The reporting period for this version of the World Watch List is from 1 November 2008 to and including 31 October 2009, meaning that the months of November and December 2009 are not included.
The World Watch List is compiled from a specially-designed questionnaire of 50 questions covering various aspects of religious freedom. A point value is assigned depending on how each question is answered. The total number of points per country determines its position on the WWL.
The questions differentiate between the legal, official status of Christians (e.g. Does the constitution and/or national laws provide for freedom of religion?; Are individuals allowed to convert to Christianity by law?) and the actual situation of individual Christians (Are Christians being killed because of their faith?; Are Christians being sentenced to jail, labour camp or sent to a psychiatric hospital because of their faith?). Attention is paid to the role of the church in society (Do Christians have the freedom to print and distribute Christian literature?; Are Christian publications censured/prohibited in this country?) and to factors that may obstruct the freedom of religion in a country (Are Christian meeting places and/or Christian homes attacked because of anti-Christian motives?).
Please note that Kazakhstan has dropped off the list not because the situation has improved, but because other countries where the situation has become worse have ranked higher on the list. This may change again if Kazakhstan implements tougher legislation on religion in the future. Countries where the situation deteriorated
The status of religious freedom for Christians deteriorated in the reporting period in Somalia, Yemen, Mauritania, Vietnam, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Tunisia and Kyrgyzstan. Countries where the situation improved
The total number of points decreased for Saudi Arabia, Algeria, India, Cuba, Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia.
It is great to report that the first level of Trauma Counselling Training is completed with 9 people in Gaza, among them some of the former Palestinian Bible Society staff. The group really benefited from the four day training and debriefing, especially since it was only 7 months after the war and almost two years after the death of Rami Ayyad. They are still processing this and other pressures against the Christian community there.
Kidnapped Christian Doctor in Iraq Freed in Critical Condition
Daughter’s ransom negotiations lead to release of Kirkuk pediatrician after 29 days of torture.
ISTANBUL, September 22 (CDN) — Islamic kidnappers in Kirkuk, Iraq last week dumped a Christian doctor in critical condition in front of a mosque after 29 days of torture and threats to him and his family.
Thanks to his 23-year-old daughter’s negotiations with the terrorists, 55-year-old Sameer Gorgees Youssif was freed but with wounds, hematomas and bruises covering his body; throughout his captivity, he lay bound and gagged.
He was abducted at around 8:15 p.m. on Aug. 18 as he was walking home from his pediatric clinic in a relatively “safe” district of Kirkuk in northern Iraq, sources told Compass.
News