China: Evangelical pastor sentenced to imprisonment for holding worship services
A court in China has sentenced a popular evangelical pastor to 15 months imprisonment for holding “illegal” worship services at his house church, Bitter Winter reports.
Christian Persecution
Mozambique: Islamic State behead two Christians
Two Christian men in northern Mozambique were beheaded by local Islamic State terrorists on July 30, the Barnabas Fund reports.
India: Six Christian women arrested, imprisoned
Six Christian women in India’s Uttar Pradesh state were charged with forcibly converting Hindus to Christianity and were imprisoned on July 30, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. With the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party in power since 2014, India’s Christians have become increasingly vulnerable to harsh anti-conversion laws which are frequently abused by Hindu extremists looking to harass and imprison believers.
Uganda: Pentecostal Christian murdered by Islamic extremists
Pentecostal church member Robert Bwenje from Uganda’s Kyankwanzi District has died from injuries he sustained during an attack by Muslim extremists on July 6, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. Although Christianity is legal in Uganda, and Muslims are a minority group there, attacks on believers by Islamic extremists have been increasing at an alarming rate.
68 Christians Killed In Nigeria State
At least 68 Christians were killed and more kidnapped or displaced by Islamist fighters over the last two months in Central Nigeria’s Benue State, a Catholic charity confirmed Wednesday.
China Bans Christians From Platforms
Outspoken Chinese Christians face more restrictions after China’s Communist government banned “illegal religious content” and closed numerous websites, Worthy News learned Saturday.
Myanmar: Military junta has destroyed dozens of places of worship
Rights groups have reported that more than 132 places of worship, including dozens of churches, have been destroyed by Myanmar’s Tatmadaw army since it carried out a military coup and deposed the country’s democratically elected government in February 2021, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
Nigeria Christians Concerned As Islamic State Frees Prisoners
Nigerian Christians expressed concern about their safety Thursday after the Islamic State group claimed an attack on a prison in Nigeria’s capital which freed nearly 900 inmates, including 60 of its members.
Just 3% of global missions focus on unreached people groups
Only 3% of Christian missionaries globally are focused on trying to share the Gospel with the three billion people living in communities that have never been reached or have been reached the least, with Christ’s message of salvation, the Christian Post (CP) reports.
Fulani dressed as police kidnap 6 intercessors from Christian center
Amid a 12-year onslaught of murders and abductions of Christians in Nigeria, Fulani jihadists dressed as policemen stormed a Catholic center in Nigeria’s Enugu state and abducted six intercessors earlier this month, Sahara Reporters has reported.
Egypt: Christian faces 5 years imprisonment for private social media content that allegedly insults Islam
A Christian man in Egypt is facing five years in prison after being convicted of having posted social media content considered to promote contempt for Islam, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
DRC: Jihadists murder 10 Christians; “We only live by God’s mercy”
Islamic jihadists murdered 10 Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last week, a day after heads of state from the East African Community (EAC) met in Nairobi, Kenya to discuss the increasingly violent and unstable situation in eastern DRC, CBN News reports.
Iran Pastor 10 Years In Jail After Losing Appeal
An Iranian pastor has lost his appeal against a ten-year jail term for running a “house church” at his home in Iran’s capital, Tehran, trial observers confirmed Tuesday.
Head of Nigerian Methodist Church kidnapped, released next day
The head of the Nigerian Methodist Church was abducted from Abia in south-east Nigeria on Sunday, before being released the next day, Christian Today (CT) reports.
India: Christian pastors ordered to cease all ministry
Christian pastors in India’s Uttar Pradesh state were summoned to a police station earlier this month and ordered to cease all house church gatherings and religious activities unless they had a permit from the District Magistrate, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
China introducing new financial regulations in clampdown on churches
Continuing its clampdown on churches and other minority religious organizations, China’s communist regime is bringing in new regulations for governing the management of revenues, local and foreign donations and expenses of religious organizations, the Barnabas Fund reports.
Nigeria: Islamic State release video showing execution of 20 Christians
Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) has released a video showing the execution of 20 men the group said are Christians in Nigeria’s Borno state, Christian Today (CT) reported Saturday.
Christians Fear India State’s Conversion Law
Christians fear devoted believers in northern India may face up to 10 years imprisonment if they are caught evangelizing among non-Christians.
Turkey: New report shows increased hardship for Protestant churches
A new report shows that Protestant Christians in Turkey suffered increased harassment from government authorities in 2021, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
China: Christian publishes prayer letter for church and imprisoned husband, “please pray for God’s justice”
A Christian woman in China has published a letter asking believers to pray for her husband, who has been imprisoned for leading the Panshi house church in China’s Shizuishan, and for the church itself, China Aid reports. China ranks 17 on the US Open Doors Watch List of top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.
