past five years ICC has been at the forefront of pressuring the Ethiopian government over these attacks, releasing reports, petitions and campaigns to end violence against Christians. Last spring, ICC broke the news of a massive attack in Asendabo where 69 churches were burned down. Less than four months later, in an unprecedented move, Ethiopian courts sentenced over 570 Muslims to prison ranging from six months to 25 years for their part in the attacks.

CAPTIVE SET FREE

THE RIGHTS OF THE DESTITUTE

After distributing Somali Bibles to Muslims, Christian convert Bashir Musa Ahmed was arrested May 2009 by local officials for “unspecified charges.” After learning of his arrest, ICC confronted Ethiopian officials Oct. 2009. In a written appeal, ICC asked the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington D.C. for Ahmed’s release. With no response, ICC requested again in Feb. 2010, forewarning that without action, ICC would be forced to involve U.S. officials and publicize Ahmed’s case online. Ahmed was released a month later from prison without any condition.

Another convert, Osman Nur Hassan, was imprisoned twice for his faith, enduring repeated torture at the hand of Somaliland authorities. He was last arrested Aug. 2009 for his evangelistic activity. In November, ICC contacted U.S. officials at the International Religious Freedom Office at the State Department and the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, petitioning them to pressure Somaliland officials to free Hassan. Six days later, Hassan was released, and through ICC connections, was smuggled to a neighboring country to escape religious persecution.

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Afghanistan ARREST HEARD AROUND THE WORLD Said Musa, a Christian in Afghanistan, was arrested and threatened with death in May 2010 for leaving Islam and becoming a Christian.

On hearing of his case, ICC visited Afghanistan to get the facts and connect with sources on the ground to coordinate US government efforts.

ICC immediately alerted U.S. officials who were not aware of the case and let them know of Musa’s mistreatment: “The authorities and prisoners did many bad behavior with me about my faith in Jesus. They did sexual things to me, beat my hands and legs with wood, mocked me, and spit on me. Nobody let me sleep night or day.”

After the ICC alert, US government officals immediately met with Musa and had him transferred to a safer prison within a week. They began to keep us informed of diplomatic wrangling and progress.

The wheels of diplomacy can grind slowly, so ICC

began a press campaign, releasing excerpts of Musa’s poignant smuggled-out prison letters in numerous press releases and interviews.

The case became known world-wide and was covered by the world’s premier news organizations.

Musa was released Feb. 2011 and given asylum in Europe.

ICC has since visited and interviewed Musa where he is in hiding.

THE blueprint of musa’s case

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Bhutan Eritrea

SHOUTING FROM THE ROOFTOP Believers in Bhutan began to contact ICC with news of two Christians imprisoned for their faith. After verifying the case and getting local permission to expose their case, ICC issued press releases regarding their incarceration and visited Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf. Soon afterwards, they were released.

Saudi Arabia

WOMENS’ PRAYER GROUP IMPRISONED More than 3000 Christians are detained in underground dungeons, metal shipping containers and military barracks. After learning of 30 women arrested for praying Dec. 5, ICC immediately issued press releases detailing the events. The story was picked up by major news agencies, including Reuters and BBC news. After international attention on the subject, Eritrean officials, who first denied allegations of the arrest, quickly released all 30 women Dec. 15.

IMPRISONED AMONG THE DISEASED AND DYING When Filipino expatriate Dennis Moreno-Lacalle held private prayer meetings with other Christians, he was abducted and put into a political prison without formal charges, legal representation or stated sentence. He was placed in a cell with others dying of AIDS, lung disease and other illnesses. ICC responded immediately on behalf of Moreno-Lacalle and 12 other imprisoned Christians through media awareness, government appeals and financial aid to his family. Not only did his wife and children survive the eight-month crisis, but eventually all the Christian prisoners were released to their home countries.

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Algeria ALGERIAN GOVERNMENT QUICKLY CHANGES TUNE AFTER ICC INTERVENTION After a religious documentary was released in the Middle East in mid 2000s, Islamic leaders began pressuring the Algerian government to quiet the Protestant movement. As a result, the government shut down over 20 churches and targeted the most effective church leaders, charging them with crimes of “insulting Islam” and sentencing them to three years prison.

In response, ICC flew one leader to Washington D.C. and introduced him to leaders on Capitol Hill and the State Department. ICC asked congressional leaders and State Department officials to request that Algerian officials exonerate all five leaders and cease targeting the EPA. Upon his return, the EPA leader was immediately contacted by the Minister of Religious Affairs in Algeria who assured him that the Algerian government would quickly and quietly handle the problem, hoping to deter the leader from asking foreign allies to intervene.

BELIEVER SENTENCED FOR EVANGELIZING In April 2011, Siagh Krimo was arrested and detained for three days in Oran for giving a CD about Christianity to a neighbor. The next month, he was given a five-year sentence for blasphemy based on a neighbor’s accusations that he insulted Muhammad.

After Krimo’s appeal, ICC immediately requested numerous congressional offices to call the Algerian Embassy to demand Krimo’s acquittal. Moreover, ICC was the number one source on the case, publishing several press releases and articles while asking partners to sign a petition on behalf of Krimo. In December, ICC received confirmation that Krimo’s case had been suspended indefinitely and he was acquitted of all charges.

“Some members met...he knew that someone was complaining and reporting in Washington; he did not know about myself. It looks like they want to back up on certain things, we will see in the near future. The minister said ‘why would we have to go all the way to Washington to complain?’ We could find solutions to Algeria for ‘church problems.’ The Algerian government is very worried to lose face to the outside [world].”

An excerpt from the EPA leader’s e-mail to ICC, commenting on the Nigerian government’s attempts to persuade believers from involving ICC or other foreign advocacy organizations.

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nternational religious persecution is rarely a priority for lawmakers. Yet, there is a core cadre that have made it their mission to fight oppression whenever and wherever it arises. In the last two years alone, ICC has worked extensively with three exceptional leaders who stand up for persecuted men and women around the globe, addressing oppression in over half a dozen nations.

Rep. Chris Smith, NJ As the chairman of the subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights, Rep. Chris Smith is in a unique position to promote legislation that addresses human rights and religious persecution. Elected at just 27 years old, Smith has spent his last 15 terms in office aggressively campaigning against issues that contradict Christian values and human rights, including the arrest and imprisonment of individuals based on their religious beliefs.

In response to a countrywide crackdown on religious freedoms, Smith successfully introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would bar the United States from increasing aid to Vietnam until the country had made significant progress towards fostering religious freedom in 2004. Unfortunately, the law did not make it through the Senate,

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and in 2010 the Center for American Progress estimated that Vietnam received over $120 million in aid from the U.S., despite consistently cracking down on Christians and other religious minorities.

Smith is also the Chairman of the Congressional Executive Commission on China, a group commissioned to monitor the communist nation that exceeds one billion citizens. As chairman, Smith recently oversaw a hearing, attended by ICC, in which the wives of imprisoned Chinese Christians had the chance to testify before Congress of the suffering and torture their husbands face at the hands of the Chinese government.

“Apart from Christ I can do nothing… the battle is the Lord’s, but we have to do our part. We could have a tremendous impact on helping the indigent elsewhere.”

Smith is currently partnering with ICC to address Muslim attacks against Ethiopian Christians and the plight of Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority.

Rep. Frank Wolf, VA For Rep. Frank Wolf, who overcame stuttering at an early age, speaking up for the persecuted has never been a problem.

Between 2010 and 2011, ICC met regularly with Wolf’s office to address Christian persecution in Africa and the Middle East.

Wolf has been one of the most vocal proponents of human rights and religious freedom in Congress for the last 30 years.

Early in his career, Wolf took trips to both Romania and Ethiopia, meeting citizens who snuck notes into his hand describing their oppression, and the sights of starvation solidified his resolve to address human rights and fight for religious freedom.

Wolf later introduced the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. This bill requires Congress and the president to consider religious freedom issues when developing U.S foreign policy and created the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and the Inter-

national Religious Freedom (IRF) office at the U.S. State Department.

ICC often coordinates advocacy efforts with both of these key institutions in order to maximize advocacy impact. Wolf has traveled extensively to witness firsthand the plight of those persecuted for their faith, including past trips with ICC. From Egypt to China, Wolf has met with those on the frontlines of human rights issues and persecution, bringing back their stories and writing legislation to address their grievances.

“Not only should churches in the West be advocating and praying for persecuted believers, but everyone should be advocating for religious freedom.”

Wolf believes that promoting religious freedom abroad a collective responsibility held by the church, and that believers should be advocating on behalf of their brothers and sisters suffering persecution.

Recently, Wolf stressed the overwhelming amount of people he meets overseas who are “baffled” by the lack of concern and who feel “abandoned” by fellow believers. In his opinion the U.S. has lost its passion for being the “city on a hill” because too few remain who are willing to speak up.

Rep. Trent Franks, AZ Since his election 2002, this congressman has steadily become a rising voice for the persecuted around the world.

He co-founded the International Religious Freedom Caucus to help ensure that religious freedom around the world remains a priority of the government in 2006.

Since then, Rep. Trent Franks has stated that it is “critical” that other nations join the U.S. in standing “for the freedom of all people to choose their religious beliefs.”

Franks held a luncheon with ambassadors from over a dozen nations and stressed the importance of religious freedom worldwide in 2009. The next year, he pressured the Nige-

“To prisoners of conscience throughout the world, take heart; you have not been forgotten.

We, your brothers and sisters in God, have made your cause our cause, and we vow never to relent until you have regained the freedom that is your birthright as a child of God.” President Ronald Reagan, April 16, 1985

rian government to protect Christians being attacked by radical Muslim groups, and in 2011 the congressman quickly condemned the “shameful and cowardly” death sentence of Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani.

Franks also serves on the executive com“Religious freedom is not mittee of the Tom Lanjust an American value; it tos Human Rights Comis a universal value that all nations committed to mission, a congressional commission dedicated upholding.” to promoting and raising awareness of human rights issues among Congress. Thanks to this commission, senators and representatives are never far from hearings that address human rights and religious freedom issues. In addition, half a dozen witnesses were brought in to testify on the worsening plight of Coptic Christians last Dec. The commission also regularly sends letters to presidents and ambassadors overseas, urging them to respect the rights of their citizens, including the right to worship freely.

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THE PITTS OF ADVOCACY Rep. Joe Pitts sits down with ICC to talk about fighting religious persecution at the legislative level

erving in the Philippines from a young age with his missionary family, Rep. Joseph R. Pitts is no stranger to aiding those in need overseas. The son of a WWII army chaplain, Pitts has made human rights and religious freedom issues a priority for his office since his election in 1997.

In an interview with ICC, Congressman Pitts explains why he has made religious freedom a priority, and why it is important for organizations like ICC to continue to advocate on behalf of the persecuted.

ICC: You have been a big proponent of human rights and religious freedom, what is it that initially sparked your interest in religious freedom issues and defending persecuted individuals?

I [was] interested in this before I came to Congress. When I was a state legislator I organized letter-writing teams in my church community to prisoners in the former Soviet Union. I advocated when I went over there on behalf of Jewish Refuseniks [refugees], met with the Supreme Court of Moldavia on behalf of prisoners, unregistered pastors. We invited them here, we hosted them in our homes and in our churches.

I grew up in a foreign land after the second war, saw the war torn Philippines, traveled overseas, and I have always had an interest in minority groups. I have traveled to the

heartbreaking to hear their stories.

ICC: Would you say that the work you and other lawmakers do really makes a difference? Does advocacy make a difference?

refugee camps along the Thai/Burma border. I have done this for a long time and have always had a heart for persecuted believers.

ICC: In your opinion, what are the biggest religious freedom issues that need to be addressed today?

Today I would say the Arab Spring and the uncertainty of those countries where the governments are changing and are making minorities more vulnerable. We have seen a huge increase in the persecution of the Coptic Christians in Egypt. I have worked with many of them over the years, advocated for them, [and] been there to visit them.

Any of the Muslim countries where there is uncertainty—Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria. Of course, China is an ongoing problem with the unregistered church. Indonesia is a real serious place where serious outbreaks have occurred. It is really

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Yes, it makes a difference! There are many ways you can advocate for these issues. We are highlighting the issue of Pastor Youcef right now, who is threatened with execution in Iran. But people engaging, writing—not only [foreign] governments and embassies and leaders but our leaders, our president, our State Department, our members of Congress, educating the public as to what is going on—yes, advocacy makes a difference.

I encourage people to engage, to take vacations with a purpose, visit some of these areas so they can see personally and advocate from firsthand knowledge. All of that makes a huge difference.

ICC: Do you plan on continuing to address this issue?

Oh, absolutely. I am trying to get [legislation] on Pastor Youcef moved forward right now. I really believe in the importance of religious liberties being a right for all people.

It is our First Amendment. As I say to members of foreign parliaments and governments when they come here, it is not our second, sixth, sixteenth or twenty sixth. It is our first amendment, and it is the first thing mentioned in our first amendment. Religious liberty is so important. It is the foundation of what many forefathers came here for.

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A detailed look at a current case 12

t the time of printing, the prisoners you are going to read about remain in jail in Saudi Arabia. There has not been any resolution but we wanted to share this case with you as it unfolds to let you peek inside ICC and see what goes on as we work on an advocacy case.

and radicalize the world’s Muslims. In the last 40 years, by their own admission, they have spent more than $100 billion building tens of thousands of radical mosques and madrassas (Islamic boarding schools) around the world.

This includes the US, Canada, and the UK. If you have noticed a number of large, new, and expensive mosques built in your city in the last decade, there is a 70 percent chance that it was built with, and controlled by, Saudi funding.

ARRESTED Since there is no officially sanctioned place for non-

Muslims to worship in Saudi Arabia, the expatriots worship secretly in homes, which is why the Ethiopian’s were gathering quietly for prayer on December 15.

As the prayer meeting went on, the prayers of the group grew more passionate, their voices rising to praise God with zeal and gratefulness. A knock on the door silenced the room quickly. A member went to open the door, and was escorted back in by a group of Muttawa (Saudi Arabian religious police); they had been discovered.

At first, the Muttaawa, seemed friendly, even letting the Christians finish their prayers. They then split the men from the women and led them back to their office.

After a brief investigation, the Christians were sent to prison with false promises of release.

Last December, 35 Ethiopian believers gathered at a home for an all-night prayer meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. They huddled close, arriving in small numbers as not to be detected by officials. They prayed for their country, for their government, for their families and friends. They prayed throughout the night and into the next morning that God would move “They took off all through Saudi Arabia. They had THE WORK OF ADVOCACY our clothes, including no idea that they were about

ICC took the case of the to enter into a life test that prisoners to the relevant govour underwear. Then they was beyond anything they ernment officials here in the inserted their fingers into our had previously experienced.

United States. On December While they came for prayer, 21, we contacted the office genitals. They used the same they were about to be initiatof International Religious ed into a club that while exhand glove to search about ten Freedom at the State Departclusive, is by no means small. ment to inform them about of us. Then they threw away They were joining the twothe arrest. We gave the list of millennium-old club where our clothes and gave us the prisoners to the officials at membership requires you to the State Department. The next pajamas to wear.” have been imprisoned for Christ. day, we posted a petition urging people to advocate for the release of THE IRON FIST OF ISLAM the prisoners. More than 3000 people As the birth place of Muhammad, and signed the petition around the world. home to two of Islam’s holiest cities, Mecca and Medina, In an effort to step up the pressure on the Saudi AraSaudi Arabia prides itself on being the center and protec- bian officials, ICC and members of the Ethiopian commutor of the Islamic world. nity in Washington D.C. organized a protest in front of the Although 20 to 25 percent of the population is foreign, Saudi Arabian Embassy on February 22nd. Over a hundred the Saudi’s do not allow space for any non-Muslim wor- people gathered to express their concern on behalf of the ship on their soil. It will not allow churches, temples, or Christian prisoners. Media outlets, including CBN News synagogues to be built on Saudi soil, yet they have been and the Christian Post, came out to report about the proinvolved in a massive, decade-long effort to build, expand, test.

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A Case Timeline

ICC hears about incident from a Christian who called our office from Europe.

ICC contacts leaders of underground churches in Saudi Arabia to verify the story. Story confirmed.

ICC publishes press release #1: “42 Ethiopian Christians Arrested in Saudia Arabia.”

ICC staff gives an interview about the prisoners to USA Radio Network.

DEC 16

DE

ICC informs the International Religious Freedom at the State Department and to the United State Commission on International Religious of the arrest.

C1

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DE C 19 1

C2

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ICC publishes press release #2: “Saudi Arabia Arrests Ethiopian Christians for “Mixing Opposite Sex.” ICC staff gives interview to press.

JAN 23

JAN 18

FEB

24

ICC contacts State Dept. for the second time, submitting a list of prisoner names and details.

JAN

27

B

FE 21

AN

ICC staff delivers petition with 3000 signatures to the Saudi Arabian Embassy who assure the petition will be sent to officials in Saudi Arabia.

ICC informs Capitol Hill.

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ICC organizes protest in front of the Saudi Arabian embassy in D.C. More than 100 people come out to join and demand the release of the prisoners.

FEB 10

FEB 8

1 N3

JA

ICC publishes press release #3: “Saudi Arabian Officials Assault, Strip Search Christian Prisoners.”

ICC begins public petition.

ICC staff and members of Ethiopian community in Washington D.C. deliver a letter to the Saudi Arabian embassy demanding the release of the prisoners. During that time, an employee of the embassy stated that they have been receiving many phone calls regarding prisoners.

Human Rights Watch reports about the prisoners and calls for their release.

ICC staff gives an interview to press.

ICC writes news article: “Ethiopian Officials Fail to Protect Their Citizens Detained in Saudi Arabia.”

BBC, Reuters and Al Jazeera report on the case.

ICC staff co-author an article that appears in National Review Online: “Persecuted for Praying to God in Saudi Arabia.”

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