Editorial: ISHR Newsletter June 2025
Dear friends, partners and supporters of the ISHR, I am writing these lines on the evening of 13 June 2025, while travelling by land from Iraq to Turkey.
Bangladesh: Violent Attacks and Cases Against Journalists are on the Rise
Bangladesh’s vibrant media landscape is facing an increasingly alarming threat, with a worrying rise in violent attacks and legal cases targeting journalists.
China: Party-loyal Auxiliary Bishops Appointed
Without taking the special situation into consideration, the communist leadership in Beijing appointed two Catholic priests, who were apparently loyal to the party, as bishops during the vacancy.
Europe: Democracy Backsliding and the Visegrád Four
The Visegrád Four (V4) — Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia — were once seen as models of democratic transformation after the fall of communism.
Iran: Persecuted Christian Back Behind Bars
The German ISHR section and the German Protestant news agency IDEA have named the Iranian Christian Naser Navard-Goltapeh as ‘Prisoner of the Month for June’.
Iran: Confiscations, Arrests, and Horrendous Bail against Christians
Lida Alexani (56), the wife of imprisoned Iranian house church leader Joseph Shahbazian, was arrested on April 12, 2025, by intelligence officers in Tehran.
Lithuania: Humanitarian Aid Transport from Germany Meets Urgent Need
In May 2025, the Wittlich working group of the German section of the ISHR organized the 587th humanitarian aid transport of the ISHR.
Mali: Mali’s Political Shutdown: Undoing Democracy, One Decree at a Time
“To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”- Nelson Mandela.
Nigeria: Series of Mass Murders Continues Unabated
Since the spring of 2025, numerous Nigerian Christians have once again been murdered in attacks by radical Islamic Fulani herdsmen nomad gangs.
Vietnam: Pastor Finally Released after Twelve Years in Prison
Y Yich, an evangelical pastor from Vietnam, was finally allowed to leave prison in mid-May.
Cameroon: The Informal Economy and Drug Proliferation in Buea
Substance use, including alcohol, tobacco, and other illicit drugs is a growing public health and socio-economic problem worldwide (Cheuyem, 2025).
Romania: Between Democratic Progress and External Threats
Romania, a member of the European Union and NATO, has undergone a remarkable transformation since the 1989 Revolution.
Sierra Leone: Conditions in Prison Facilities
Sierra Leone’s history has been marked by civil conflict and its aftermath, which has shaped many aspects of the nation, including its prison system.
Sudan: The Forgotten Tragedy
The War in Sudan and Ongoing Human Rights Violations
Global: From Vision to Voice
How ISHR’s Ambassadors are Reimagining Human Rights Leadership
Global: The Ambassadors Who Chose to Stand
There are moments in every journey where time seems to pause, not because it has stopped moving, but because something meaningful is happening.
Global: Protection of Human Rights Defenders at the National Level
Leading in Legal Frameworks, Failing in Practice
Nicaragua: Enduring Persecution Then and Now
The two presidents of Nicaragua (Daniel Ortega and Rosario María Murillo Zambrana) keep going with the repressive policies against all Nicaraguan citizens.
Webinar: “Karakalpakstan – Three Years After the Protests”
On the third anniversary of the historic protests in Karakalpakstan, join us for an in-depth webinar on July 1st, 2025 featuring Salijon Abdurakhmanov.
