Year: 2005

Iranian Pastor Faces Death Penalty

Iranian Christian Hamid Pourmand must appear before the Islamic (sharia) court of Iran within nine days. An exact court date has not been released. Arrested last September when security police raided a church conference he was attending, the Assemblies of God lay pastor will be brought up before the Islamic court between April 11 and 14 to face charges of apostasy from Islam and proselytizing Muslims to the Christian belief. Both “crimes” are punishable by death.

Laos Detains 17 Christians, Believers Face “Torture And Death”

At least 17 Christian men in Laos, including church leaders, have been detained by Communist authorities and are facing torture and possible death amid an apparent new government crackdown on Christians, missionaries said Monday, April 4.Christian Aid Mission (CAM), an organization supporting indigenous missionaries, said most of those arrested since last week are from Hueyhoy Nua village in Laos’ troubled southern Savannakhet province.

Lay Pastor Beheaded in Bangladesh

Sources have confirmed the murder by beheading on March 8 of Dulal Sarkar, a lay pastor and evangelist in Bangladesh.

Vietnam Reschedules Appeal for Mennonite Pastors

Lawyers acting on behalf of the Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang informed his wife last week that his appeal before the People’s Supreme Court of Vietnam has been rescheduled for April 12.

Indonesian Pastor Still Missing

The family of the Rev. Jokran Ratu, kidnapped four months ago on a remote Indonesian island, still does not know whether he is dead or alive. No ransom demand has been received and police have not apprehended the kidnappers.

India Christians Attacked for Watching ‘Passion of The Christ’

At least one Christian was seriously injured when Hindu militants “brutally attacked” church members in India’s southern Kerala state for watching the film ‘The Passion of The Christ’, an official confirmed Monday, March 28.

Pakistani Worshippers Attacked on Easter Sunday

Armed gunmen attacked Christian worshippers as they emerged from Easter Sunday services in a village church near the southern outskirts of Lahore yesterday, killing one young Christian man and injuring seven other congregants.

Sri Lanka to Vote on Anti-Conversion Bill

The Sri Lankan government will cast a deciding vote on anti-conversion legislation in April, despite sharp criticism of the “Act for the Protection of Religious Freedom.”

Costa Rican Congressman Protests Church Closings

A simmering dispute over the closing of dozens of evangelical churches by the government broke into the open when a leading evangelical member of Costa Ricas Congress staged a protest by climbing the country’s principal monument.

Colombia’s Native Missionaries Refuse To Flee Guerilla Offensive

Native Christian missionaries in rural Colombia are refusing to leave despite attacks from guerilla groups which they claim have “randomly confiscated multiple church buildings” and forced hundreds of villagers to flee to major cities, BosNewsLife learned Tuesday, March 22.

Prominent Eritrean Pastor Disappears in Asmara

A leading evangelical pastor disappeared off the streets of Asmara four days ago, presumably detained by Eritrean security forces and jailed at some unknown location.

Chinese Christians React to New Religious Regulations

In early March, China adopted the new Regulations on Religious Affairs, first announced by the government in December 2004. The government claims the new regulations are a step towards religious freedom. However, some Christian leaders have expressed serious concerns, particularly with the issue of church registration.

Two Unjustly Held Christian Prisoners Declared Innocent in Peru

Two Christian prisoners, one of whom has spent ten years behind bars, have recently been declared innocent in Peru. The first, Lucio Vilca Galindo, was arrested for the second time in April 1995. He was accused of treason against the state – a crime for which he had already been tried and acquitted. His first trial in 1993 was in a Naval Court where he was accused along with a group of others of being part of the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) and participating in subversive acts. The co-accused, however, stated in various forms that they had never met Lucio before and he was released.

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