North Koreans Face Execution for Contact with Missionary
Thirty-three Koreans could be executed by the North’s State Security Department Sunday for allegedly accepting funds to overthrow Kim Jong-un’s regime, according to Chosun Media.
Christian Persecution – Asia
Sri Lanka: Pastor and Wife Attacked for Defending Right to Worship
Eleven monks from the nationalist Buddhist Strength Force lobby led a violent mob of 250 villagers who physically assaulted the family of the pastor of Holy Family Church in Asgiriya, Sri Lanka, on Feb. 16, according to Christian Today Australia.
North Korea Releases Australian Missionary
John Short, an 75-year-old Australian Christian, was released from detention in Pyongyang, North Korea yesterday. The missionary, based in Hong Kong, had been arrested and charged with attempting to overthrow the government on February 16th by authorities in North Korea.
India: Hindus Must Stop Conversions, or Become a Minority
The leader of the ultra-nationalist Vishwa Hindu Parishad group decried the conversions of Hindus to other faiths at a rally in Bhopal last Saturday, according to AsiaNews.
Indonesia: Islamists Block Construction of Church
On Friday, hundreds of armed Islamists led by local Muslim leaders forcibly occupied a two-acre plot owned by the Indonesian Christian community of Huria Kristen Batak in the village of Talang Kelapa, South Sumatra, according to Asia News.
Australian Missionary Arrested in North Korea
John Short, an 75-year-old Australian Christian, was arrested and charged with attempting to overthrow the government by North Korea, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
India: Worst anti-Christian pogrom of the 21st Century
The worst anti-Christian pogrom of the 21st Century was done by Hindu nationalists in India, as reported by Morning Star News.
Hindus with Hit List Accused in Pastor’s Death
Last month, police arrested seven members of a Hindu Vahini group accused of attacking the pastor of the Hebron Church at his home in Vikarabad, 39 miles from the Indian state capital of Hyderabad, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ram Mohan Roa told Morning Star News.
Church construction halted in Indonesia
Church closures in Indonesia that peaked during the Christmas holidays have spilled over into January as Islamist groups continue to target Christian congregations, according to International Christian Concern.
Buddhist monks Vandalize churches in Sri Lanka
Two churches in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka were vandalized Sunday by a mob led by Buddhist monks, according to International Christian Concern.
Raid on Malaysian Bible Society
Aided by police, the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department raided the Bible Society of Malaysia offices in Damansara Kim near Kuala Lumpur earlier this month.
Indonesia: Christmas and New Year are ‘haram’
The Ulema Advisory Council of Banda Aceh has instructed its Muslim community not to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s.
Indonesia: Islamists Attack Christian Community During Service
Extremists from the Islamic Defenders Front have disrupted the Sunday services of the Tandemn Huria Kristen Batak Protestant community of Binjai in the Indonesian province of Sumatra.
Vietnam: New Law Increases Religious Restrictions
Christian leaders in Vietnam are opposed to a proposed state law that would further increase restrictions on all their activities, requiring a permit for each and every circumstance, according to BarnabasAid.
Pakistan: Christian under death sentence finally released
A Pakistani Christian under a death sentence for blasphemy was released Friday on appeal by the Lahore High Court.
Policeman Guarding Peshawar Church Killed on Duty
Unidentified gunmen shot and killed a policeman guarding a Peshawar Pentecostal church Tuesday, according to the Pakistan Christian Post.
Hundreds of Christian refugees languish in Asia
The president of the Pakistan Christian Congress expressed concerns about the delays in processing hundreds of Pakistani Christian refugees in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong who have been waiting years for decisions on their asylum applications while living under deplorable conditions, according to the Pakistan Christian Post.
Pakistan: Fatwa approves polio vaccine, but …
The fatwa council of Pakistan finally issued a ruling that giving polio vaccine to children is not forbidden by Islam, according to the PakTribune.
Brunei to Intro Stricter Sharia
The Sultan of Brunei has announced the implementation of severe corporeal punishments as his sultanate shifts towards a stricter interpretation of Sharia law, according to The Standard.
India: Christians Unjustly Jailed for Murder
Seven Indian Christians have been sentenced to life imprisonment after being unjustly convicted of murdering a militant Hindu leader back in 2008, according to BarnabasAid.