Turkey: Malatya Murder Trial Set to Open
Malatya’s Third Criminal Court has set November 23 to open the trial of the confessed murderers of Turkish convert Christians Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel and a German Christian, Tilmann Geske.
Protestants
Belarus Increasing Persecution Of Evangelicals, Missionaries Say
Supporters of the opposition in Belarus held a rally Sunday, October 28, to commemorate the victims of Stalin-era repressions, shortly after Christian missionaries said Belarusian authorities “continue the relentless pressure and persecution of the evangelical church” here.
Argentina: Mayor Closes Ministry Center
A pastor in Argentina has received threatening letters and had posters of his face displayed in Quilmes after the city’s mayor closed down the congregation’s newly constructed ministry center last March.
Uzbekistan Protestant sentenced for “teaching religion”
A Pentecostal Christian in Uzbekistan faced a difficult Sunday, May 13, after receiving a two-year suspended prison sentence in Nukus, the capital of the Karakalpakstan autonomous republic in north-western Uzbekistan, on charges of teaching religion illegally, human rights watchers and local Christians confirmed.
Mexico: Pact Sets New Course for Threatened Christians
On Monday (April 23), small town political bosses near this city in Chiapas state are set to meet with representatives of 65 Christians they have threatened to expel in a showdown that could influence religious rights throughout the region.
Vietnam: Christian Lawyers Could Get Harsh Sentences
Following the March 29 sentencing of Father Nguyen Van Ly to eight years in prison for distributing “material harmful to the state,†two Protestant lawyers charged with the same “crime†are expected to face equally harsh sentences in what Human Rights Watch has called the harshest crackdown in 20 years.
Uzbekistan Pastor Appeals Against Labor Camp Sentence
Protestant pastor Dmitry Shestakov has appealed against the four-year sentence to one of Uzbekistan’s open labor camps which was imposed by authorities in retaliation for his Christian work, investigators and local Christians close to the case said Friday, March 23.
Eritrea: Christian Dies in Military Jail
An Eritrean Christian died in prison last week, four and a half years after the Eritrean regime jailed him for worshipping in a banned Protestant church.
Eritrea: Authorities Arrest Founder of Full Gospel Church
Just days after Eritrean security police arrested one of the founders of the Full Gospel Church last month, two Protestant pastors and another church leader jailed months ago have been released on bail without explanation.
China Detains 600 Christians, Demolishes Churches, Report Shows
China detained at least over 600 Christians last year amid an ongoing crackdown on unregistered ‘house churches’, a report released Tuesday, January 30, showed.
Eritrea Security Forces Detain Dozens of Christians, “Burn” Bibles
Security forces have detained dozens of devoted Christians, including government workers, in the East African nation of Eritrea, a Christian news agency reported Tuesday, January 23.
Two Christians arrested in Savannakhet province in southern Laos
Two Protestant Christians have been arrested in southern Laos to stop them from pursuing their evangelization work, according to the Lao Human Rights Movement (LHRM), which is critical of Vientiane’s Communist regime.
Vietnam Security Forces Attack Christian Tribes; Kill Prisoner
Missionaries on Wednesday, August 16, said Vietnamese authorities have stepped up attacks against predominantly Christian tribes in remote areas of the Communist-run country shortly after a Christian prisoner was allegedly killed by police.
China Church Leaders Imprisoned For “Leaking State Secrets”, Police Treatment Condemned
A Chinese court sentenced officials of China’s rapidly growing independent house church movement to up to three years in prison Friday, August 6, on charges of leaking “state secrets” to overseas organizations, human rights watchers said.
China Arrests Nearly 2000 Christians In 12 Months, Report Shows
Chinese Security forces arrested at least almost 2000 Chinese Christians, including house church pastors, within a period of one year, and many were tortured, a report released Monday, June 26, shows.
Eritrean Military Jails 75 Protestant Conscripts
Eritrean military authorities jailed 75 Protestant Christians yesterday at the Sawa Military Training Camp for ‘reading Bibles and praying during their free time,’ local sources in the small East Africa nation confirmed.
New House Church Restrictions Go Into Effect in Cuba
Government regulations aimed at curbing the growth of Christian house churches in Cuba took force on September 22, sparking fears that evangelical Protestants on the island could face a period of heightened persecution.
Uzbekistan Destroys Christian Leaflets for Children
Almost 600 Uzbek-language Christian leaflets for children distributed by Baptists have been destroyed in Uzbekistan after a court in Tashkent region ordered the destruction last month, BosNewsLife monitored Wednesday, September 7.
Turkey’s Mistreatment of Christians Becoming More Brazen
Bektas Erdogan never expected his Christian faith of 11 years to jeopardize his career as a fashion designer in Turkey.
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.