There is still hope for their return

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) recalls the fate of two bishops who were abducted in northern Syria on April 22, 2013. "Even after seven years of anxious waiting, there is still hope that the two bishops from Aleppo could return," explained Dr. Kamal Sido, the STP's Middle East consultant. "Most observers assume that, after such a long time, Mor Gregorius Yohanna Ibrahim, bishop of the Syrian Orthodox Church, and Boulos Yazigi, bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church, are probably no longer alive. Nevertheless, we do not want to give up hope that they might soon return to Aleppo to participate in the reconstruction of political, cultural, and economic life."

In spring 2013, the two bishops had planned to enter negotiations regarding the release of a priest who had been abducted by Islamists. On the way to an alleged meeting, their car had been stopped to the west of Aleppo, not far from the Turkish border. Their driver, a deacon, was shot dead in the attack, and the bishops were abducted. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the crime.

In 2014, the two abducted bishops were honored with the Weimar Human Rights Prize, at the suggestion of the STP, for their commitment as mediators, ambassadors, and human rights advocates in the ongoing civil war.

The situation of the Christian people in Syria and Iraq remains tense. Last Thursday, 25 human rights organizations, including the STP, had sent an appeal to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the international community, demanding better protection for the most vulnerable members of the Iraqi society – the Christians, Yazidis, and other minorities – during the Corona pandemic. In Iraq, but also in Syria, there are millions of people living in refugee camps, where it is hardly possible to practice social distancing and where the hygienic conditions are very problematic.  

Header image: STP