Originally published in World Watch Monitor Three American citizens detained in North Korea seem set to be released ahead of a meeting between the two countries’ leaders next month. The BBC reported that the three men had been “relocated to a Pyongyang hotel and are receiving good food and medical […]
Asia
Pakistan supreme court offers sign of hope in Asia Bibi execution case
Originally published in Charisma News Finally, after things have looked so bleak for Asia Bibi, the Christian mother of five sentenced to death by hanging in Pakistan on absurd blasphemy charges, there has been a sign of hope. Asia Bibi was convicted of blasphemy in 2010 for offering a Muslim […]
China bans online purchases of the Bible
Originally published in The Blaze In its ongoing crackdown on Christianity, the Chinese government has banned sales of the Bible by online retailers including Amazon. Taoist and Buddhists texts are still available online, as is the Quran. While Buddhism and Taoism are both encouraged by the Chinese government as traditional […]
14 Christian house church leaders abducted in china amid Communist crackdown on faith
Originally published in The Christian Post Fourteen Christian house church leaders who are part of the Middle Eastern evangelism network have been abducted by government security agents in China. ChinaAid reported on Wednesday that the Christians, who weren’t named, are being held captive at an undisclosed location by state authorities in […]
Six Chinese Christians jailed for being part of ‘evil cult’
Originally published in Charisma News A Chinese court in the southwestern province of Yunnan sent six Protestant Christians to prison last week for their membership of an “evil cult.” The verdict comes as part of a provincial crackdown on cults, as the ruling Communist Party continues its national campaign to […]
China deports S Korean Christians for helping persecuted N Koreans
Originally published by Christian Headlines China’s government is not only cracking down on its own Christian citizens, it is also targeting South Koreans who are in the country and who allegedly helped persecuted North Koreans that escaped Kim Jong-un’s oppressive regime. According to The Christian Post, the Chinese provinces of […]
Nepal criminalises Christian conversion and evangelism
Originally published in Christianity Today Last week Nepal enacted a law to curb evangelism by criminalising religious conversion, joining neighbouring countries like India and Pakistan, where the region’s small-but-growing Christian minority faces government threats to their faith. The “Nepali government has taken a regressive step as this law severely restricts […]
Nepalese Christians released after false imprisonment for witchcraft
Originally published in Christian Today Four Nepali Christians who were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for ‘violence and witchcraft’ after praying for a woman with mental illnesses, have had their sentences overturned, according to World Watch Monitor. Lali Pun, Bimkali Budha, Ruplal Pariyar and his wife Ganga were imprisoned in […]
Thousands protest jailing of Christians in India
Originally published in UCAN India Some 5 000 Christians marched silently through India’s Jharkhand state demanding the release of six Christians jailed last week on complaints of offering money to villagers to attract them to Christianity. The September 25 ecumenical “silent protest” was organised after a local court on September […]
Pakistan Christian sentenced to death for WhatsApp ‘blasphemy’ despite weak police case
Originally published in World Watch Monitor Six days after a Pakistani Christian was sentenced to death for blasphemy, the young man’s lawyer says there was insufficient evidence against his client and that the police failed to investigate the matter properly. Nadeem Masih, 24, from the Yaqoobabad area of the religiously […]