| 6 March 2013 |
Who Will Stand Up for Religious Freedom?
Respecting Religious Freedom: Legally Safeguarding a Threatened Right
Jubilee Campaign - Parallel Event at the 22nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
6 March 2013 - Palais Des Nations, Geneva
Panelists (l-r): Prof. Dr. Christine Schirrmacher, Paul Coleman, Tehmina Arora, Ann Buwalda, with special remarks from Prof. Heiner Bielefeldt
The event will provide 'A Practical Exposition of the October 2012 Interim Report of the Special Rapportuer on the Freedom Of Religion Or Belief on the Elimination of all forms of Religious Intolerance'. Furthermore it is intended to provide practical examples of current legal frameworks which hinder the exercise of Article 18 rights, namely blasphemy, apostasy, and anti-conversion laws. The panelists will discuss how these laws both violate international human rights principles and create impunity for incitement to violence, weakening the rule of law, destabilizing communities and increasing the likelihood and severity of sectarian violence. Panelists will also discuss the proper construction and enforcement of incitement laws, which will protect Article 18 Rights, and end impunity for incitement to violence in accordance with international standards. See more information at links below.
Flyer | Press release | Event summary
|
|
|
|
7 November 2012
|
 Manifestation in Stockholm Remembering the Victims of Apostasy and Blasphemy Laws in Islam - Public Event sponsored by Set My People Free to Worship Me
On 7 November 2012 Set My People Free joined with the Swedish Evangelical Alliance, Open Doors, Light of the East and St Klara Church and a number of churches in Stockholm in a Manifestation. Set My People Free got the permission for the Manifestation from the police focusing on the persecution of Christians in countries that violate the UN Convention on human rights and freedom of religion, freedom of expression and freedom of conversion.
Around 300 joined the Manifestation. More than half of them were converts from Islam to Christianity, mostly from Iran and Afghanistan. With great emphasis on the application of article 18 of the UN Universal Declaration on Human rights especially in the speeches in Sergels torg.
The day started by an event hosted in the Parliament by the parliamentarian Annelie Enochsson on Religious freedom and persecution of Christians. The following people participated in the Panel, Katherine Cash, Thomas Schirrmacher, Soheila Fors, Nasrin Sjögren, Gabriel Donner, Katarina Tracz. The report by the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief Heiner Bielefeldt was handed out during that session. read more...
This was followed by the Light Manifestation, in which the participants carried banners saying:
Give Muslims freedom to covert!
Stop apostasy law!
Apply article 18 of the UN declaration of Human rights!
Stop torture!
Stop anti-conversion law!
Participants also carried photos of Muslim converts who are in prison or being persecuted for their faith in Christ or for their freedom of thought and conscience. Even pictures of some who were executed for apostasy or blasphemy laws.
The Manifestation was followed by a public meeting in Sergels torg. MC:ed by a former TV journalist, Siewert Oholm, where Annelie Enochson, Kamal Fahmi and Roksan Parsan gave speeches. "We are here to remember the victims if Islam Apostasy and Blasphemy laws. We are here to see a change in their situation. We are here that they may have freedom. We are here that they may have equal rights." read more of Kamal's speech
The day ended by a church service hosted by St:a Klara Church with the emphasis on Religious freedom. Keynote speakers were Fuad Rasho, Thomas Schirrmacher, Annahita Parsan and Stefan Attefall led by Wilgot Fritzon. The service ended by a time of prayer led by Nils LIdskog.
more photos
|
|
|
|
10 December 2011
|
Candlelight Vigil in Stockholm
Remembering the victims of the Apostasy Law on the 10 December, the International Day of Human Rights.
 The Vigil started at Elim Church at Styrmansgatan 29 in downtown Stockholm, with over 50 people. We had a prayer meeting for one hour for the victims of the Apostasy Law in Islam who are in prison or being tortured or in hiding. We prayed for their release and that they will experience freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and belief in their countries. We prayed for their families for comfort, grace, provision and strength during this time. We also prayed for the situation of Christians in the Middle East to experience freedom and equality.
We then walked through downtown Stockholm with candles and torches and flowers remembering the victims of the Apostasy law in Islam and asking for its abolishment. The route of the walk was Styrmansgatan, Strandvägen, Birger Jarlsgatan, Stureplan, Östermalmstorg, Humlegården. We ended in Humlegården Park (in central Stockholm).
We had a plea for freedom in the Muslim countries where 1.3 billion have no freedom to leave Islam. We also pleaded for the release of Yousef Nadarkahani from Iran, Jamaa Ait Bakri from Morocco, Haddi Saeed Al-Mutif from Suadi Arabia and Asia Bibi from Pakistan. We remembered people who were executed or murdered for their faith like Mahdi Dibaj from Iran, Mahmoud Mohmad Taha from Sudan. Two brothers from Afganistan shared their testimony and we heard their plea for freedom for the church to exist in Afganistan.
Video & article - EuropeNews | more photos
|
|
|
|
10 December 2010
|
 Switzerland - 50,152 Signatures for Religious Freedom
On 10 December 2010, the official Human Rights Day, the Swiss federal petition "full religious freedom and equal rights for Christians in Islamic countries" is passed. read more...
|
|
|
25 September 2010
|
 Switzerland Religious Freedom for Christians in the Islamic
The CSI, in collaboration with the International Association for Religious Freedom (AGR), organized a successful rally of 2,500 people on Saturday, 25 September 2010. In a peaceful rally at the Federal Square in Bern, they called for "full religious freedom and equal rights for Christians in the Islamic world." read more...
|
|
|
|
28 August 2010
|
 They Marched for Converts from Islam
A small but brave band marched 30 km on Saturday, from Kungsängen to central Stockholm to mark the lack of religious freedom for the world's Muslims. “We want all people to have the freedom to choose their own faith”, said promoter Kamal Fahmi.
Fourteen people began early on Saturday morning a trip of 30 km from Kungsängen to Stockholm in support of religious freedom for Muslims. After marching all day, we ended the day in Elimkyrkan in Östermalm. Many do not know how the situation is of former Muslims. read more...
|
|
|
|
28 August 2010
|
The rally was attended by a vast variety of supporters, who were deeply concerned by the fact that 1.5 billion people are still being intimidated and deprived of their basic human rights of freedom of thought and belief under the apostasy law. read more...
Mark Durie on Islamic Apostasy - Part 1 and Part 2
|
| 3 April 2010 |
An Open Letter was presented by Set My People Free
to Dr. Amr Moussa, Mr. General Secretary of the League of Arab States
Dr. Amr Moussa
Dear Sir, We, Set My People Free, are a network of individuals, churches and organisations working for the freedom of religious converts to live and practice their faith, to experience equality and justice in their home countries.
We are calling on the Arab League to work hard in order to achieve the following:
- Absolute freedom for all Muslims in the Arab World to choose their belief or religion by their own consent and to guarantee their civil and legal rights required to follow their new belief or religion and to live freely by its teachings.
- The stop of all forms of discrimination against all minorities in the Arab World, regardless of their origin, ethnic or faith backgrounds.
- Protection of the freedom of individuals and groups to worship and proclaim their belief or religion in all Arab countries.All this in line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Articles 1, 3, 7.16, 18, 19.
read more...
|
|
