09.25.2022

Young Indian girl punished for following Jesus

It’s hard to follow the Lord when family or friends may ridicule your faith.

Religious conflict in India rises sharply

Religious conflict and violence has increased greatly in India over the past ten years.

Bouhafs case resurfaces as Algeria, Tunisia deepen ties

An Algerian Christian refugee remains in the crossfire as power balances shift in North Africa.

USCIRF Condemns Iran’s Government For Killing of Young Woman with “Improper Hijab”

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today condemned Iran’s religious police for the death of 22-year-old Zhina (Mahsa) Amini.

Pray for Alain Toledano Valiente and his family

Cuba has been experiencing a massive crackdown and the biggest wave of migration in decades, and many religious leaders have left Cuba under threat of imprisonment.

Hindu Relatives Suspected of Killing Christian in India

Family members threatened to burn him alive, sources say.

Kidnappers Raid Denomination in Two Areas of Nigeria

Scores of Christians abducted in north-central and northwestern states.

Editorial: Indonesian Government Shows Support to Christians

In recent weeks we have been encouraged to bring updates about the authorities in several countries making decisions and taking action that will benefit Christian minorities.

Libyan Christian Convert From Islam Sentenced to Death for Apostasy

A Christian convert from Islam has been sentenced to death by the Court of Appeal in Misrata, north-west Libya.

Anti-Conversion Law Passed in Karnataka, India

The Indian state of Karnataka has passed an anti-conversion law that criminalizes religious conversions solicited through force, fraud or allurement.

Indian Christians Praise Court for Upholding Extremists’ Prison Sentences

Indian Christians have praised the High Court of Odisha for upholding the life sentences of four extremists who murdered a church minister in 1999.

Pastor Abducted in Plateau State, Nigeria

A pastor in Plateau State, Nigeria, was abducted by gunmen on the evening of Sunday, September 11.

Myanmar Military Lays Mines Around Church in Shan State

The Myanmar military, known as the Tatmadaw, has laid mines around a church in Shan State which it occupied for several days in early September.

India Calls on Pakistan to Stop Persecuting Religious Minorities

Last week during a session of the United Nations, India called on Pakistan to stop its discriminatory practices against religious minorities.  

Imprisoned Yunnan Christian Faces Formal Arrest

Ethnic Nu Christian Wang Shunping from Yunnan, detained last month in Nujiang prefecture, faces formal arrest from Fugong County’s Public Security Bureau (PSB).

Catholic Church in Shan State Desecrated by the Junta

The Burmese Army (Tatmadaw) continues to target churches as it fights local resistance forces in Christian-majority states.

Al-Shabab Terror Group Winning Hearts and Minds in Somalia

According to a recent report by Al Jazeera, the Somalia-based terror group al-Shabab is providing basic services to citizens in a campaign that is beginning to gain them popular sympathy in the east-African country.

Terrorists Kill 25 Christians in Benue State, Nigeria

In Plateau state, masked animists attack church service. 

Uganda; persecution escalates and spreads

CENTRAL REGION: Pastor Godfrey Ssemujju oversees 130 Elim Pentecostal churches in Kiboga District, north-west of Kampala, in Uganda’s Central Region.

USCIRF News Digest - September 20, 2022

U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing Religious Freedom, Violence, and U.S. Policy in Nigeria 

Please join the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for a virtual hearing on religious freedom, violence, and U.S. policy in Nigeria.

Saudi woman gets 45 years over social media posts

 In Saudi Arabia, a woman has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for social media posts. A terrorism court said she used the internet to tear the fabric of society and violate public order.