Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

What is happening in Libya? Four Christian foreigners, including a South African, South Korean, Egyptian, and a Swede with a US passport, were arrested in Benghazi on February 10. Three days later, two more Christians from Egypt were arrested, one of whom, identified as Sherif Ramses, was reportedly tortured. Yet, that was only the tip of the iceberg. On February 27, at least 48 Christians from Egypt were arrested, one of whom died while in custody from possible torture. On top of that, a Coptic Church in Benghazi was attacked and two priests were assaulted by militants in early March. The country’s sudden persecution of Christians has led some to question whether the ‘new’ Libya has truly been liberated from the former tyranny of Muammar Gaddafi’s oppressive regime, or if one tyranny has simply been replaced by another, this time led by radical Islamists.

Four more Egyptian Christians were arrested in Libya last Friday, less than a month after the arrests of more than 50 Egyptian Christians in late February for allegedly proselytizing and distributing Christian literature. One of the Christians died while in prison. Though government officials say the Christian’s death was a result of natural causes, the Egyptian Christian community claims he was murdered after being tortured by militiamen. Though most of the Christians have since been released, an Egyptian, a South African, a South Korean and a Swede with a US passport who were arrested in mid-February remain in prison, along with the four Egyptian Christians that were arrested last week.

“In a troubling development, Egyptian Copts in Libya say one of their number has been killed by a militia while detained along with dozens of other Copts. Copts accuse Libyan militias, with the tacit approval of the government, of harassing, arresting, torturing, and now killing Christians,” Catholic Online reports. At least eight Christians remain behind bars in Libya, including an Egyptian, a South African, a South Korean and a Swede with a US passport who were arrested in mid-February, and four Egyptians that were arrested last week.

Libya suspended work at its embassy in Cairo on Saturday following protests over the death of an Egyptian Christian in a Libyan prison last week. Though government officials say the Christian died of natural causes, the Egyptian Christian community claims he was murdered as a result of being tortured during his detainment. The Christian and more than 50 others were arrested in February for allegedly distributing Christian materials and proselytizing. According to the Maspero Youth Union (MYU), there were four more Egyptian Christians arrested in Libya on Friday.

Militants torched a church used by Egyptian Christians in Benghazi, Libya on Thursday, a week after scores of Egyptian Christians were detained for alleged proselytization, the Associated Press reports. Although most of the Christians have since been released, at least four—including a Swedish-American, a South Korean, a South African and an Egyptian—remain behind bars.

Yesterday, ICC posted a news article concerning the death of Ezzat Atallah, one of the more than 50 Egyptian Christians arrested in Libya last month, who died in prison reportedly due to health problems. Naguib Guebrayel, a Coptic Christian lawyer, said that Atallah death was not because of his poor health, but a result of "being tortured with other detainees", RT.com reports. Atallah was one of five Evangelical Christians arrested for allegedly proselytizing and distributing Christian literature. Although most of the Christians have since been released, an Egyptian, a South African, a South Korean and a Swede with a US passport who were arrested in mid-February remain in prison, according to reports.

Ezzat Atallah, one of the more than 50 Egyptian Christians that were arrested in Libya last month, died while in prison likely due to health problems, the Associated Press reports. The Christians were detained for allegedly proselytizing and distributing Christian literature. Thirty-five of the Christians were deported back to Egypt last week for illegally entering the country, while 20 were cleared to stay in Libya. ICC has yet to confirm the reasons for Atallah’s death, but there is concern that it may have been a result of harsh treatment while in prison, as many of the Christians were reportedly tortured by Libyan officials. Atallah was one of five Evangelical Christians arrested in the crackdown.

“What is going on in Libya?” Middle East analyst Raymond Ibrahim asks in reference to the rising persecution of Christians in the country. Four Christian foreigners were arrested in Benghazi on February 10. Three days later, two more Christians from Egypt were arrested, one of whom, identified as Sherif Ramses, was reportedly tortured. Three days after that, a seventh Christian, also from Egypt, was arrested. Then, on February 27, at least 48 Christians were arrested (with some reports placing the number at closer to 100), and some were reportedly tortured. Days later, a Coptic Church was attacked in Benghazi and two priests were assaulted. “It is becoming clear that these arrests are increasingly less about actual Christian evangelism to Muslims, and more about Muslim hostility to Christians,” Ibrahim writes.

Islamists attacked an Egyptian church in Benghazi, Libya and assaulted two priests days after the arrest of dozens of Egyptian Christians suspected of proselytizing “Since the 2011 revolution that ousted the late dictator Moamer Kadhafi, Libya’s small Christian minority has expressed fears over Islamic extremism, especially with the rise of armed militias enforcing their own law in the absence of central control,” Agence France-Presse reports. Moreover, Libya’s Islamists are growing bolder with every new accusation against a Christian or other minority for proselytizing or being involved in some other type of ‘illegal’ religious activity. Sadly, the arrests of Christians and attacks on the Christian community are bound to escalate as a result.

“Libyan Islamists detained 48 Egyptian Christians in Benghazi last week, torturing them and using acid to burn off tattoos of the cross,” family members told Fox News. The Christians were accused of proselytizing and distributing Christian literature. Photographs and a video circulated online showing the Christians locked in a small room and guarded by bearded Salafists. Some of the Christians appeared to be cut and bruised. The arrests began when an Egyptian, a South African, a South Korean and a Swede with a U.S. passport were arrested in mid-February. No one has been released to date, despite there being no known charges against them, and the situation is growing worse. ICC will continue to keep you updated as the story unfolds. Please remember these Christians in prayer.

“[Transitional government leader Mustafa Abdul-Jalil] laid out a vision for the post-Gadhafi future with an Islamist tint, saying Islamic Sharia law would be the ‘basic source’ of legislation and existing laws that contradict the teachings of Islam would be nullified,” News Max reports.

Christian Today urges prayer for Christians in Libya following Muammar Gaddafi's death and this transitional period in Libya's history.

The prison sentence of Behnam Irani was extended by five years, invoking a suspended sentence from 2008, Mohabat News reports.

Please pray for Libya following Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s death, which will inevitably begin a new era in the country.

"The people of Libya are grateful for the support they have received from Christian organizations, and I think they will provide freedom for those groups. I really do hope the persecution ends and there will be more freedom and space for the church there,” Bas Vanderzalm, president of Medical Teams International told Mission Network News.

“There is concern whether some Islamic militants in the new regime might want to restrict or even end religious freedom. Perhaps the most vulnerable in this new era will be the minority Christian population,” The National Catholic Register reports.