Christian Solidarity International - USA

10/27/2026

Today, October 27, marks International Religious Freedom Day, commemorating the signing of the landmark International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 by President Bill Clinton. Passed with broad bipartisan support and championed by Representatives Frank Wolf and Chris Smith, this legislation provided the United States government with critical tools to defend a fundamental right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

However, as Christian Solidarity International (CSI) warns, religious freedom is currently in retreat globally. Violent and deadly persecution is rising alongside widespread discrimination. Since the Act became law, hundreds of thousands of Christians have been forced by violent jihadist campaigns to flee their historic homelands in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria, while other religious minority communities face existential threats.

CSI urges all who stand for religious freedom to press the United States and partner nations in the International Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Belief to redouble their efforts. Defending this fundamental human right must remain an active, non-selective centerpiece of foreign policy.

10/07/2026

Christian Solidarity International has warned the UN Human Rights Council that Fulani herding militias in Nigeria's Middle Belt are waging an organized campaign to drive out indigenous Christian populations. The violence has killed thousands of Christians in recent years and displaced millions, with perpetrators operating with widespread impunity. UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion or Belief Nazila Ghanea reported this summer that rural Christian communities are being coerced into "peace deals" where bandits seize crops and "take any woman that they want." CSI's Director for Public Advocacy, Dr. Joel Veldkamp, told the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council: "Nowhere in the world today is this problem more urgent than in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria. It is long past time for the Nigerian government, and the international human rights community to take decisive action to end the killings in the Middle Belt." CSI has launched a campaign to raise financial and political support for Christians under siege in Nigeria. Learn more: https://www.csi-int.org/campaigns/christians-under-siege/

https://csi-usa.org/csi-raises-alarm-about-mass-violence-against-nigerian-christians-at-un-human-rights-council/

09/30/2026

**Impunity for Azerbaijan Putting Armenia at Risk, UN Side Event Warns**

Three years after driving out the entire indigenous Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan is engaged in a "deliberate, state-planned erasure" of Armenian heritage, experts warned at a UN Human Rights Council side event in Geneva.

Key findings presented at the Palais des Nations:

🔴 Azerbaijan has demolished churches, an Armenian Genocide memorial, and a medieval cemetery—all confirmed by satellite imagery since the September 2023 ethnic cleansing of 120,000 Armenians.

🔴 Armenian prisoners of war, some held for nearly six years, endure torture without access to legal representation or family contact after Azerbaijan forced the closure of the International Committee of the Red Cross delegation in Baku.

🔴 Azerbaijan continues to falsify historical records, claiming indigenous Armenian monuments are "Caucasian Albanian" to erase evidence of millennia of Armenian civilization.

"For a people, there is nothing worse than ethnic cleansing," said Lorena Lopez de Lacalle, President of the European Free Alliance. "That is why we are all here—to speak up, and to act."

International lawyer Karnig Kerkonian warned that impunity for the Nagorno Karabakh ethnic cleansing leaves the Republic of Armenia exposed to the same fate: "Nagorno Karabakh is Aliyev's Sudetenland. It's not the end, it's the beginning."

Panelists called for urgent action: freeze energy contract expansions with Azerbaijan until hostages are released, grant UNESCO access to monitor heritage sites, and implement the International Court of Justice order allowing Armenians to return safely to their homes.

"Peace cannot be measured only by agreements signed," said human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan. "This peace remains untrue."

Learn more: https://csi-usa.org/impunity-for-azerbaijan-putting-armenia-at-risk-un-side-event-warns/



https://csi-usa.org/impunity-for-azerbaijan-putting-armenia-at-risk-un-side-event-warns/

09/27/2026

CSI Responds to Member of Azerbaijan's Parliament

When a member of Azerbaijan's parliament recently contacted Christian Solidarity International requesting "balanced" coverage of his country's actions in Nagorno Karabakh, we had a clear response.

We pointed out that Azerbaijan is the world's sixth-worst jailer of journalists, with at least 25 journalists currently imprisoned for their reporting, along with nearly 300 other dissidents, human rights activists, and academics.

Access to Nagorno Karabakh remains severely restricted by the Azerbaijani government. Journalists and international monitors cannot freely report from the region—only select guests chaperoned by government minders are permitted entry. Without such access, allegations about mass graves, landmines, and damage to heritage sites are impossible for the press to verify.

We urged the parliamentarian to advocate for unrestricted media access to Nagorno Karabakh, the release of imprisoned journalists, and regular ICRC access to the 20 Armenian prisoners held by Azerbaijan. The ICRC's office in Azerbaijan was closed by the government in September 2025, and officials have not been able to visit these prisoners since December 2025.

True balance requires transparency—not government-chaperoned tours.

Read our full response: https://csi-usa.org/csi-responds-to-tural-ganjali-member-of-azerbaijans-parliament/

https://csi-usa.org/church-in-nigeria-is-thriving-but-bleeding-report-finds/

09/17/2026

Nigeria's Church: Thriving Yet Persecuted

A new report reveals a stark reality: Nigeria is home to a church that is simultaneously expanding and enduring sustained violence. According to research released by the Lausanne Movement, an average of 11 Christians were killed every day in Nigeria between 2020 and 2023, a toll researchers attribute to targeted persecution rather than general insecurity.

The data is compelling: of roughly 30,880 civilian deaths during this four-year period, 16,769 were Christians and 6,235 were Muslims. With approximately 2.7 Christians killed for every Muslim killed, the pattern strongly points to identity-based attacks.

The violence follows recurring patterns in Nigeria's Middle Belt, where villages are raided at night, churches and pastors' homes are burned, and farmland is seized. The report also documents barriers Christians face—difficulty obtaining permits to build churches, blasphemy accusations, forced conversions, and the marriage of underage Christian girls.

Yet despite these challenges, Nigeria's church refuses to die. As the report concludes: "A thriving Church is not a sign of safety; rather, it is a sign of a faith that refuses to die."

Learn more about the full report: "Thriving in the Midst of Persecution: The Church in Nigeria"

https://csi-usa.org/church-in-nigeria-is-thriving-but-bleeding-report-finds/

09/10/2026

CSI Responds to Nepal Flood Crisis: First Round of Relief Delivered

Following devastating flash floods that struck Nepal on August 26, Christian Solidarity International's local partner has successfully delivered the first round of emergency relief assistance to affected communities.

A team of seven traveled nine hours through dangerous, muddy roads to reach the Trishuli River area in Nuwakot district, one of the hardest-hit regions. Despite challenging conditions and ongoing rescue operations, they distributed emergency packages to over 100 families containing essential items: tarpaulins, blankets, mattresses, mosquito nets, torches, water purifiers, soap, and kitchen utensils.

The scale of this disaster is unprecedented. In Nuwakot district alone, 3,900 houses have been destroyed. Across affected districts, the toll is staggering: 1,800 homes in Rasuwa, 1,400 in Dhading, 250 in Gorkha, and 100 in Chitwan.

Local churches are serving as vital lifelines, operating temporary holding centers and providing meals to displaced families. One church is currently feeding 200-300 people daily. These communities are demonstrating remarkable compassion, serving not only fellow Christians but all those in need.

The situation remains critical, and the needs of affected communities will continue well beyond these initial distributions. CSI remains committed to supporting recovery efforts in Nepal.



https://csi-usa.org/nepal-flood-relief-csi-delivers-first-round-of-relief-assistance/

09/02/2026

**URGENT: Flash Floods Devastate Nepal – CSI Responds with Emergency Aid**

On August 26, a catastrophic flash flood swept through northern Nepal, destroying everything in its path. Over 900 lives have been lost. Entire villages have been leveled, including schools, markets, and churches. The Punaruthan church has collapsed. Twenty churches have been completely destroyed. More than 80 Christians are missing, and over 30 congregation members have perished.

Christian Solidarity International is on the ground now, working around the clock to deliver lifesaving aid to remote communities. We're providing food, emergency shelter supplies, blankets, water purification kits, and other critical necessities to hundreds of families.

"We urgently need food and support for reconstruction. Please pray for us," pleads Pastor Iswor Pudasaini from the affected region.

**Your donation can save lives.** CSI is committed to supporting not only Christians but all those affected by this tragedy, regardless of faith.

Please donate now to help the people of Nepal rebuild their lives: csi-usa.org/donate

Thank you for standing with those in desperate need.

https://csi-usa.org/devastating-flash-floods-in-nepal-csi-responds-with-emergency-aid/

08/30/2026

After 28 years in captivity, Abuk Machar Tong has been liberated and is rebuilding her life in South Sudan. Abuk was just 12 years old when armed militia captured her in 1998 from her home village in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state. She was forced to walk to Sudan where she was enslaved for nearly three decades, forced to work on a farm while enduring physical abuse and deprivation. Her rescue is part of CSI's ongoing mission: we have helped free more than 160,000 people from slavery in Sudan over the past 30 years through partnerships with local communities. Now 40, Abuk has received a starter kit to help her rebuild her life and support herself through farming. She credits CSI with saving her life, saying: "In the harsh environment in Sudan, death is very close." The enslavement of South Sudanese dates back to Sudan's civil war (1983-2005), when Islamist militias targeted non-Muslim communities for capture. Though slave raiding ended in 2005, many remain in captivity without a path to repatriation. CSI continues this vital work of liberation and restoration. Learn more about our mission in South Sudan and Sudan: https://www.csi-int.org/project-countries/south-sudan-and-sudan/

https://csi-usa.org/south-sudanese-christian-woman-liberated-after-28-years-of-slavery/

07/24/2026

Sri Lanka: Church Faces Harassment Over Registration

A congregation that has worshipped together for over three decades is now facing repeated investigations and scrutiny over its registration status. Since 2025, police have visited the church multiple times, disrupting worship services and questioning church leaders about their documentation.

The core issue: Sri Lanka's registration system for places of worship has become increasingly restrictive. Since 2022, the government has imposed complex requirements that, while framed as voluntary, have effectively become mandatory. Churches must obtain approval from multiple government offices and prove property ownership—conditions that many small congregations cannot meet.

The impact is significant. As of February 2026, despite over 2,000 applications from new congregations, not a single church has received registration from Sri Lanka's Ministry of Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs. More than 100 churches have been ordered to register or discontinue worship services.

Christian Solidarity International has raised this issue at the UN Human Rights Council, highlighting how these restrictions have forced some churches to close and left Christians exposed to harassment without legal recourse.

Freedom of religion requires the freedom to establish and operate places of worship. We call on Sri Lankan authorities to reform these registration requirements and protect religious liberty for all faith communities.

Learn more:

A church on the outskirts of Colombo has faced repeated investigations after questions were raised about its registration status. Challenges surrounding church registration are the biggest issue facing Christian congregations in the country.

07/23/2026

Christian Solidarity International (CSI) has joined Armenian civil rights groups in condemning comments by Feridun Sinirlioğlu, Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), apparently offering support to the Armenian government to remove Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians and head of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAHC).

In a statement issued on July 23, CSI, the Armenian Center for Political Rights, and the Helsinki Committee of Armenia expressed “deep concern” over the remarks made by the most senior official of the OSCE.
The recorded comments by Sinirlioğlu, a citizen of Turkey, were obtained by Russian pranksters, who made a telephone call to the OSCE secretary general while pretending to be Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The call was made public on July 8.
Speaking with the person impersonating Pashinyan, the OSCE head agreed to “look into” how his organization might support the Armenian government in the matter of removing the Catholicos.
“For the most senior official of an organization whose founding commitments include the protection of human rights to entertain such a request—even in passing—is deeply troubling and demands an immediate and public clarification,” the signatories to the statement write.

The signatories say that, while obtained through deception, Sinirlioğlu’s words “reveal a posture that cannot be reconciled with the responsibilities of his office.”

The signatory organizations call on Sinirlioğlu to publicly clarify and retract any suggestion that the OSCE would support the removal of the Catholicos or otherwise interfere in the internal governance of the AAHC; reaffirm the OSCE’s commitment to protecting freedom of religion or belief in Armenia, consistent with its human dimension commitments; and engage with the Catholicos to ensure that the rights of the AAHC, its clergy and its faithful are fully respected.
Since May 2025, the Pashinyan government has pursued a systematic and sustained campaign against the AAHC as part of a broader attack on democracy and the rule of law in Armenia. Pashinyan has publicly called for the removal of Catholicos Karekin II, set out steps to depose him, and levelled unsubstantiated accusations against the Catholicos and senior clergy. Travel bans have been brought against the Catholicos and several bishops, and high-ranking clergymen have been detained on criminal charges that appear politically motivated.

Throughout its history the Armenian Church has played a critical role in preserving the Armenian language, culture and national identity. The Catholicos has sought to defend the rights of the Armenian people, not least those ethnically cleansed from Nagorno Karabakh in 2023.

The government’s actions constitute a state-orchestrated effort to subordinate the church to the government’s will, putting at risk the separation of church and state enshrined in Armenia’s Constitution, the signatories argue.

“Now that Nikol Pashinyan has won an unprecedented third term in power, it is more important than ever that international institutions hold his government to account,” said Joel Veldkamp, CSI’s director for Public Advocacy. “We hope the OSCE will address the confusion caused by its Secretary-General’s remarks promptly.”

https://csi-usa.org/rights-bodies-condemn-remarks-by-osce-secretary-general-apparently-supporting-removal-of-head-of-armenian-church/