Pakistani Christian Couple Sentenced to Death for ‘Blasphemy’
A Christian couple in Pakistan’s Punjab Province was sentenced to death Friday for allegedly sending blasphemous text messages, according to Morning Star News.
Year: 2014
Use of blasphemy laws increases
An increasing number of Muslim majority nations are strictly enforcing Islamic blasphemy laws in order to penalize Christians and other religious minorities, according to Barnabas Aid.
Islamic Nigerian Militants Kill 1,500 this Year
Islamic uprisings in Nigeria have caused at least 1,500 deaths this year alone as attacks on unarmed civilians become more commonplace, according to CBN News.
Pakistan: Rights Groups Decry Death Sentence for Christian
Rights groups have decried the death sentence handed down to one Christian man after more than 100 Muslims who destroyed his neighborhood were freed on bail.
Syrian Islamists Kill 80 Christians, Displace Thousands More
Eighty Christians were killed and thousands more displaced after Islamic militants attacked the strategic Syrian town of Kessab near the Turkish border on March 21, according to Barnabas Aid.
Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
During a press conference in Geneva this month, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran released his latest report, according to Barnabas Aid.
Four Killed in Attack on Kenyan Church
During Sunday morning service, two gunmen fired into the crowded congregation of Joy Jesus Church in Likoni, Kenya, killing two parishioners, according to International Christian Concern.
Nigerian Christians in the Crosshairs of Muslims
Muslims have once again targeted Christians in Nigeria, killing more than 100 over the past weekend.
Turkey: Confessed Killers of Christians Freed on Bail
Under a new Turkish law, five confessed Christian killers slated to be released on bail will instead remain under house arrest, according to Morning Star News.
Belarus: Christian-run Homeless Shelter Closed
A private homeless shelter run by a Christian in Belarus has been legally stripped of its license to operate, according to Barnabas Aid.
California Residents Protest Cross Removal with More Crosses
California citizens are protesting the removal of a large memorial cross by publicly displaying smaller crosses bearing messages for the atheists whose complaints caused the memorial to be taken down, according to International Christian Concern.
North Koreans Face Execution for Contact with Missionary
Thirty-three Koreans could be executed by the North’s State Security Department Sunday for allegedly accepting funds to overthrow Kim Jong-un’s regime, according to Chosun Media.
Religious Freedom Act stalled in US Senate
Legislation to help protect persecuted religious minorities in the Middle East has been stalled in the Senate, according to International Christian Concern.
Sri Lanka: Pastor and Wife Attacked for Defending Right to Worship
Eleven monks from the nationalist Buddhist Strength Force lobby led a violent mob of 250 villagers who physically assaulted the family of the pastor of Holy Family Church in Asgiriya, Sri Lanka, on Feb. 16, according to Christian Today Australia.
Kenya: Gang Raids Bamburi Church, Injures Three
Three people were injured after a mob of about 10 assailants attacked worshipers at a church in Bamburi, Mombasa last week, according to All Africa Global Media.
Sudan Arrests Pastor During Sermon, Threatens Him
Two Sundays ago, Sudanese authorities arrested a pastor in Omdurman while he was still preaching, according to Morning Star News.
North Korea Releases Australian Missionary
John Short, an 75-year-old Australian Christian, was released from detention in Pyongyang, North Korea yesterday. The missionary, based in Hong Kong, had been arrested and charged with attempting to overthrow the government on February 16th by authorities in North Korea.
Calls for Investigation After Churches Bombed in Zanzibar
A bomb exploded at the main entrance of Christ Church Cathedral in Zanzibar’s Stone Town last week. According to Christianity Today, eyewitnesses said the bomb was detonated remotely.
India: Hindus Must Stop Conversions, or Become a Minority
The leader of the ultra-nationalist Vishwa Hindu Parishad group decried the conversions of Hindus to other faiths at a rally in Bhopal last Saturday, according to AsiaNews.
Indonesia: Islamists Block Construction of Church
On Friday, hundreds of armed Islamists led by local Muslim leaders forcibly occupied a two-acre plot owned by the Indonesian Christian community of Huria Kristen Batak in the village of Talang Kelapa, South Sumatra, according to Asia News.