Vietnam: Officials Confiscate Home of Evangelist
Local officials in Lao Cai province have confiscated the land and home of a former opium addict because of his phenomenal success as an evangelist, local Christian sources said.
Christian Persecution
Zimbabwe Christians Facing Famine And Persecution, Aid Workers Say
Christians in several areas of Zimbabwe faced more food shortages Wednesday, May 14, amid ongoing turmoil and reported persecution of churches in the country, once called ‘the breadbasket of Africa.’
Algeria: Christian Sentenced for Carrying Bible
An Algerian Christian detained five days for carrying a Bible and personal Bible study books was handed a 300-euro (US$460) fine and a one-year suspended prison sentence last week, an Algerian church leader said.
Bangladesh: Pastor’s 13-Year Old Daughter Gang-Raped
Muslim villagers in Mymensingh district eager to rid the area of the Christian work of a local pastor have gang-raped his 13-year-old daughter, the girl’s father said.
Turkey: Armed Men Threaten Church
Three men, one of them armed with a gun and wearing gloves, threatened a Protestant church and its pastor in the Turkish capital city of Ankara yesterday. The culprits fled in a car before police could be summoned.
Indonesia: Islamists Threaten to Tear Down Church
Muslim extremists and local government authorities last week threatened to tear down a church building under construction in North Sumatra even though church leaders met requirements of Indonesia’s draconian law on worship places, the church’s pastor said.
India Missionaries Facing “Death Threats” In Maharashtra State
Native missionaries in Maharashtra, India’s third largest state, continued their activities Wednesday, May 7, amid mounting opposition against Christianity in the area, BosNewsLife learned.
Christian Villagers “Expelled” In Bhutan; Missionaries Concerned
Christian missionaries in Bhutan, a predominately Buddhist nation, faced new challenges Thursday, May 8, nearly a month after villagers were reportedly expelled from their home for becoming Christians.
Christian Leader Killed In India For “Black Magic”
Villagers in India’s state of Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, May 3, recalled that exactly one month ago a local Christian leader was killed because his faith in Christ was wrongly understood, BosNewsLife monitored.
India: ‘Anti-Conversion’ Law Takes Effect in Fifth State
The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat state has implemented an "anti-conversion" law passed in 2003, increasing Christians’ fears that it will open the door to false accusations by Hindu extremists.
North Korea: Former Security Agents Tell of Infiltrating Christians
Former police and security officers in North Korea told a U.S. government body that their superiors had instructed them to play the role of Christians and infiltrate "underground" prayer meetings in order to incriminate, arrest, imprison and sometimes execute believers in North Korea.
Macedonia Introduces Controversial Religion Law
Macedonia’s controversial new Religion Law was due to come into force Thursday, May 1, a move rights groups say is designed to prevent the Serbian Orthodox Church of gaining legal status and could target unregistered Christian groups and congregations.
Islamist Militants Close Over 100 Churches in Indonesia
Christians in several parts of Indonesia faced another difficult day Wednesday, April 23, amid reports that Islamic militant groups and local governments in Indonesia have closed at least 110 churches from 2004 to 2007.
India Dalit Christians “Forced” To Reconvert To Hinduism
There was uncertainty Monday, April 21, about the status of hundreds of Dalit Christians who church leaders said were likely forced to re-convert to Hinduism, in what organizers called the "first ever mass conversion" in India’s state of Tamil Nadu.
Beijing Christian Bookstore Owner Rearrested In China
A bookstore owner in Beijing was still behind bars Saturday, April 19, a month after he was re-arrested for publishing Bibles and Christian literature, his wife said.
China Detains Dozens Of Christians In Xinjiang
Chinese security forces detained dozens of House Church Christians in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, forcing them to show allegiance to the government as part of crackdown similar to a campaign against Buddhist monks in nearby Tibet, rights watchers said Thursday, April 17.
Algeria: Christian Sentenced for ‘Proselytism’
An Algerian Christian was handed a two-year suspended sentence for “proselytism” yesterday amid an ongoing government crackdown on 26 of Algeria’s 50 Protestant congregations, a church leader said.
Russia Closing Down Methodist Church
Members of a United Methodist congregation in Russia were without a church Sunday, April 13, after authorities closed it for running a Sunday School without government permission, the latest in a series of police raids targeting Christian education, Christians said.
Uzbekistan Christian Missing After Police Raid
A charismatic Christian in Uzbekistan remained missing Saturday, April 12, more than a week after he was reportedly detained as part of a government crackdown on Protestant believers and other religious communities in this Islamic nation.
Vietnam Christian Prisoner Tortured To Death, Friends Say
A Vietnamese Degar Montagnard Christian who refused to join the Communist-backed church in Vietnam’s Central Highlands has been tortured to death in prison, while other detainees were beaten for declining to renounce their faith in Christ, representatives told BosNewsLife.