Indonesia: Pastor Forced to Stop Worship Services in Home
Residents in North Jakarta have ordered the pastor of a small congregation to cease holding services in his home, despite a letter of permission issued by the Religious Affairs department.
Month: September 2008
Christian Aid Reaches Destroyed Indonesian Village
An international Christian aid group said Thursday, September 25, it has begun helping to rebuild a mainly Christian village in a remote area of Indonesia, which was destroyed by Muslim militants earlier this year.
Eritrea Evangelist May Die In Prison, Report
An Eritrean evangelist who has been imprisoned since 2006 has reportedly told friends he may die soon as he receives harsh prison treatment because of his evangelistic activities among fellow inmates, BosNewsLife monitored Thursday, September 25.
Belarus Bans Christian Festival, Group Says
Belarus has banned a Christian music festival, initiated by Catholics, minutes before it was due to begin, a religious rights group said Thursday, September 25.
Laos Threatens Expulsion Christian Villagers; Widow Forgives Husband’s Killers
Dozens of Christian villagers in Laos were reportedly facing uncertainty Thursday, September 25, after local authorities told them they will be expelled because several Christian families refuse to renounce their faith in Christ. It came as a widow said she had forgiven those who killed her husband because of his church activities, the latest in several violent incidents against Christian villagers in parts of the Communist nation.
China Holds Secret Trial For Pastor Zhang Zhongxin
A closed-door trial in China will decide this week whether evangelical Pastor Zhang Zhongxin must continue serving a two-year forced labor sentence for his activities related to evangelism and training Christian missionaries, an advocacy group said Wednesday, September 24.
Four Christians Killed In Iraq
Authorities were under pressure Wednesday, September 24, to investigate the death of at least four Christians in the Iraqi town of Mosul, amid signs of a fresh wave of anti-Christian violence in Iraq.
Eritrea: Christians Languish in Eritrean Prisons
An evangelist imprisoned since 2006 for his Christian activities is receiving especially harsh treatment because of his ministry to inmates.
India: Murder, Rape, Arson Continue
The unprecedented wave of anti-Christian attacks that began a month ago continued in the past week with more incidents of murder, rape and arson, mostly in the eastern state of Orissa and southern state of Karnataka. Two Christians were also found murdered in the northern state of Uttarakhand.
Iran: ‘Apostasy’ Bill Appears Likely to Become Law
Without international pressure there is little to stop the Iranian government from ratifying a bill that will make “apostasy,” or leaving Islam, a capital crime, say human rights groups and experts.
India: Two States Warned Against Allowing Persecution
After three weeks of widespread attacks on Christians and their property in Orissa state and other parts of the country, the federal government finally warned two states that their failure to prevent violence could lead to the imposition of “President’s Rule.”
Vietnam Launching Massive Crackdown On Degar Montagnard Christians
There was concern Wednesday, September 17, about the whereabouts of possibly dozens of Degar Montagnard Christians who have been detained in Vietnam’s Central Highlands as part of a major crackdown on unregistered worship, friends said.
Hindu Militants Attack Nine Churches In India State
Suspected Hindu militants attacked nine churches in parts of India’s southern state of Karnataka Sunday, September 14, as part of ongoing violent protests against the alleged conversion of Hindus into Christianity by missionaries, police said.
Kazakhstan Baptists Fined For Unregistered Worship
Several Baptist Churches in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan continue have been raided by police because they refuse state registration on principal grounds, BosNewsLife learned Monday, September 15.
Iran: Parliament votes in favour of punishing apostasy with death
The Iranian Parliament voted on Tuesday in favour of a bill stipulating the death penalty for apostasy. The bill was approved by 196 votes for, seven against, and two abstentions.
Serial Attacks by Hindu Radicals on 12 Churches in Karnataka, India
Attacks on Christians continue to increase in Karnataka State.
India: Christians Attacked in Karanataka, India
As tensions continued in the eastern state of Orissa, Hindu nationalist groups intensified attacks on churches and Christian institutions in the southern state of Karnataka.
Iran: Martyr’s Son Detained in Wave of Arrests
Five arrests in three cities across Iran in August suggest a continued crackdown on Iranian Christians by authorities, sources told Compass.
Iranian Christians Face Death Penalty In Iran
Two Iranian Christians from Muslim backgrounds may receive the death penalty on charges of apostasy, according to prosecution documents published Tuesday, September 9.
Mexico Detains Suspects For “Massacre” Of Evangelicals
Mexican authorities have detained a group of men for their alleged involvement in killing three native Indian Christians and seriously injuring six children of the same evangelical family in the country’s Chiapas state, BosNewsLife established Wednesday, September 10.