British Court grants asylum to persecuted Syrian Christians

It's great to note that a United Kingdom (UK) Immigration court has, for the very first time, granted asylum to a Syrian Christian couple who are persecuted for their conversion from Islam to Christianity, reports Success Kanayo Uchime, special to ASSIST News Service.

In a report by Open Doors UK, it noted that this is unprecedented for a UK court and, as such, is a recognition of threats to Christian converts who suffer for accepting Christian faith in Syria.

It described the ruling which was facilitated by the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) as a victory, “The court recognized that the couple would face real physical threats, including death, if they returned to Syria, the husband’s country of origin. Their appeal was granted on both asylum and human rights grounds.”

In his own comment after the declaration by the Court, the chief counsel for the ECLJ, Jay Sekulow, said: “This is a significant and groundbreaking decision that clearly puts the focus on the fact that many converts to Christianity from Islam face real danger including the ultimate penalty of death.”

According to the report, the couple had converted to evangelical Christianity a few years ago and thereafter witnessed openly to Muslims using internet chat rooms. After their conversion, which in Syria is considered apostasy under Shariah law and therefore punishable by death, the couple began receiving death threats, including a video of a beheading.

It further said, that the husband’s family told the man that if he refused to return to Islam then they would “wash their shame”, or put him to death.

“Organizers helped to gather the signatures of six US Congressmen for a letter to the UK appeals court in August. American lawmakers also recognized that the couple faced a “credible threat” and that their lives were in danger,” the report said.

Open Doors is a ministry that has its presence in around 45 countries and is supplying Bibles, training church leaders, delivering Scripture-based literacy programs and supporting Christians who suffer for their faith.

In the UK and Ireland Open Doors strives to raise awareness of global persecution, mobilizing prayer, support and action among Christians.

The ministry began in 1955 when God called a young Dutchman, Brother Andrew, as he's fondly called, to act on the basis of Revelation 3:2: “Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die.” He went to Poland and discovered a Church under threat behind the Iron Curtain, and desperately longing for the Word of God. So Brother Andrew became “God’s Smuggler”, taking suitcase after suitcase of Bibles to the Persecuted Church, facing great danger, but determined to bring encouragement and hope.

TAGS: United Kingdom Syria Immigration court asylum Syrian Christian couple persecution

[10/06/2008]

Print Version