Officials arrest five Christians in southern village in Laos

On March 25, officials in a village in southern Laos arrested and detained five Christians during worship and charged them with leading a religious movement without official approval, according to advocacy group Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom.

Compass Direct News reports that the five Christians from Palansai district were attending a worship service in nearby  Boukham village in Ad-Sapangthong district. The two men – Phosee and Viengsai – and three women – Alee, Poon, and Narm – had previously attended services in the area without interference from authorities.

Boukham church members meet in a private home, as do Christians in most other provincial villages. Officials strongly oppose small groups meeting outside the umbrella of the government-approved Lao Evangelical Church, but many Christians prefer meeting at house churches, citing strict controls over LEC activities.

"This is typical of Laos now," a pastor from the capital, Vientiane, said. "In Vientiane we see things opening up a little. But the law is fluid. Things can change from day to day, and the situation is still very difficult in the provinces."

You can help by praying!

• Pray for the release of these believers. 
• Ask the Lord to give them the strength to stand firm in their faith. 
• Pray they will rely on the Lord to give them the words to say as they stand before authorities (Matthew 10:19). 
• Pray that God will use them as a witness for the gospel even at this difficult time.

For more information on the persecuted Church in Laos, click here.

Three secret believers arrested in Morocco

(Sources: VOM-USA, Mission Network News)

Three Christian men were arrested in a city café on March 1 in Morocco. During the arrest, police apparently gained information about other secret believers in the country. The arrest involved two young men who were meeting with an older believer from another city.

While the two young men were released later that night, the older believer remains in custody. The families of the two young men did not know the men were following Christ. One of them was no longer welcome in his home once his beliefs were discovered.

Many foreign Christians were expelled from Morocco two years ago, and this had a significant impact on the Church as anti-Christian sentiment seems to be growing in the country. Moroccan believers now meet in small groups for fear of persecution. While becoming a Christian in Morocco is not actually illegal, it is forbidden to share the gospel with non-Christians.

Please pray for Morocco:

• Please pray that Moroccan Christians will continue to gather despite the threats of reprisals. 
• Pray that the believer in prison will remain strong in his faith and will be freed. 
• Pray that Moroccan Christians' passion for Christ will be the light that draws others to Jesus (Matthew 5:14-16).

For more information on persecution in Morocco, please click here. To post a prayer of support for Moroccan believers, visit our Persecuted Church Prayer Wall.

Elderly Christian woman arrested in Iran

Giti was arrested and held for three days without reason.
Photo: Mohabat News

A 78-year-old member of the Church of Saint Luke in Esfahan, Iran, was recently arrested by police and held for three days, reports the Farsi Christian News Network.

Giti Hakimpour was seized from her home in the early hours of February 22. After persistent inquiries and repeated visits by church leaders, Giti was eventually allowed home on February 25.

No reason has yet been given for her arrest, nor is it at all clear what, if any, charges are to be brought against her. Since she was born in a Christian family, the possibility of an apostasy charge seems to be remote. It now appears that established and traditional churches across the city, not just house churches, have become targets of the authorities.

The tightening of Iran's oppressive grip against the Christian community in Esfahan has reached new levels since the official media reported the discovery of a truckload of Bibles on its way to the city.

Please pray!

• Pray that no charges will be brought against Giti. 
• Ask the Lord to help her to overcome this ordeal. 
• Pray that God will continue to work in Iran by growing His kingdom and preparing the hearts and minds of believers to stand firm at all times. 
• Pray that the Lord will provide Bibles for those seeking to read His Word in Iran.

To learn more about the trials Christians face in Iran, go to the Iran Country Report.

Three Iranian pastors report to prison

Pray that these pastors will be returned to their families soon.
Photo: Assist News Service

Three pastors, who are also husbands and fathers of young children, have been ordered to report to prison in Shiraz, Iran, reports VOM-USA.

Pastor Parviz Khalaj, a husband and father to a 10-year-old son, was convicted of committing crimes against the order and was sentenced to two years in prison.

Pastor William Belyad who was convicted of the same crime, was sentenced to five years in prison and will be taken away from his wife and one-month-old son. William's wife, Nazly, was arrested with him but has not been called to serve a sentence yet.

Pastor Behrouz Sadegh Khandjani, a husband and father to a seven-year-old daughter, was sentenced to one year in prison for the same conviction.

Another pastor, Mehdi Foroutan, was arrested at the same time and has already reported to prison (for more, click here).

Please pray!

• Please pray that these brothers will remain faithful and will be soon returned to their families. 
• Please pray for strength and peace for their wives and children. 
• Praise God that William's wife, Nazly, has not been called to prison. 
• Ask God to be near to those suffering in prison for His name's sake.

To receive prayer updates, consider signing up for our weekly emailed prayer digest, The Persecution & Prayer Alert. Use the prayer alert in your small group, as a family, or share the stories with your congregation. Sign up today!

Justice for family of martyred Christian in Pakistan

Rasheed Masih's family mourned his death
at his funeral last year. (Photo: Compass Direct) 

The Pakistani court has sentenced three Muslims to life imprisonment for the murder of a Christian they killed for refusing to convert to Islam, reports the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ).

Over a year ago, in March 2010, we reported about the murder of 36-year-old Rasheed Masih. Rasheed, a successful potato merchant, reportedly went to the home of one of the defendants to make a business deal. During the meeting, Rasheed was asked to convert to Islam.

Rasheed refused so the four men gathered there beat him with iron rods. Rasheed’s brother and the police found his bloodied body and rushed him to hospital. He succumbed to his injuries on the way, but not before stating who had tortured him.

The police denied that Rasheed had made such statements and refused to arrest the four Muslims. A large group of Christians demanded the arrest of the killers and blocked a major highway in protest. After five hours, the police conceded and the arrests were made.

Ghulam Rasool, Amjad Iqbal, and Kashir Saleem have been sentenced to life imprisonment. Muhammad Asif, the fourth Muslim, was acquitted by police. The three convicts have been further ordered to each pay Rasheed’s family 100,000 rupees (approximately $1,100 CAD) as compensation.

The ECLJ plans on filing an appeal to the Lahore High Court regarding the acquittal of Asif.

For the full report, click here.

Christians in Laos ordered to stop house meetings

Christians in Sounya, Laos, have been
ordered to cease meeting for worship. 

Authorities in the northern Laos village of Sounya have ordered all Christian residents to stop meeting for worship in private homes, reports Compass Direct News (CDN) and Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom (HRWLRF).

The order comes after four Christians were arrested on July 10. Pastor Seng Aroun, a man known as Kofa and two other Christians met for Sunday worship at Kofa’s house. When the service concluded, police arrested all four men for assembling for worship without approval. On July 13, all but Pastor Seng were released. It is believed he remains in detention.

In 2002, there was an initial conversion of about 400 Sounya residents. Since then, opposition of Christians in the village has increased with police conducting three separate waves of church leader arrests.

In 2009, police tore down the Sounya church building and ordered all Christians to cease meeting for worship. Last year, despite the dangers, Christian began meeting in small groups. In January, they were permitted to meet in private homes on Sunday, but even this freedom has since been attacked.

You can read the entire CDN report here and the HRWLRF report here.

You can help by praying!

• Pray freedom of religion will truly become a reality in Laos.
• Pray God will give Pastor Seng wisdom as he speaks with authorities.
• Pray other Christian small groups in Laos will remain safe.

Priest re-arrested in Vietnam

Father Van Ly,
who has serious health issues,
has been re-arrested.
Please pray!

Father Nguyen Van Ly, a Vietnamese priest who has spent more than 15 years in prison, was re-arrested by authorities on July 25, reports AsiaNews.

Van Ly was last arrested in February 2007, when he was detained for distributing material "harmful to the state." He was released in March 2010 to undergo a year's medical treatment for serious health concerns, including two severe strokes that left him partially paralyzed.

During his medical leave, authorities prevented him from giving interviews or meeting with activists. Police also reportedly roughed up a U.S. diplomat who attempted to visit with him.

For more information on the trials Father Van Ly has faced, click here. To read the full article from AsiaNews, click here.

Please pray for Father Van Ly!

• Pray that he will be released from prison.
• Pray for continued health and strength. 
• Pray that Father Van Ly will trust in the Lord in all things. 
• Pray that freedom of religion and freedom of speech will be respected in Vietnam.

Iranian Christian convert temporarily released

Masoud Delijani was arrested at a house church in March.
He has been released temporarily on bail. (Photo: Mohabat News)

An Iranian Christian convert who was arrested during a house church meeting has been released after 114 days in prison. Mohabat News reports that Masoud Delijani was temporarily released on bail on Saturday, July 9.

Masoud was arrested on March 18 in a raid by Intelligence Ministry security forces on a house church in Kermanshah. The believers were meeting in the private home since Iran’s theocratic government does not allow Farsi speaking Christians to have church buildings in which to meet.

It is likely that Masoud along with nine other believers were arrested for their faith in Christ and their participation in Christian gatherings. At the time of the arrest, the home was searched and items like Christian paintings, Bibles, and DVDs were confiscated.

Masoud is said to have spent most of his detention in solitary confinement. The arduous conditions of his imprisonment, including spiritual pressure, have weakened him physically. He has been temporarily released after posting a bail of $100,000 USD.

He awaits a court date at which he will answer to charges regarding his Christian faith.

To read the full report, click here.

Pray for Masoud Delijani!

• Pray God will strengthen Masoud and heal his physical conditions.
• Pray the charges brought against him will be dropped.
• Pray those who have witnessed Masoud’s testimony will come to see his Saviour.

Eritrean Christian could be deported from Saudi Arabia

A Christian man charged with proselytizing
in Saudi Arabia could be deported to Eritrea.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is reporting that an Eritrean Christian man who escaped the death penalty for proselytising in Saudi Arabia could be returned to Eritrea. If deported, Eyob Mussie could face imprisonment, torture and possible death.

Eritrea is a repressive nation which only recognizes four Christian communities. All others are subject to arbitrary imprisonment. The government often imprisons its own citizens who face deplorable conditions as well as torture.

Mussie, 33, was arrested on February 12, on charges of proselytizing, a Saudi capital offense.

You can read the full article here.

The Voice of the Martyrs launches petition for Asia Bibi

The Voice of the Martyrs USA has launched a web campaign calling for the release of Asia Bibi.

Asia Bibi, a Pakistani woman, was arrested in June 2009 on charges of blasphemy. After a lengthy trial, Asia was sentenced to death. The ruling has been appealed, but she remains in prison.

Visit the Call for Mercy website to fill in the petition. VOM-USA will deliver the petition and the list of signers to the Pakistani Embassy in Washington DC.

The petition reads, “I, the undersigned, respectfully request the immediate release of Asia Bibi from prison in Pakistan and the dismissal of her blasphemy conviction and death sentence. We ask that you have mercy on our Christian sister. Please allow this wife and mother to be set free and to be reunited with her husband and children.”

As of July 25, 2011 there were over 186,500 signatures on the petition.

Since her arrest, VOM has supported Asia and her family. Join with us by signing and sharing the petition at www.CallForMercy.com!

Five Christians in Uttar Pradesh arrested on false charges

Several Christians were falsely accused of
forcibly converting people of other religions.

AsiaNews is reporting that police in Uttar Pradesh, India have arrested three pastors and a Christian couple on charges of allegedly trying to convert people of other religions.

On July 13, pastors AB Singh, Ganga Prasad, and Robert of the Gospel Messengers Team (GMT) led a weekly prayer meeting for about 150 Christians at the house of Om Prakash. At 11 a.m., a group of about 75 people led by known leaders of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party interrupted the meeting. They threatened everyone present and falsely accused the pastors of forcible conversion and paying people to attend the meeting.

The police arrived shortly after, arresting the pastors along with Om Prakash and his wife.

Hundreds of supporters appeared at the police office to declare the prisoners’ innocence. The police had promised to release the Christians the same day.

To read the full article, please click here.

India has recently faced many bouts of Christian persecution. Learn more about the trials Christians have endured in India and how they have stood firm by checking out Indian Voices: Testimonies of the Persecuted, a 40-minute DVD. Click here to order your copy today for $10.

Two missionaries in India arrested

Murli Ghulam, pictured here with his family,
spent a day in jail after being accused of
forcibly converting people to Christianity.
(Photo: Gospel for Asia)

Two missionaries in India supported by Gospel for Asia (GFA) were arrested on Saturday, July 2, according to a report from the organization.

Missionary Murli Ghulam was arrested for forcibly converting individuals to Christianity after he led a prayer meeting for 25 people. The police were led by an anti-Christian extremist group to the home of a local believer where the meeting was taking place. The service was broken up and Murli was arrested on the spot.

When questioned by police he explained that he was not forcing anyone to change faiths. He was released the next day.

Pastor Rahul Akkunj was arrested the same day as Murli and falsely charged with being a member of a well-known rebel group. The allegations against Pastor Rahul follow a prayer and fasting meeting he led at his church. Locals who heard about the service felt threatened by the church’s growth, saying that if it continued at its current rate their traditional religion may be eradicated.

Pastor Rahul’s district leader went to the jail where he was being held and attempted to post bail on his behalf. The local authorities refused, saying the charges against Rahul necessitate he remain in jail until a court hearing.

The full article can be found here.

Pray for believers in India!

• Ask God to bless Pastor Rahul and his witness while in prison.
• Pray with his friends and family that the Lord will speak into the heart of the judge.
• Pray with Murli and believers in his village for the salvation of those who oppose Christianity.

Prisoner of faith: Vahik Abrahamian

Pastor Vahik Abrahamian
has been imprisoned in
Iran since September 2010.

Pastor Vahik Abrahamian and his wife Sonia Keshish-Avanesian were visiting with friends at their home in Hamadan, west Iran, on September 4, 2010, when the authorities arrived. The four were arrested and taken to the Ministry of Islamic Guidance prison.

For the first 40 days, they were held in solitary confinement and reportedly suffered physical abuse and psychological pressure. They were accused of various offenses, including propagating Christianity, opposing the Islamic Republic of Iran, and having contact with exiled opposition figures. They were later transferred to Iran’s notorious Evin prison in Tehran. They have not yet been charged.

Thankfully, Sonia was released from prison a few weeks ago. At the time, officials told her that her husband would be released 10 days later. Unfortunately, that has not yet happened.

Pastor Vahik was arrested once before, on February 20, 2010, on charges of conducting activities among Muslims. He spent two months in prison before being released on bail. Pastor Vahik has dual citizenship in Iran and the Netherlands, but because of his passion for the Iranian people he chose to live in Iran.

You can write a letter of encouragement to Pastor Vahik as he suffers for righteousness’ sake!

When writing, do not mention The Voice of the Martyrs or the source of your information. It is not dangerous for a prisoner to receive letters from individuals, but if an organization is mentioned they may be accused of having links with “foreign organizations.” Also, be sure to avoid mentioning anything negative about their government.

To compose a letter in Pastor Vahik’s own language, please visit www.PrisonerAlert.com. Click on his profile and then click “Write an encouraging letter.”  For more information on writing letters to prisoners, please visit our website.

Please send your letters to:
Vahik Abrahamian
Evin Prison
Saadat Abad
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran

Three Vietnamese Christians convicted of subversion

Pray for believers in Vietnam today!

Three members of the “Cow Shed Church” in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, have been convicted of subversion and given prison sentences, reports Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

Pastor Duong Kim Khai, Tran Thi Thuy and Nguyen Thanh Tam, along with four others, were convicted for their activism in a peaceful campaign for land rights.

The three Christian men, who are members of an unrecognized branch of the Mennonite Church, have been assisting fellow Vietnamese in making formal complaints to the government regarding the forced sales of their farmland to large corporations.

The three Christians have assisted in writing complaint letters asking the government for compensation and are known members of an overseas-based democracy party that calls for peaceful political reform.

All seven of the arrested were denied legal representation at the trial, which is thought to have been rigged. Pastor Duong was sentenced to six years in prison, Thuy to eight and Tam to two. Pastor Duong has been held since August 10, 2010.

Vietnam is one of the world’s few remaining Communist nations. Its constitution provides for freedom of worship; however, the government continues to restrict activities of many religious groups. Unregistered churches face harassment, discrimination and sometimes outright persecution.

Pray for Vietnam!

• Pray the light of the gospel might banish the ideological and moral darkness over this nation.
• Pray for protection for Christians who are courageously witnessing in Vietnam.
• Pray the Vietnamese church will continue to grow and be a light to others.

Chinese house-church Christians and Korean Bible instructor released!

A cell phone captures images of the
May 22 arrest of 20 Chinese Christians.

More than 20 house-church Christians who were detained when dozens of police raided their worship service in Hubei province on May 22 have been released, reported ChinaAid Association sources.

During the raid by some 40 policemen, one believer was beaten and two were taken away by police in handcuffs.

Also released were a Korean Bible instructor and his Chinese wife who were formally detained for five days following a May 10 raid on a Bible training seminar attended by 49 senior house-church leaders in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province. The house-church leaders were all released the next day, and two other Koreans were expelled.

Praise the Lord for the release of these individuals!

Algerian Christians arrested for proselytizing and blasphemy

Two Algerian Christian men are scheduled to appear in court on charges of proselytizing and blasphemy, reported International Christian Concern.

Sofiane and Krimo were arrested in Oran on April 14 after sharing their Christian faith with their neighbours. Sofiane was released a day after their arrest, while Krimo was imprisoned for three days.

After the arrest, Algerian police searched Krimo's home for Bibles and other Christian material. Krimo was known to hold weekly prayer services at his home, which local Christians suspect were being closely monitored by the police.

A court hearing, initially scheduled for April 27, was postponed to a later date.

Algerian Christians are fearful that a law introduced in 2006—requiring religious services to obtain a government permit to worship—will be applied, which may result in a five-year imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 Algerian dinars ($1,337 CAD). Church leadership has expressed frustration over the government's negligence to lay out a set procedure to register a church or to approve a permit quickly.

Please pray for a favourable outcome for Sofiane and Krimo at the next court hearing. Pray the Lord will use this case and their testimony to encourage the faith of other believers in Algeria. Pray those in authority will recognize the lack of religious freedoms in the country and make changes accordingly.

Three imprisoned Iranians released!

Pastor Vahik Abrahamian
remains detained after his wife
and two others were released.

Three Iranian believers were set free on April 30, after 239 days in prison, reported Middle East Concern. Praise the Lord! However, Pastor Vahik Abrahamian, who was arrested at the same time, remains in custody.

On April 28, Arash Kermanjani, his wife Arezou Teimouri and Sonia Keshish-Avanesian were brought before a judge. Their lawyers were asked to present their cases. Unexpectedly, they were set free.

It is unclear whether the charges against the three have been dropped or whether they will face further hearings. Sonia is uncertain why her husband was not freed at the same time, and she is extremely worried about him.

The two couples were detained on September 4, 2010, in Hamadan. They have been accused of various offenses, including propagating Christianity, opposing the Islamic Republic of Iran and having contact with exiled opposition figures.

Several others detained at the same time are understood to have been released within several weeks.

You can encourage Pastor Vahik by sending him a letter:

Vahik Abrahamian
Evin Prison
Saadat Abad
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran

Praise the Lord for the release of Arash, Arezou and Sonia! Please pray for Pastor Vahik. Pray he will know the peace and presence of Jesus and be an effective pastor to those around him. Pray those released will know the healing touch and close presence of Jesus. Pray all charges against them will be dropped. Pray, too, that all involved officials will act justly, learn about Jesus and choose to follow him.

Chinese authorities continue crackdown against the independent Beijing Shouwang house church

For the fourth Sunday in a row, Chinese police detained dozens of members of the Shouwang house church in Beijing, continuing a severe crackdown on one of the capital's largest house churches, according to confirmed reports obtained by ChinaAid Association.

By late yesterday morning, at least 31 members of Shouwang church were detained and taken to different police stations.

All of Shouwang church's leadership have been under informal house arrest since April 9 when the church was forced to have its first outdoor worship service. Many of the church's more than 1,000 members had been prevented from leaving their homes each Sunday starting April 10.

Last Sunday, more than half the church members were confined to their homes. 

Pray for strength and a continued assurance of God's presence for members of the Shouwang church. Pray those arrested will be released. Pray Chinese Christians will be equipped with everything they need, so that they may do work which is pleasing to the Lord Jesus.

Concerns for imprisoned Turkmenistan pastor

Pastor Ilmurad Nurliev
(Photo ASSIST New)

Friends of Turkmenistan Pastor Ilmurad Nurliev are increasingly concerned about his health in the Seydi Labour Camp, they told Forum 18 News Service.

Pastor Nurliev, who leads Light to the World Protestant Church in the town of Mary east of Ashgabad, was arrested in August 2010. He was given a four-year labour camp term in October 2010 with "forcible medical treatment" on charges of swindling.

His community insists the charges were fabricated to punish him for his religious activity, as he had tried in vain to register his church. In December 2010, he was transferred to the Seydi Labour Camp.

Nurliev, a 46-year-old grandfather of two, suffers from diabetes and had regular treatment before his imprisonment. The labour camp administration will only allow treatment for him if he has a certificate from the hospital, but the hospital will only give such a certificate if he comes in person. The camp administration has refused to put Nurliev in the Camp's medical unit.

Adding to the family's difficulties, Nurliev's wife Maya lost her job at a local firm in March, after she took unpaid leave to travel. Authorities have applied heavy pressure, including threats of dismissal from employment, against Maya and other church members.

Also, Maya had been denied any opportunity to ensure Nurliev himself received the diabetic medicines he needed since his August 2010 arrest.

Police have again been pressuring members of Nurliev's church, asking them if his wife Maya is gathering them for worship services or meetings. "Church members have been summoned," Protestants who asked not to be identified for fear of state reprisals told Forum 18. "Police warned them: if we find out the church has been meeting, we'll do the same to you as we did to Ilmurad.”

Under Turkmenistan's harsh Religion Law, all unregistered religious activity is illegal. Communities which function without registration face the constant threat of police raids, threats and punishments.

11 Iranian Christians to stand trial for ‘activities against the order’

Eleven members of the Church of Iran are to stand trial in the Revolutionary Tribunal of Bandar-Anzali for “activities against the Order,” and for drinking alcohol, reported Christian Solidarity Worldwide. The charges relate to their involvement in a house church, and to taking communion wine.

The Christians on trial include:

• Pastor Abdolreza Ali-Haghnejad and his wife Anahita Khademi
• Mahmoud Khosh-Hal and his wife Hava Saadetmend
• Fatemah Modir-Nouri
• Mehrdad Habibzade
• Milad Radef
• Behzad Taalipas
• Amir Goldoust, his sister Mina Goldoust and his grandmother Zainab Bahremend

Please pray for these individuals today!

There has been an increase in official rhetoric against evangelical Christians, which has been accompanied by a wave of arrests.

On January 4, Morteza Tamadon, the governor of Tehran, called the evangelical movement “a false, deviant and corrupt sect…placing themselves within the religion of Islam like a parasite and under the cover of Christianity.”

So far, the arrests of 254 Christians in 33 cities from June 2010 and February 2011 have been confirmed.  However, the actual number of arrests is thought to be far higher.

The blasphemy trial of six other members of the Church of Iran was adjourned on April 5 to allow prosecutors more time to gather evidence, and postponed again on April 13 in order to allow prosecutors to seek the assistance of Iran’s traditional churches in determining their guilt. Their legal team is optimistic that all charges relating the blasphemy trial, and to a one-year sentence for Crimes Against the Islamic Order handed down at an earlier trial, will be overturned on appeal.