Edward Ross

Religious Freedom Correspondent

Articles by Edward Ross

8 months ago

Asia 8 months ago

Christians in China threatened after arrest for printing devotionals

By Edward Ross

Authorities in China issued threats of a long prison sentence and loss of property to Christians charged with “illegal business operations” for printing devotional materials intended only for their church, their attorney said.
8 months ago

Latin America 8 months ago

Amid crackdown, Nicaragua again bans Holy Week processions

By Edward Ross

Nicaragua has banned the Catholic Church’s public Holy Week celebrations for a second straight year amid other repressive measures that have included Protestant organizations.
8 months ago

Africa 8 months ago

Officials in Egypt abet kidnappers of Christian woman, father says

By Edward Ross

Authorities in Egypt have abetted the kidnapping and forcible conversion to Islam of a Coptic Christian woman, according to a widely published expert on the Middle East and Islam.
9 months ago

Middle East 9 months ago

Punishment of Christians in Iran extends beyond prison, report says

By Edward Ross

At least 17 of the more than 100 Christians arrested for their faith in a crackdown in Iran last summer received prison sentences of between three months and five years, or fines and floggings, by the end of 2023, advocacy group Article 18 reported.
10 months ago

Africa 10 months ago

Brownback, others support action against slaughters in Nigeria

By Edward Ross

Unchecked massacres and kidnappings in Nigeria, many of them targeting Christians, require more than the U.S. State Department designating it as a “Country of Particular Concern,” key leaders said at the International Religious Freedom Summit.
10 months ago

Europe 10 months ago

Russian religious persecution takes aim at Ukrainian identity, Summit told

By Edward Ross

Russian soldiers and occupation officials have committed at least 76 acts of religious persecution in Ukraine since the invasion of February 2022 as part of an attempt to destroy national identity, official and church sources said at the International Religious Freedom Summit.
10 months ago

Middle East 10 months ago

Man slain at Catholic church in Turkey was Muslim, official says

By Edward Ross

The Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for a shooting at a Catholic church service in Istanbul, Turkey on Sunday (Jan. 28) that killed a Muslim citizen, news agencies reported.
10 months ago

Latin America 10 months ago

Nicaragua jails pastors for alleged ‘money laundering’

By Edward Ross

Authorities in Nicaragua have jailed nine pastors for more than a month on charges that they formed part of a criminal operation along with three U.S. missionaries, according to the mission organization.
11 months ago

Africa 11 months ago

Mauritania releases Christians arrested after baptism video

By Edward Ross

Officials in Mauritania have released all Christians arrested after a video of a baptism ceremony in November prompted Muslims to call for their punishment, Christian leaders in the region said.
11 months ago

Middle East 11 months ago

Church in Gaza remains under threat after shooting deaths, sources say

By Edward Ross

The killing of an elderly woman and her daughter in Gaza City’s Holy Family Church on Saturday (Dec. 16) was the sixth attack by Israeli Defense Forces on the compound since war in Gaza broke out, a relative told The Washington Post.
11 months ago

Africa 11 months ago

Mauritania arrests Christians in response to Muslims’ outrage

By Edward Ross

Authorities in Mauritania have arrested 15 Christian leaders since late November following calls for punishment by Muslims outraged over a video showing a baptism ceremony, sources said.
12 months ago

Middle East 12 months ago

U.N. calls on Iran to cease arbitrary arrests of religious minorities

By Edward Ross

Noting a widespread wave of arrests of religious minorities in Iran since June, the U.N. General Assembly last month adopted a resolution calling on the Islamic regime to “cease the widespread and systematic use of arbitrary arrests and detention.”