Alarmed at the number of people charged and incarcerated for blasphemy in Pakistan, rights advocates are demanding legislative charges to protect against blatant Islamic extremist abuse of blasphemy laws to persecute not only those of minority faiths but Muslims as well, Christian Daily reports.
...continue reading this storyIn an effort to curb evangelism, Hindu lawmakers in India’s Assam state have passed a law criminalizing “magical” prayer for healing, Christianity Today (CT) reports.
...continue reading this storyVietnam’s ruling Communist party has designated as terrorist organizations two human rights groups which support the country’s largely Christian Montagnard minority indigenous community, Premier Christian News (PCN) reports.
...continue reading this storyA court in Faisalabad, Pakistan has acquitted the two Christian men who were falsely accused of committing blasphemy offenses that led to major riot in Jaranwala on Aug.16 last year, Morning Star News reports.
...continue reading this storyDevoted Indonesian Christians say they remain concerned about churches being targeted by Islamists despite government pledges to improve the situation for minority faiths in the world’s largest Muslim nation.
...continue reading this storyIn a piece of welcome news for historically persecuted Christians in Indonesia, Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas has requested the Directorate General to ascertain whether regional Indonesian churches have been unjustly refused building permits and to facilitate the establishment of places of worship, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. Christianity is legal in Indonesia, but the Muslim-majority country has consistently blocked the establishment of churches and impeded believers’ right to express their faith.
...continue reading this storyAn attorney in Pakistan has expressed hope for a young Christian man on death row for “blasphemy” against Islam after a court acquitted him in a case related to the same alleged incident.
...continue reading this storyA pastor in Nepal is seeking to be given a fine instead of the one-year prison sentence he has received for proselytizing, despite being ordered by the Nepalese Supreme Court to begin his jail sentence pending appeal, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
...continue reading this storyA 72-year-old Christian widower in Punjab Province, Pakistan is facing a life sentence of imprisonment after a Muslim neighbor falsely accused him of desecrating the Quran in retaliation over a property dispute, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
...continue reading this storyAn Additional Sessions Court in Punjab Province, Pakistan has sentenced a Christian man to life imprisonment for allegedly posting a blasphemous remark about the Islamic prophet Mohammed while using a phone that had actually been stolen from him. Fanson Shahid was convicted after being tortured into confessing to the charge, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
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