Indonesia Police Probe Pastor For Blasphemy
Police in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, are investigating a prominent Indonesian pastor, known for his television appearances, for alleged blasphemy against Islam, Christians told Worthy News early Friday.
Christian Persecution – Asia
Christian Rights Group Renews Call For End To India’s Anti-Conversion Laws
A UK-based Christian advocacy organization has renewed its calls for India to revoke the harsh anti-conversion laws that have been abused by Hindu nationalist extremists to persecute Christians across the vast nation, Christian Today (CT) reports.
Myanmar: US Calls For Release of Imprisoned Baptist Pastor
The US has called for the release of a Baptist pastor in Myanmar who was re-arrested and imprisoned by the ruling military junta just hours after being unexpectedly released with other prisoners last week, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
India: Pastor and Brother Attacked by Sikhs With Swords, “We Warned You Not To Convert People”
A pastor and his Christian brother in India’s Punjab state were severely wounded last week after a group of warrior Sikhs attacked them with swords on account of their faith in Christ, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. India ranks 11 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.
Nepal Christians Vulnerable to Hindu Persecution, “Pray for Nepal’s Government”
As Christians in India suffer increasing violent persecution at the hands of extremist Hindu nationalists, believers in next-door Nepal are now at risk of persecution as that same Hindu nationalism begins to target them too, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
India: Hindu Extremists Drive 50 Christian Farmers Off Their Land
The International Christian Concern (ICC) aid and advocacy organization reported last week that its staff recently witnessed an attack on Christians in Chhattisgarh state in which Hindu extremists drove a community of 50 farmers and their families off their land.
Vietnam: Christians Face New Hurdles In Establishing Churches
Christians in Vietnam now face new hurdles in planting churches as the government has issued Decree 95, a law which requires religious groups to submit financial records and allows officials to close down religious activities for unspecified “serious violations,” Christianity Today reports.
Pakistan: Family of Murdered Christian Man Threatened With Death Unless They Drop Charges Against Killer
The family of a 20-year-old Christian who was murdered by an Islamic extremist in Pakistan are being threatened that they too will be killed unless they drop their charges against the murderer, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
India: Pastor and His Wife Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Alleged Forced Conversion of Hindus
A pastor and his wife in India’s Madhya Pradesh state have each been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and a $300 fine after being found guilty of forcibly/ fraudulently trying to convert a Hindu couple to Christianity, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
Pakistan: Presbyterian Church Building Burned To The Ground In Suspected Arson Attack
A Presbyterian church building in Rawalpindi District, Pakistan was burned to the ground in a suspected arson attack on Saturday, one day after a local Muslim threatened that he would not allow the congregation to celebrate Easter in their building, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
India: Christians Faced “Alarmingly Steep Rise” In Violent Persecution Over Last Year, Report
The Religious Liberty Commission of Evangelical Fellowship of India (RLC) warns in a new report that Christians in India faced an “alarmingly steep rise” in violent persecution against them in the year leading up to the spring elections of 2024. The RLC gave its assessment in its latest annual report titled “Hate and Targeted Violence Against Christians in India, 2023.”
Vietnam: Evangelical Pastor Found Dead After Encounter With Police
A Vietnamese evangelical pastor whose body was found hanging in a cemetery in Vietnam’s Dak Lak Province is believed by local Christians to have been killed by government authorities who had forced him to renounce his faith in Christ and leave his church, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
India: Mob of 200 Hindus Attack Methodist Church in Telangana State, Five Christians Arrested
More than 20 Christians were injured, and five were arrested and imprisoned on false pretenses, after a mob of some 200 Hindus attacked their Methodist church in India’s Telangana state earlier this month, Open Doors reports.
India: Persecuted Christian Couple Forced Into Hiding, “I Will Not Renounce Christ”
A Christian couple in India’s Chhattisgarh state have had to leave their children with relatives and go into hiding after being attacked by neighbors who demanded they recant their faith in Christ, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
India: Christian Couples Sentenced To Two Years Imprisonment For “Alluring” Hindu Relative To Become Christian
A court in India’s Madhya Pradesh state has sentenced a Christian couple to two years imprisonment for allegedly offering a job to a Hindu relative of theirs in exchange for his conversion to Christianity, UCA News reports.
Pakistan: Christian Parents Worry Abducted 10-Year-Old Daughter May Be Sex-Trafficked
The Christian parents of a 10-year-old girl in Pakistan are concerned she may fall into the hands of sex traffickers after being abducted by a Muslim man known for kidnapping children to forcibly convert them to Islam, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. Muslim-majority Pakistan ranks seventh on the US Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.
Pakistan: Young Christian Man Imprisoned For Alleged Blasphemy, “Christ Will Not Forsake Him”
An 18-year-old Christian man in Pakistan is in prison awaiting trial after a former classmate accused him of insulting Islam by saying he did not believe in Allah and questioning the right of Muslim men to have four wives, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. With notoriously harsh blasphemy laws, Islamic-majority Pakistan ranks seven on the US Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.
Pakistan: Rights Advocates Demand Safeguards Against Blasphemy Law Abuses
Alarmed at the number of people charged and incarcerated for blasphemy in Pakistan, rights advocates are demanding legislative charges to protect against blatant Islamic extremist abuse of blasphemy laws to persecute not only those of minority faiths but Muslims as well, Christian Daily reports.
India: Assam State Lawmakers Seek To Ban Christian Prayer For Healing
In an effort to curb evangelism, Hindu lawmakers in India’s Assam state have passed a law criminalizing “magical” prayer for healing, Christianity Today (CT) reports.
Vietnam: Government Designates As “terrorists” Two Rights Groups Which Support Christian Montagnard Community
Vietnam’s ruling Communist party has designated as terrorist organizations two human rights groups which support the country’s largely Christian Montagnard minority indigenous community, Premier Christian News (PCN) reports.