As with many other countries, #Chile's most significant #Christmas celebrations take place on 24 December, normally with generations of family members gathering for a late evening meal. Many Roman Catholics, who account for over 50% of the population, will go to Midnight Mass.

#Myanmar: Today marks one year since Reverend Dr Hkalam Samson was arrested at Mandalay International Airport shortly after he held a prayer meeting with members of the political opposition.

His imprisonment is a sign of how hostile the military regime is to the Church and to #Myanmar’s religious minorities. Violations will continue throughout the #Christmas period. Find out more on #UCB2 Drive at 4.30pm today.

Today is #SaintNicholasDay. The early Christian bishop lived in the maritime city of Myra, on the southwest coast of modern-day #Turkey, and his habit of secret gift-giving is where the legend of Santa Claus comes from.

Despite this heritage, #Christmas Day is not recognised as a public holiday in #Turkey, and Protestant Christians and other minority religious communities continue face restrictions on the construction and registration of places of worship. Find out more on #UCB2 Drive at 4.30.

A senior pastor jailed, seminary students taken away and elders' homes raided - but 5 years on, Early Rain Covenant Church is still growing. CSW_UK explains that this is only the most high-profile case of #China's officials targeting churches🔊: timbre-player.sharp-stream.com/embed/item/584…

Today is known to Roman Catholics in #Nicaragua as ‘La Gritería’. Translated as ‘the shouting’, it is part of nine-day event celebrating the conception of the Virgin Mary.

Despite accounting for a significant majority of the population, both Roman Catholics and Protestants have come under intense pressure from the regime in recent years. Find out more on #UCB2 Drive today at 4.30pm.

CSW is deeply disappointed that authorities in #Myanmar have rejected the appeal of Rev Dr Hkalam Samson, who remains imprisoned on unfounded charges. ucanews.com/news/myanmar-c…

Rev Samson is a brave human rights advocate who has been targeted for speaking out against the continuing atrocities of the Myanmar military. We continue to call for his immediate and unconditional release. #FreeRevSamson

CSW welcomes the UK government and allies' announcement of sanctions on entities and individuals responsible for human rights abuses in #Iran, #Myanmar and #Syria among several other countries. gov.uk/government/new…

We call on the government to go even further in using sanctions to put pressure on these regimes, all of which are responsible for egregious human rights violations against their own citizens, including violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief.

In the case of #Syria, we emphasise that sanctions must also be initiated against persons, entities and governments responsible for abuses & violations in occupied areas of the country.

#BLOG: Celebrating in silence: The Christians in #Pakistan under pressure this #Christmas forbinfull.org/2023/12/11/cel…

#Sudan: Any efforts to broker peace must include a broad and significant civil society component that guides the country to a durable solution based on an inclusive Sudanese identity, rule of law, human rights and accountability. pulse.ly/5b1f3nr7pg

Remembering those for whom freedom is not a reality this Christmas sightmagazine.com.au/33745-essay-re… via @SightMagazine

#Christmas has been classified as a holiday in #Iraq since 2018. Where once celebrations only occurred in a few Christian majority neighbourhoods, they are now increasingly widespread, and even take place in southern Iraq, where there is a Shiite Muslim majority.

In some parts of the country, including Mosul and the Nineveh Plains, these celebrations are even more meaningful as the horrors of Islamic State occupation remain an all too recent memory. Find out more on #UCB2 Drive today at 4.30pm.

#Sudan: CSW is highly concerned by the attack on the Coptic monastery in Wad Madani, and particularly, for the wellbeing of those whose whereabouts remain unknown. csw.org.uk/2023/12/19/pre…