The Bundesplatz, the square of the Swiss federal parliament in Bern, was filled with dozens of wooden crosses on 31 August.

In front of the gates of Swiss politics, around 1,000 participants in the Persecution.now rally raised a voice for those persecuted on religious grounds worldwide, especially Christians.

The speeches by two victims of persecution motivated people to take action against this human rights violation.

Amin Afsharnaderi, a former Muslim who became a Christian, told how he had been imprisoned twice in Iran because of his Christian faith. The first time, he was arrested at Christmas in the house of the pastor of his underground church. “I was repeatedly interrogated, insulted, humiliated and pressurised to give up my faith and betray other Christians. I am sure that I would not have survived this if Jesus Christ had not been with me”.

Amin Afsharnaderi also pointed out that his is not an isolated story: “Christians in Iran live under constant pressure and fear. They lose their jobs or their property because of their faith”.

Torture and public executions

The second speaker, whose name and Asian country of origin were not given for security reasons, also experienced prison and torture first-hand on several occasions. He also witnessed others being publicly executed.

“Christianity is perceived as a threat to national security and every new law is aimed at eliminating Christians”. Despite this, the man, who now lives in Europe, went on to say that it has not yet been possible to eradicate the Christian faith in his country. “This faith that has endured in my suffering, even in the darkest prison cell”.

The need to raise the voice for the persecuted

The two appealed to those present to stand up for those persecuted for their faith all over the world as inhabitants of a free country like Switzerland: through prayer, inviting persecuted people to the local church, exerting political pressure on governments that violate human rights or supporting organisations that are committed to religious freedom.

They called on media professionals in particular to use their platforms to address the issue.

Information in the Swiss parliament

Amgong the participants at the event in front of the parliament was Laurent Wehrli, a National Councillor (member of the national assembly). Together with several parliamentary colleagues, he regularly obtains information about the situation of Christians in various countries and makes representations to the embassies concerned.

“Between 2019 and 2023, almost half of our requests were at least partially fulfilled. Of the 54 prisoners we campaigned for, 24 were released early”, he said.

Even if this may sound like a drop in the ocean when there are 365 million persecuted Christians, Laurent Wehrli said he had the conviction that it is essential to “raise our voices for these people”.

Finally, he recalled the privilege of living in a country in which fundamental freedoms such as religious freedom are protected. In Switzerland, “our history is characterised by the Christian conviction that every person has inherent dignity. We have a responsibility to preserve these values”.

Emotional mourning ceremony

The participants in the rally, who mostly came from churches, had the opportunity to lay roses in a symbolic mass grave on the Bundesplatz of Bern or to pray in imitation prison cells.

They were also able to express solidarity with people persecuted for their faith all over the world. One participant was particularly moved by the moment when she laid a rose by a cross. It was “a touching sign for all those who died alone and abandoned for their faith in Jesus”, she said.