Religious freedom has a key position in the framework of human rights.
When religious freedom is not granted, many other human rights are threatened. This is why the commitment to the cause of human rights, and above all religious freedom, is of such fundamental importance for CSI.
Article 18 of the UN Human Rights Declaration states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”
Unfortunately, religious freedom, in more than 50 countries is not entirely respected.
Some 200 million Christians throughout the world suffer discrimination, grave disadvantages and partly severe enmity even taking on the form of persecution on a massive scale. Every tenth Christian thus suffers harassment in such forms.
Three out of every four people persecuted on religious grounds are Christian!
CSI fights for the cause of these people through protest campaigns, the gathering of signatures, the dissemination of information, prayer appeals, the redemption of slaves and survival aid.
Click on the articles for updates
- Sample letter for Advocacy regarding Sri Lanka
Write to the Sri Lankan President & the Leader of the Opposition using our sample letter - Move to Enact Laws Restricting Religious Freedom in Sri Lanka
A letter from the General Secretary & Director Advocacy and Legal of the NCEASL - Kazahkstan resumes jaling Baptists
Baptist pastor is jailed for three days for refusing to pay fines for unregistered worship, but some think its against the country's constitution. - Ancient Monastery in Turkey threatened
Syriac Christians in southeastern Turkey say a land dispute over the historic Mor Gabriel Monastery is part of a larger system of discrimination against the religious minority in this overwhelmingly Islamic country. Muslims’ legal action against 1,600-year-old structure called ‘malicious.’ - Human Rights Abuses in Iran
Varous accounts of abuse and death in Iran and Kurdistan - Malaysia Bans Malay Section of Catholic Newspaper
Restriction in place pending outcome of court case over use of word ‘Allah.’ - Eygptian Judge Tells of Desire to Kill Christian
Bail granted to convert from Islam barred from legally changing religious ID. - Tajikistan Continues its Crackdown on Places of Worship
Places of worship, inlcuding mosques and an Islamic School of Thought are continuing to be closed down or banned in the capital - Belarus - Charismatic churches’ fight back to square one
Members of Minsk's charismatic New Life Church have vowed to fight on to retain their building after the Higher Economic Court threw out their appeal against moves to seize it. - Hare Krishna’s Central Asian leader barred from Kazahstan visit
Kazakhstan has barred the Hare Krishna community's leader in Central Asia from visiting the country. - Update on Azerbaijan
Mosques and churches still closed. Authorities raid Jehovah's Witness meeting - Pastor in Saudi Arabia Flees Death Threats
A prominent foreign pastor has fled Riyadh after religious police and others threaten him three times in one week - Anonymity is the price for individual freedom in Turkey says survey
Respected study shows that many Turks do not feel free in their country - Austrian politician fined 24,000 Euros and gets a conditional sentence for criticising Mohammed
Austrian court sentences national councillor to a 'severe' punishment - Maldives: Religious Freedom Survey Results
The Maldives is well known as a tourist destination, but its severe repression of freedom of thought, conscience and belief is less well-known. - Kyrgyzstan: Secrecy Surrounds Religion Law before Final Parliamentary Reading
- Kasakhstan: Draft Law Punishes Unapproved Religious Activitiy
- Azerbaijan: State still Deprives Muslims of Mosque & Baptists of Pastor
- Somali Christians Struggle in Kenya
- 2 Pakistani Christians held for ‘Desecrating’ the Quran
APMA Chairman says that the law is being abused to 'settle personal scores'. - APMA Chief vows to fight to repeal the Pakistan Blasphemy Laws
- Christians Attacked in Orissa, India
Fr Pius Fernandes from Bhubaneshwar writing on authentic incidents at Khandamahal District, Orissa. - Christians in Iraq are Abandanoned by the EU
Christians in Iraq seeking refuge in EU countries are given little hope - No Victory for Christians in China
Have the Beijing Olympics made any difference to Chinese Christians?
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- Sample letter for Advocacy regarding Sri Lanka
- Move to Enact Laws Restricting Religious Freedom in Sri Lanka
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- Sample letter for Advocacy regarding Sri Lanka
- Move to Enact Laws Restricting Religious Freedom in Sri Lanka
- Kazahkstan resumes jaling Baptists
- Ancient Monastery in Turkey threatened
- Human Rights Abuses in Iran
- Malaysia Bans Malay Section of Catholic Newspaper
- Eygptian Judge Tells of Desire to Kill Christian
- Tajikistan Continues its Crackdown on Places of Worship
- Belarus - Charismatic churches’ fight back to square one
- Hare Krishna’s Central Asian leader barred from Kazahstan visit