IRFN (June 1-5): Jordan Wants Interpol Involved in Danish Cartoons Blasphemy Case

 

The Saudi King Abdullah is holding a three day-gathering in Mecca. The main purpose for the gathering is to foster interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims. Saudi Arabia also hopes to facilitate reconciliation between the Shiite and Sunni Muslims.  It is important to note that King Abdullah recognized Judaism as a faith to be included in the dialogue. Read the full report by the Associated Press.

 

 

KULANAK – The Isokavs, a Baptist family in Kyrgyzstan, were prevented from providing their 14 year old son a proper burial, reports Forum 18 on June 2. They initially had tried to bury him in land designated as Christian burial ground two years ago, but were prevented from doing so by the local villagers. When they took their problem to the authorities both the head of the local administration and the police insisted that their son be buried 40 kms away in the Naryn region. However the Naryn region’s Head of Executive Authority refused to allow the burial and believes that to avoid such problems Kyrgyz nationals should be required to be of Muslim faith. The Isokavs say that their son’s body was eventually taken and buried disgracefully by the authorities.   

 

 

BIRMINGHAM – Two evangelists, Arthur Cunningham and Joseph Abraham, were threatened with arrest and accused of committing a ‘hate crime’ while handing out gospel leaflets in Birmingham, reports the Telegraph on June 2. The police community support officer who stopped the evangelists informed them that they were proselytizing in a Muslim area and the act of telling Muslim youth to change their faith could be considered a hate crime. When the officer left them the evangelists were also informed that, "You have been warned. If you come back here and get beaten up, well you have been warned".

 

 

JAKARTA – Indonesian police say that they have arrested 57 members of the Islamic Defenders’ Front (FPI) who attacked an interfaith rally conducted by the National Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Faith on Sunday, reports Reuters on June 3. However the state did not intervene during the actual attack on Sunday where a dozen people were injured by the FPI members using bamboo sticks as weapons. The interfaith Alliance is known for its moderate religious views. It is believed that the FPI may have attacked them in response to their support for the Ahmadiyya, a Muslims sect considered heretical by many Indonesians.            

 

 

TIARET - Four Algerian Christians received suspended jail terms and fines in response to their attempt to convert Muslims, reports Reuters on June 3. The Higher Islamic Council, which is responsible for regulating religious practices, believes that Evangelicals are using conversion as a means to colonize Algeria by creating a division among its citizens. According to journalists outside of the court hearing, the government’s restriction on minority religious practices is in an effort to “pander to the widespread Islamic sentiment ahead of presidential elections in 2009.”      

 

 

SAUDI ARABIA - Ersin Taze, a barber from Turkey being held on charges of “blasphemy”, was released from prison by the Saudi government, reports World Bulletin on June 3. According to his mother, Serife Taze, he had been arrested in early May for swearing on the Prophet. Another Turkish citizen, Sobri Bogday, is still being held by the Saudi government on similar charges. He was sentenced to capital punishment 13 months ago, and his trial is ongoing at the Court of Appeals.     

 

 

BEIJING - The Chinese government has refused to renew the licenses necessary to practice law for two Chinese lawyers, Jiang Tianyong and Teng Biao, who offered to represent Tibetans arrested in recent security crackdowns, reports Washington Post Foreign Service on June 4. The two lawyers were among 18 human rights lawyers who signed an open letter offering legal help to Tibetans after riots erupted March 14 in Lhasa. Many of the arrested Tibetans have been forced to take patriotic education courses meant to discourage Tibetan nationalism and to promote loyalty to the Chinese government.          

 

 

JORDAN - Jordan’s public prosecutor has summoned a Danish cartoonist and ten newspaper editors on charges of “blasphemy” for reprinting the Prophet Muhammad cartoons, reports FOX News on June 4. The summons for the arrests has come one day after the bombing of the Danish embassy in Pakistan. “The Prophet Unites Us” is the legal group seeking the arrests. One of their lawyers said that if the Netherlands refuses to cooperate their next step would be to turn to Interpol. They also would like to see the implementation of an international law against religious slander.