DRC Strikes Early-Stage Peace Agreement with M23 Terror Group

July 21, 2025 — 7/21/2025 DRC (International Christian Concern) — Representatives from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and M23, a Rwanda-backed terrorist organization, met Saturday in Qatar to sign a Declaration of...

Data Highlights Deadly Threat Posed by Islamic State in DRC

July 7, 2025 — 7/7/2025 DRC (International Christian Concern) — Analysis by ACLED, the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data group, indicates that the recent focus on the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group fighting in...

Rwanda Withdraws from Regional Bloc While Fueling Ongoing Violence in DRC

June 9, 2025 — 6/9/2025 DRC (International Christian Concern) — Rwanda announced over the weekend that it will leave the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) after being prevented from taking up the...

DRC, Rwanda Reportedly Near Peace Deal

May 6, 2025 — 5/6/2025 DRC (International Christian Concern) — Massad Boulos, a senior official in the U.S. Department of State focused on Africa affairs, announced this week that the DRC and Rwanda have...

Rape as a Form of Persecution

August 13, 2024 — By Lisa Navarrette, ICC Fellow Rape as a form of Christian persecution is a grave human rights violation and an egregious act of violence used to intimidate, degrade, and destroy communities....

U.N. Peacekeepers Complete Withdrawal from DRC’s South Kivu Province

May 2, 2024 — 5/1/2024 DRC (International Christian Concern) — Officials announced this week that the U.N.’s peacekeeping force had completed its withdrawal from the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) eastern South Kivu...

Rwandan Government Enforces Widespread Church Crackdown

September 26, 2018 —

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09/26/2018 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – This year, authorities in Rwanda have closed down at least 7,000 churches, more than 700 of which were in the...

Rwandan Government Makes Life Harder for Churches

September 7, 2018 — ICC Note: After government mandated changes, churches are not having to close their doors and move into home churches. In beginning of the year, government officials mandated that all pastors...

After Rwanda Closes Churches, Bishops Urge Protection of Religious Rights

August 19, 2018 — ICC Note: The government in Rwanda has closed down several churches for allegedly violations to safety and other laws. Many spiritual leaders are now trying to advocate for their religious...

Rwanda Government Prohibits Fasting for Lengthy Periods – Report

August 10, 2018 — ICC Note: Rwanda’s government has adopted strict requirements affecting only Christian churches. Several churches have been penalized for the way they lead their services and allegedly not complying with health...

Church Goers in Rwanda Complain about New Laws

August 8, 2018 — ICC Note: Following the closure of many churches in Rwanda as a result of the new requirements recently set, church goers have learned that their freedom to worship has not...

Rwandan Government Closes More than 8,000 Churches

July 30, 2018 — ICC Note: Following failure of churches to meet the requirements recently set by the government, a strict measure was taken where a large number of churches had to be closed....

Rwanda Closes Thousands of Churches, Cameroon May Soon as Well

April 10, 2018 — ICC Note: Thousands of churches have been closed in Rwanda since February, due to “noise pollution and failure to comply with building regulations.” This is may soon take place in...

6 Pastors Arrested in Rwanda During Aftermath of Church Closings

March 8, 2018 — ICC Note: Rwanda has closed down over 700 Churches in one province. Due to this, several pastors gathered to discuss how they would respond. Due to this gathering, they have...

700 Churches Closed in Rwanda for Not Meeting Modern Standards

March 1, 2018 — ICC Note: Around 700 churches in Rwanda were thought to be operating illegally according to the local government because they did not meet modern standards. The majority of these churches...