Today, the Save Karabakh Coalition called on Ignazio Cassis, the head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, to use Switzerland’s presidency of the UN Security Council to help the besieged people of Nagorno Karabakh.

For over five months – since December 12 – this region, home to an ancient community of 120,000 Armenian Christians, has been under siege by Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has blocked off the region from all air or land transport, and cut its electricity and gas lines. Azerbaijani snipers regularly attack Armenian farmers trying to grow food locally. MORE 

In response to mounting Azerbaijani aggression against the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh, the AOGIA and a group of diverse NGOs and activists gathered at the US Capitol House Press Triangle to announce the launch of the Save Karabakh Coalition.  The Announcement will include members of Congress, representatives of the Armenian community, NGO and religious leaders who are working together to save the Amerindian Christian community in Nagoro Karabakh, a historic Armenian community now claimed my Azerbaijan. MORE 

Persecuted Iranian Anglican Pastor Hekmet Salimi and his family have safely landed in the US and have begun a life of freedom thanks to the support of the AOGIA. Rev. Salimi is one of a growing number of Iranian Christians who have been relentlessly persecuted in Iran for their faith. Christian’s from Muslim backgrounds are often charged with harsh apostasy laws for converting to Christianity from Islam. “We are so thankful that in the Unites States, the First Amendment protects the free exercise of religion. Our Constitution protects families like the Salimi’s and guarantees their religious freedom.” Said Rev. Canon Justin Murff. Executive Director of the Anglican Office for Government & International Affairs.

"We are continuing to monitor this unfortunate event," said Canon Murff. The 'event' is when a group, led by Church of Nigeria Bishop Dr. Augustine Unuigbe, stormed into Christ Anglican Church during worship services on Dec 4, 2022 initiating a riot. The group assaulted church members, yelled racial asides at Bp Ken Ross of the ACNA (who had to be secured in a locked room to protect him from an assailant), and refused to disperse when directed to do so by Law Enforcement. The members of the Church were forced to leave the church and gather in a nearby home for Bp Ross and the church members to finish the worship service that he had traveled there to do. MORE 

As numerous videos on social media show, Bishop Unigbe had many opportunities to prevent the violence, but he chose instead to lead and participate in it, even striking at least one parishioner. Complicating the issue further is that the violent incident appears to be pre-meditated and orchestrated by another Church of Nigeria Bishop

according to a letter from the Church of Nigeria. MORE 

What began as a joyful church service celebrating baptisms and confirmations at Christ Anglican Church, a member of the Anglican Church in North America, ended in heartbreak as violence erupted and the church was attacked on Sunday, December 4, 2022 by an angry mob led by Church of Nigeria (CoN) Bishop Dr. Augustine Unigbe who attempted to illegally seize the church.