Your Advocates International
Bi-Weekly Update

The Good and Other News from or about Advocates around the World
Vol. 4, Issue 17                                                                                           September 17, 2012
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Prayers & Praises
A global chronicle of our advocates prayers & praises 
AdvAI Prayer Logo (50%)ocates Calls for  Prayer Around the World  

 


Let Us Know Your Needs 

Advocates' international prayer & praise correspondent,  Bulgarian human rights attorney Diana Daskolova  reminds all advocates to  e-mail AI Prayer Net  your Advocates International prayer requests for inclusion in the next AI Prayer Calendar.            _______________ 

 

The entire Advocates Africa team thanks you for your prayers.  For inclusion in the next Advocates Africa Prayer Calender.  Please send any items of prayer or praise to Alison Diarra at [email protected]Thank you.

_______________      

  

Advocates Asia Prayer Calendar updates should be sent to Gregory VijayendranThank you so much. 


 

 

Unrest in Muslim Nations Remains Troubling for AI Colleagues        
 
Dear Friends, 

Over the past week, the world has witnessed increasing unrest in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and elsewhere.  Beginning on September 11, seemingly in response to a US produced internet video that many consider to be offensive to Muslims, large mobs of Muslim extremists stormed the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, tearing down the US flag and replacing it with their own black flag.  Several hours later, a similar attack took place at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, where the U.S. Ambassador, Christopher Stevens, and three other U.S embassy personnel were all killed.  Since then, a number of U.S. Embassies, and those of other nations, have likewise been attacked by unruly mobs of angry Muslims.

Although first reports regarding the movie's producer indicated that he was an Israeli-American, it is now known that the film was produced by an Egyptian ex-pat living in California.  Even more disturbing is that the producer claims to be a Coptic believer, as was one of the films more outspoken promoters. 

We received word from Emad Felix, President of Advocates Egypt that our Christian brothers and sisters in Cairo are equally offended by the film and they ask that we continue to pray for their safety as they have seen an increase in threats to burn down churches in Egypt.  We have also heard from our Advocates in other Muslim nations who likewise ask for our prayers for safety as they also fear the possible responses spreading across the Muslim world.

Please join with us in praying for peace throughout the Middle East and beyond and especially for wisdom and safety for our Advocates in Egypt who are particularly targeted by the spread of Islamic Al-Qaeda.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and financial support for the work of Advocates.      

    

May the Lord bless you with His perfect . . . 

  

Grace and peace,
Brent Sig
Brent McBurney
President & CEO
Advocates International 
Pakistan's Blasphemy Law Under Greater Scrutiny, Asia Bibi Hearing in High Court in October

Last month, Pakistani officials arrested Rimshah, a 14-year old Christian girl with Down's Syndrome, on accusations of blasphemy.  Lawyers from our friends at CLAAS are representing Rimshah and her family in this matter. 

Several days into the ordeal, the Rimshah case took a dramatic twist when Hafiz Muhammad Zubair, assistant Imam in the area mosque and two others came forward to the police as witness and recorded their statements before the magistrate. According to the statements, later broadcast on the TV, the Imam (cleric) Mosque Qari Khalid Jadoon Chistti intentionally burnt the pages of Quran and planted the ashes with Rimshah as evidence against her.  Subsequently, police arrested Qari Khalid Jadoon Chistti and presented him before the judicial magistrate and later he was sent to the jail on a 14 days judicial remand.

Thankfully, bail was granted for Rimshah and she was released.  However, the safety of the family is not certain and your prayers are needed as the case progresses.  Unfortunately, many of the judges in Pakistan are to afraid to outright dismiss cases because they fear repercussions. 

As our colleagues in Pakistan continue to fight the misuse of blasphemy laws, the Rimshah case may provide an opportunity to win other cases. Advocates from the CLAAS Office in Pakistan will be joining forces in representing Asia Bibi in her next appearance before the High Court in October.  Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian mother of five, was convicted on false charges of blasphemy in 2009 and has been languishing in solitary confinement for much of her time in prison.  It was her arrest and conviction that raised the attention of the ongoing problem of Pakistan's blasphemy laws. 

Joseph Francis and the CLAAS team are hoping that the recent incident with the misuse of the blasphemy law with Rimshah will provide a favorable result at the High Court for Asia Bibi.

Please continue to join with us in praying for the end to Pakistan's blasphemy laws and for the safety of Christian advocates who continue to represent in court those falsely accused of blasphemy.


Advocates Caribbean Conference
September 21-23 in Barbados   

Please join with us in praying for our friends and colleagues from Advocates Caribbean as they come together this weekend for their annual conference in Barbados.  The theme of the conference is Sanctity of Life

 
Advocates International & Campus Crusade for Christ International
to co-host joint conference in Hong Kong in April 2013 
 
Please be sure to Save the Date for this joint conference, "Transforming the World Through Faith & Law," which will be held in Hong Kong in April 2013.  

We are already working hard on details related to this conference and will provide more information on speakers, location, registration costs and attendance limitations as they become available.  Because of the limited size of this conference, those interested in attending will need to contact their regional boards or the AI headquarters office.

Thank You for Your Financial Support


        AI is not a recipient of government funding and is solely dependent upon the financial contributions of those who believe in its mission, thereby enabling it to serve "clients" ranging from heads of state seeking to implement constitutional reforms to persecuted and imprisoned believers sentenced to death for their faith. We are most grateful and thank you for whatever financial support or voluntary service you can provide in support of AI's mission. Here's how you can help: (more)