#MinorityRights

syriacpress.com

Saydnaya Churches cancel religious festivities in protest over continued detentions and security concerns

SAIDNAYA, Syria — The parish committees of the Greek (Rûm) Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, and Melkite Greek (Rûm) Catholic Churches in the predominantly Christian town of Saydnaya have announced the cancellation of all festive activities associated with upcoming Church feasts. The move comes in protest against the continued detention of several residents and what the committees described as the ongoing targeting of Saydnaya's youth despite the absence of proven charges against them, according to a joint statement.

syriacpress.com

Two Christian detainees released after Suqaylabiyah unrest as calls grow for dialogue and accountability

SUQAYLABIYAH, Syria — Two Christian men, Elias Jabbour and Dr. Ra’if Shehadeh, have been released after being detained in connection with recent unrest between the city of Suqaylabiyah and the nearby town of Qal’at al-Madiq in the western countryside of Hemto (Hama), Syria, in a move aimed at easing tensions and allowing the incident to be addressed through legal and community-based channels.

yespunjab.com

Pakistan Court Hands Custody of Minor Christian Girl to Kidnapping Accused, Rights Advocate Raises Alarm - Yes Punjab News

A Pakistan court reportedly grants custody of a 13-year-old Christian girl to the man accused of kidnapping and forcibly converting her, triggering rights concerns.

syriacpress.com

Treaty of Lausanne: Document of International Injustice

By Suphi Aksoy Across societies, states, religious communities, and even within families, the roots of injustice often stem from a mindset driven by self-interest. When an individual or group seeks to exploit or eliminate others, they resort to deception. And when schemes, manipulation, and intrigue prove insufficient, they strive to acquire greater power to achieve their objectives. Throughout history, empires and states have relied on various means to secure their survival and preserve their existence.

yespunjab.com

Pakistan Officials Flag Widespread Misuse of Blasphemy Laws, Say Many Cases Found False - Yes Punjab News

Pakistan officials tell Senate panel many blasphemy cases were false, renewing debate over misuse of laws and minority protection.

syriacpress.com

Sanharib Barsoum: One Syriac Seat in Syria’s New Parliament “Is Not a Victory but a Failure”

GOZARTO (JAZIRA) — Against the backdrop of Syria’s political transition following the fall of the former regime, Syriac Union Party (SUP) Co-Chair Sanharib Barsoum outlined his concerns over minority representation, the legitimacy of the newly formed Syrian People’s Assembly, and the country’s constitutional future during an interview on Suroyo TV and Radio’s “Political Files” program. Barsoum said that discussions over legitimacy must consider Syria’s broader political reality rather than only the mechanism through which the People’s Assembly was formed during the transitional period.

syriacpress.com

Dr. Toros Korkmaz: True democratization in Turkey is impossible without changing the post-Lausanne paradigm

ZURICH — The Treaty of Lausanne, signed on 24 July 1923, laid the foundations for a Turkish nation-state built on the “one people, language, one religion” concept of Turkishness and Sunni Islam, according to Switzerland-based scholar Dr. Toros Korkmaz, who argues that its political legacy continues to shape Turkey and the wider Middle East more than a century later. In an interview with Kurdish news outlet…

syriacpress.com

Evgil Türker calls for constitutional equality, says 99% of Turkey-origin Syriacs now live in the diaspora

ANTALYA, Turkey — A leading Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) community representative has called for constitutional reforms and equal citizenship rights for Syriacs in Turkey, arguing that decades of displacement, discrimination, and migration have reduced one of Beth Nahrin’s (Mesopotamia) oldest indigenous Christian communities to a small presence in its ancestral homeland. Speaking at the Peace Gathering held in Antalya on 18–19 July as part of the People’s Climate Summit, Evgil Türker, president of the Syriac Associations Federation (SÜDEF), delivered a keynote address titled…

syriacpress.com

Iraqi civil society organization Nirij: Return of Christians to their homeland can only be achieved through building a civil, democratic, and pluralistic state

BAGHDAD — Promises by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to encourage the return of Iraq's Christians and the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people to their ancestral towns, provide access to residential land allocation projects, and support investment in the health and education sectors have been welcomed by Christian communities in Nineveh Plains, Mosul, and the diaspora. The commitments, made during al-Zaidi's meeting with Chaldean Patriarch Mar Paul III Nona have also been met with skepticism, however, amid concerns that they could follow the pattern of similar pledges made by previous Iraqi governments that were never fully implemented.

yespunjab.com

Pak SC acquits convicts in Christian couple's lynching; church alleges denial of justice: Report - Yes Punjab News

Pakistan's Supreme Court overturned the final convictions in the 2014 murder of a Christian couple, prompting criticism from Church leaders.

yespunjab.com

Pakistan: Two Christian youths gunned down in Balochistan - Yes Punjab News

Two Christian men were killed in Balochistan, prompting protests and renewed concerns over minority safety in Pakistan.

www.thefridaytimes.com

The White in the Pakistani Flag: A Symbol of Inclusion

The white in our flag reminds us of the minorities that have enriched our culture, social mores and polity