OSLO, Norway – “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.” -- article 18 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights
With this statement, Forum 18 News Service launched their website as a replacement for Keston News Service, March 13; F18 had previously focused on persecuted Christians in the Eastern Bloc States.
Felix Corley, editor of F18 news said, “[F18] is "a group committed to religious freedom for all on the basis of Article 18 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
"This may be summarized as the right to believe, to worship and witness; the right to change one's belief or religion; and the right to join together and express one's belief."
The Norway based news service reports "on threats and actions against the religious freedom of all people, regardless of their religious affiliation, in an objective, truthful and timely anner," to it’s subscribers.
"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."
Forum 18 said it will report on "gross and open breaches of religious freedom, especially situations where the lives of individuals or groups are threatened, and where the right to gather based upon belief is threatened." It will operate as "a Christian initiative which is independent of any one church or religious group. Its independence is safeguarded by a board whose members are Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic Christians, and who are responsible for matters of policy and fundraising."
F18 plans to expand its coverage to other areas than Eastern Europe, from China to the Middle East; It seeks to ensure that "threats and actions against religious freedom are truthfully reported as quickly as possible across the world."
By Pauline J.
