China State Destroys Church Building, Detains Christians
Christians in China’s Zhejiang province faced another tense day Wednesday, August 23, amid reports that authorities destroyed another church building and arrested six house church leaders.
religious freedom
Vietnam Releases Internet Users After BosNewsLife Story, Ending Nine Months Detention
Three computer users jailed for comments they made on an Internet forum and website dedicated to religious freedom in Vietnam have been released by Vietnamese authorities after a story by Christian news agency BosNewsLife sparked international protests, fellow activists confirmed, Friday, August 18.
Pastor in Jabalpur, India Arrested for ‘Forcible Conversion’
A group of 45 to 50 Dharma Raksha Sena Hindu extremists on Monday (August 14) mobbed Pastor Vinod Karsal, 50, as he was praying for the healing of another pastor in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
Pastor Evicted As Government Intervenes in a Three-Self Church in Shanxi Province
A pastor in the Three-Self Church in Pinglu County, Shanxi Province was prohibited from preaching and forced to leave the church by the Chinese Religious Affairs Bureau.
Persecution, Anti-Conversion Laws Plague Christians in Indian States
So-called ‘Religious Freedom’ laws have been passed in the Indian states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh with the expressed intent of stopping people from receiving Jesus Christ as their Savior.
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.
Bhutan Releases Jailed Christians; Men Reunited With Families
Amid international pressure, Bhutan released two evangelical Christian government workers who were jailed after preaching and showing the internationally acclaimed ‘Jesus’ film to Buddhists, Christian rights investigators confirmed Monday, July 31.
Anti Christian Violence Feared In India State Amid New Legislation
There was concern Saturday, July 29 over the situation of the Christian minority in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh amid fears the government’s decision to strengthen controversial anti-conversion legislation will further encourage violence against Christians.
Uzbekistan Crackdown on Christians and NGO’s, Sources Say
There was mounting concern Wednesday, July 26, over a new crackdown on Christians in Uzbekistan after authorities closed down US-based aid group Central Asia Free Exchange (CAFE) on charges of “illegal religious activities,” including preaching the Gospel.
India States Passes Controversial Religious Conversion Law; Christians Attacked
The parliament of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh passed a controversial bill Tuesday, July 25, to prevent ‘religious conversions by force or allurement,’ a move critics claim is aimed at the Christian minority and preachers.
Macedonia Baptists Fight Discrimination
An influential US-based Christian human rights group has expressed concern over the situation of a growing Baptist Church in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia amid reports that Protestant churches are discriminated in the mainly Orthodox nation, BosNewsLife learned Tuesday, July 25.
China House Church Leaders “Likely” In Labor Camp
There were fears Tuesday, July 25, that four key leaders of a house church movement in China’s central-western province of Sichuan were sent to a hard labor camp following their detention late last month.
Vietnam Tortures and Kills Montagnard Christian Prisoners, Group Says
There was mounting concern Saturday, July 15, over the situation of hundreds of Christian Degar Montagnard prisoners in Vietnam following reports that at least two of them have died because of torture.
Vietnam Detains Christian Montagnards Following Massive Prayer Vigil
Vietnamese police have detained several Montagnard Degar Christians for attending a massive prayer vigil where believers prayed for the government and for an end of religious persecution, representatives said Monday, July 10.
Three Killed As Vietnam Police “Tortures” Montagnard Christians
At least three Montagnard Degar Christians died and many more were injured in recent weeks because of torture carried out by Vietnamese police, friends and fellow prisoners confirmed Monday, July 3.
Cuban Pastor Released Without Charge After 126 Days Detention
After 126 days in prison, a Cuban pastor has been released without charge. Pastor Carlos Lamelas was unexpectedly freed without being charged on Monday and was allowed to return home to his family in Havana.
Vietnam Jails Montagnard Christians Amid Leadership Change
Six Evangelical Christians of Vietnam’s Montagnard Degar minority were facing another tense day Wednesday, June 28, after a court reportedly jailed them on charges of inciting religious unrest and organizing illegal border crossings to neighboring Cambodia.
China Claims ‘Full and Broad Freedom of Religious Belief’
Chinese officials have expressed “strong dissatisfaction” with a resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on June 12 condemning rising persecution of religious believers in China.
Rape Victims Charged with ‘Forced Conversion’ in India
Hindu extremists have filed a counter-complaint of ‘forced conversion’ against two Christian women who had lodged rape charges against Hindu villagers in Madhya Pradesh state.
US and Rights Group Condemn Uzbekistan’s Crackdown on Christians
Human rights officials in Europe and the United States expressed concern Wednesday, May 3, over the persecution of Christians in the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan, nearly a year after hundreds of people died when security forces opened fire on pro-democracy demonstrators.