Turkey’s Mistreatment of Christians Becoming More Brazen
Bektas Erdogan never expected his Christian faith of 11 years to jeopardize his career as a fashion designer in Turkey.
Month: August 2005
City Officials in Vietnam Shut Down International Church
Local authorities shut down a 500-member, international church here on Saturday, August 27. The church had sought a permit to meet since its inception eight years ago.
Mob Attacks Prayer Meeting in Madhya Pradesh, India
A mob of Hindu extremists violently attacked a prayer meeting in the town of Indore in the north-central state of Madhya Pradesh on August 21. At least 10 people, including women and a 2-year-old child, were injured.
Prisoners from Eritrean Wedding Roundup Mocked, Beaten
Three months after 250 wedding guests were arrested in the Eritrean capital for attending a Protestant Christian wedding, 129 of them remain jailed under severe conditions.
Commander of Saddam Hussein’s ‘Army of Muhammad’ Confesses: We Received Money and Arms from Syria
January 19, 2005 (MEMRI) — The following are excerpts from the televised confessions of Muayed Al-Nasseri, who commanded Saddam Hussein’s “Army of Muhammad” throughout 2004. The confessions were aired by an Iraqi TV channel that operates from the UAE, Al-Fayhaa TV, and were monitored and translated by the MEMRI TV Project.
Israeli Journalist: Anyone Would Fight For Their Home
On Front Page Jerusalem this week, Cox & Kinchlow explore the complexities of the Gaza Pullout and the possibility of civil war as the summer evacuation date draws closer. They interview Israeli citizens representing both sides of the controversial issue. Joining in with their differing opinions in the FPJ’s Roundtable are Danny Seaman, Director of Israel’s Government Press Office, Yechiel Leiter, Chief of Staff for Benjamin Netanyahu, and Caroline Glick, Deputy Managing Editor of the Jerusalem Post and award-winning columnist.
Hindu Extremists Attack Prayer Meeting in Rajasthan, India
Hindu extremists violently attacked a prayer meeting in Rajasthan state last night, seriously injuring nine Christians, including one woman.
Second Indian State to Strengthen Anti-Conversion Law
Attempts to strengthen the state anti-conversion law in Chattisgarh state, India, have been held up due to “technical problems,” according to a government official.
Vietnamese Authorities Offer Pastor Freedom for Confession
The Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang was working at a labor camp machine used to extract cashew nuts on August 9 when he was approached by high prison officials. They told him he would be moved immediately to another prison.
Laos Christians Face Crisis As Government Bans Bibles
A lack of Bibles and Christian literature in Laos is now becoming “the biggest threat” to rapidly growing Christian communities in rural areas of the Communist Asian nation, evangelical leaders said Wednesday, August 10.
Jailed Iranian Christian Pressured to Return to Islam
Eleven months after Iranian police arrested Hamid Pourmand for converting to Christianity, authorities at Tehran’s Evin Prison continue to pressure the former Muslim to return to Islam.
Laos Government Forces Detain And Torture Christian Villagers
He quietly says he still believes in Jesus Christ. But he can no longer admit it publicly. Since 42-year old Phouthone Chansombat became the chief of Tao Tan, a village 135 kilometers (about 85 miles) from Laos’ capital Vientiane, he had to renounce his faith in Christ. “I can no longer be a Christian,” Chansombat says, fighting back tears.
Major Crackdown on Christians in China Reported
Christian Freedom International (CFI), a leading human rights organization, expressed concern Monday, August 8, about “a major crackdown” on Christians in China.
Couple Arrested for Attempted Forced Conversion in India
Two Christians in Madhya Pradesh, India, await their first appearance in court after Hindu villagers accused them of attempted forced conversion.
Indonesian Sunday School Teachers Case Goes to High Court
Hostile spectators filled a courtroom in West Java, Indonesia on July 28 as the fifth hearing in a controversial trial against three Christian women began. The women were accused of attempting to convert Muslim children through a Christian education program.
India Proposes Stiffer Law to Regulate Foreign Donations
The Indian government has proposed a law to more closely regulate foreign donations for “anti-national activities.” Christian leaders in India fear the new law would be misused to reduce foreign donations to churches in India.
Bangladesh Christian Aid Workers Murdered By “Islamic Extremists”
Two Christian men of a non-governmental organization in Bangladesh have been “hacked to death” and officials believe Islamic extremists were “likely” responsible for the murders, news reports said Thursday, August 4.
Turkmenistan Authorities Threaten To Hang Handicapped Baptist
Baptists in Turkmenistan faced another difficult Sunday, July 31, after a private home where they gathered regularly was stormed by police who beat the handicapped host with her own Bible and threatened to hang her, human rights activists reported.