The Christian community in Nigeria’s central Plateau state are anxiously awaiting the arrival of some 1,300 additional riot police following weeks of sectarian violence that reportedly killed as many as 100 Christians.
China has unexpectedly released a prominent house church leader from prison amid international concerns about his health, his family and rights activists confirmed Monday, September 19.
Lawmakers in Kazakhstan have voted for controversial legislation that Christians and rights activists say will further limit religious freedom in the mainly Muslim Central Asian state.
A Christian accused of blasphemy died in a Pakistan prison from a treatable disease after he was denied medical care.
At least 70 evangelical Christians in Mexico’s east-central region were homeless Saturday, September 17, after being expelled by local authorities from their village where traditional Catholics reportedly threatened to “crucify or lynch” them.
Four Pentecostal pastors in Madhya Pradesh were recently beaten and arrested on charges of forced conversion, spending a night in jail before making bail.
The toll from recent clashes between Christians and Muslims in Ambon, capital of the Moluccas, is three dead and 60 wounded.
The body of a kidnapped Christian convert from Islam was found decapitated near Hudur City on Sept. 2.
Two Azeri converts from Islam were both released temporarily on $40,000 bail after appearing before two separate court hearings.
Christians are regularly attacked in Karnataka by Hindu nationalists, while the authorities “turn a blind eye,” according to Sajan K. George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians, concerning yet another case of abuse against so called forced conversions.
Last Sunday five members of a house church in Fangshan tried to worship with members of the embattled Beijing Shouwang house church in a public square in Beijing.
Kachin Christians have accused Burma’s military of violating their religious rights after government troops seized control of a church in Kachin State, transforming it into a military outpost complete with fortifications, trenches and land mines.
Iran on Tuesday, September 6, ordered five Iranian Christians, including a heavily pregnant woman, to report to prison on charges linked to their Christian activities, a mission group working in the region said.
Arrested on charges of blasphemy against Islam, Pastor Matthias Haghnejad is now free on bail, according to ASSIST News Service.
According to an unconfirmed report from the Farsi News Network, after almost one year in prison, Pastor Vahik Abrahamian was released Aug. 29 and has rejoined his family.
Muslim extremists with the alleged aid of Nigerian soldiers killed 24 Christians this month in Nigeria’s central Plateau.
Police who raided a Protestant family’s home in Fergana also assaulted the husband as they confiscated a Bible, an Uzbek New Testament, the Proverbs of Solomon and a Koran.
The whereabouts of an evangelical pastor in Iran remained unknown Saturday, August 27, some 10 days after he was detained by Iranian security forces as part of a reported government crackdown on Christian converts, Worthy News established.
He was tortured for his Christian faith, but still wanted to “sing the songs of David.” He was naked, but “Jesus Christ” clothed him “with His Love.” Words of Christian rights activist William Nicholas Gomes, a former Muslim who fled rough police and Islamic extremists in his native Bangladesh.
Authorities backed by Hindu militants have halted the reconstruction of a Baptist church that was destroyed in deadly anti-Christian violence in India’s volatile state of Orissa, local Christians said.