Another Christian Pastor, Scores of Muslims Jailed in Eritrea
Besides the jailing of another Protestant pastor in February, authorities have also jailed 70 Muslims over the past two years for opposing the government appointment of the chief mufti.
Christian Persecution
Pastors Arrested for ‘Fraudulent Conversion’ in India
Police backed by Hindu extremists arrested Avinash Lal, an independent Pentecostal pastor from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh state, and six other Christian leaders last night (April 18) on charges on ‘fraudulent conversion.’
China Detains Americans, Taiwanese, and House Church Leaders
Chinese security forces detained seven foreign evangelical church leaders, including five Americans and two Taiwanese pastors, as part of a government crackdown on China’s evangelical movement, friends and investigators said Wednesday, April 19.
India Court “Voids” Arrest Warrant For Bishop Thomas
India’s Supreme Court confirmed Monday, April 17, it granted the founder of a major evangelical mission organization “relief from an outstanding arrest warrant” for alleged anti-Hindu activities and ordered a hearing before a court in the tense state of Rajasthan Friday, April 21, officials said.
Egypt Orders Arrests Of Muslim Militant For Stabbing Christians
Egyptian authorities on Monday, April 17, ordered the detention of a Muslim who entered a Cairo church with a knife days after another Muslim stabbed six Christians, killing one, in Alexandria, news reports said.
Terrified Ethiopian Christian Women In Besieged Evangelical Church, Investigators Say
Four terrified Christian women, including one suffering from AIDS, remained inside a besieged evangelical church in an Ethiopian city Thursday, April 13, which has been attacked by militants fearing its growing influence in the region, investigators said.
India Court Denies Bail To Mission Leader Thomas but “Relieves” Father From Arrest
Samuel Thomas, the leader of one of India’s main evangelical mission organizations, remained jailed Thursday, April 13, on charges of anti-Hindu activities, after a court denied him bail, but his wife told BosNewsLife she is not giving up hope, yet.
Rajasthan State Anti-Conversion Bill Potentially “Explosive”
An anti-conversion bill passed by the Rajasthan state assembly last Friday (April 7) is unconstitutional and could lead to an “explosive situation” in the state, Christians say.
Laos Jails Mission Leader, Expels Christian Families, Missionaries Claim
A local Christian leader in rural Laos who refuses to abandon his faith in Christ has been detained and shackled in hand and foot stocks as part of a fresh crackdown by Communist authorities on Christian villagers, missionaries said Thursday, April 13.
Chinese Court Seeks Advice in Case Against Zhang Rongliang
The court judging house church leader Zhang Rongliang, acknowledging that “there are insufficient evidence and ambiguous facts,” this week submitted the case to the Zhengzhou City Intermediate People’s Court asking for legal advice.
Christians Attacked, Charged with Illegal Conversion
Extremists attacked two Christian schools and a private Christian gathering last week in Madhya Pradesh state and accused several Christians of carrying out “illegal conversions.”
RSS ‘Reconverts’ Over 300 Christians in Orissa
Hindu leaders attending a centenary celebration of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) last weekend converted at least 344 tribal Christians to Hinduism. Although police were present, they took no action to enforce Orissa state anti-conversion laws that require official permission for such events.
Bangladesh Buddhists Burn Down Church, reports
Christian villagers in a remote area of Bangladesh tried to rebuild their lives Tuesday, April 11, after an angry mob reportedly burned down their church to protest against their decision to abandon Buddhism and convert to Christianity.
Christian Students “Disappear” in Nigeria
Two female Christian students remained missing Monday, April 10, after hard-line Muslims attacked them last month in a case that has underscored concern over violence against young Christian women in the African nation, news reports said.
Pakistan: Christian Falsely Accused of Blasphemy Released After Five Years
Voice of the Martyrs’ contacts in Pakistan reported on April 8th that Pakistani Christian, Parvez Masih, who was arrested and jailed under false blasphemy charges five years ago in April 2001, was released. After years of inhumane treatment, threats, beatings and trials, the headmaster of a private Christian middle school was found not guilty of violating Law 295C (blaspheming the prophet Mohammed).
Pastor Survives Suspected Murder Attempt in Kerala, India
Pastor Paul Ciniraj Mohammed, a Christian convert from Islam, is still recovering from what he believes was a murder attempt in Kottayam district, in the southern state of Kerala, on March 16.
Russia Bans Christian Radio Network
There was concern Saturday, April 8, over the future of Christian radio in Russia after the Ministry of Culture and Mass Communications refused to renew the radio license of a key evangelical radio station, an official said.
China Pressured To Free “Tortured” Pastor From Prison
Chinese house churches on Friday, April 7, were anxiously awaiting answers from the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which has been asked to help free an influential ailing, and allegedly tortured, pastor from prison.
Egypt Brother Discovers “Kidnapped” Christian Sister
After three months, an Egyptian Christian has reportedly discovered his “kidnapped” sister living with a Muslim family near her hometown and professing faith in Islam, BosNewsLife monitored Wednesday, April 5.
Evangelist Kidnapped in Nepal
Nepali evangelist Kumar was making plans to travel from his village to the capital city of Kathmandu for a worship conference in early March, when three Mao insurgents paid him a visit. They approached Kumar, and demanded a 5000 rupee “donation,” (about seventy US dollars) to support their cause. When Kumar couldn’t pay, they kidnapped him.