The leader of a group of churches in Laos notified Christian Aid today that Lao authorities confiscated the Saybangnoun Church Saturday after Christians refused to surrender the facility to them Saturday noon. The church was located in Songkorn district, Savannakhet Province. The Christians gathered and worshiped in tears outside their confiscated church building Sunday.
...continue reading this storyThe Malawi Council of Churches - a mother body of prostestant churches in the country - has issued a statement asking the ruling party United Democratic Front (UDF) and the government at large, to curb acts of violence committed against the clergy.
...continue reading this storyJAKARTA, Indonesia (BP)--Thousands of extremist Muslim fighters armed with automatic weapons are attacking Christian villages in Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province, burning churches and thousands of homes and sending residents fleeing.
...continue reading this storyA Church building belonging to the Mountain of Fire Ministries in Gusau, capital of Zamfara State, northern Nigeria was set ablaze by suspected Islamic fanatics.
...continue reading this storyISTANBUL, November 5 (Compass) -- Security was at an all-time high yesterday as solemn memorial services were held in every Christian church in Pakistan, mourning the 16 victims massacred by Muslim extremists during a Sunday morning worship service last week.
...continue reading this storyPervez Masih, a Pakistani Christian schoolmaster being accused of blasphemy against Muhammad, is scheduled to appear before the Lahore High Court on Monday, October 8 to appeal for bail. Since his arrest on April 1, 2001, Pervez has been tortured and imprisoned in a 6-ft X 4-ft cell in Sialkot jail. The daytime temperature in the cell exceeds 50 degrees centigrade. He is not allowed to come out of his room and walk. Once a week, he is taken out to meet his relatives. He sleeps on the hard floor on a mat next to the toilet. In May he told visitors that police beat him, demanding that he convert to Islam.
...continue reading this storyKABUL, AFGHANISTAN (ANS) -- Members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have visited in Kabul eight Western and Sixteen Afghan aid workers, who face possible execution for allegedly spreading Christianity in war ravaged Afghanistan. The Sunday visit was the first contact the prisoners had with the outside world, since being detained three weeks ago under the Taliban regime's strict interpretation of Islamic law.
...continue reading this storyby Geoff Stamp ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (Compass) -- A leading member of Ethiopia's Protestant church says that freedom to practice religion is only "constitutional." Yet despite ongoing persecution, Protestant churches are experiencing significant growth. "During the former regime of communist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, the persecution came from the Marxist government authorities. Now we may ... Read more
...continue reading this storyby Alex Buchan LONDON, January 31 (Compass) -- In an attempt to ensure fair treatment of house church leader Gong Shengliang, six jailed female co-workers from the embattled South China Church authorized the release on January 29 of three letters detailing how they were tortured by police into providing false testimony against him. In a ... Read more
...continue reading this storyBANGALORE, India (Compass) -- Nineteen villagers who recently embraced Christianity have been forced to re-convert to Hinduism in the Korua village of Kendrapada district in India's Orissa state after undergoing sustained social ostracism from their fellow villagers. They are also facing prosecution by the district administration for violating provisions of the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act (OFRA).
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