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I Asked the Lord that I Might Grow
Jews & Arabs worship together in Nazareth, Israel.
4. IRAN: Three Christians Facing Lengthy Prison Sentences
5. INDIA: Large Mob Attack at Pastors' Gathering
6. Somalia: Mother of Three in Loses All Relatives for Receiving Christ
Source: iCommitToPray
Apr. 03, 2025
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| Pastor Kokouvi is one of many who serve in dangerous parts of Togo. |
Influenced by neighboring Benin, the birthplace of voodoo, persecution against Christians occurs primarily in the north of Togo, where voodooists and animists oppose the church because they see it as a threat to their power and influence. Members of the Muslim Fulani tribe who choose to follow Christ also experience opposition from their families and communities.
Please pray for Pastor Gbendja's family as they morn the loss of his life and pray for the safety of Pastor Patrice as he continues to minister in this dangerous region, and also for his family. Pray that many will come to know Jesus through Pastor Patrice's ministry.
Pray for Abraham, who was beaten by people who practice sorcery because he placed his faith in Christ.
Many Togolese follow traditional religions. Pray that they will be set free from spiritual bondage.
Pray for the safety of Christians threatened by militant Fulani Muslims.
About 42% of Togolese are Christians. Pray that they will live boldly for Christ.
Pray for Togolese missionaries who are working to reach people in remote areas with the gospel.
Husband drives her from one home, parents from another. March 28, 2025 By -
Source:
Sources: Article18, Christian Post
Amir-Ali Minaei has been held in Tehran's Evin Prison since April 2024. The Christian man is presently serving a 43-month term for "propaganda activities against the regime through establishing a house church."
During the period of time between his arrest and sentencing, Amir-Ali was diagnosed with a heart condition which was believed to be brought on by stress. In recent months, the imprisoned believer's condition has reportedly worsened. He has repeatedly asked to meet with a cardiologist for medical treatment, but all of his requests have been rejected.
After his most recent request in early March, Amir-Ali was physically assaulted by a prison official. During the attack, the believer was struck in the chest, which further aggravated his heart condition. Despite the beating, Amir-Ali remains without medical treatment, leading to concerns that his health may continue to deteriorate.
Christians in Iran who meet together for prayer and worship are subjected to frequent harassment and arrests. While church gatherings are permitted for Armenian and Assyrian minorities, they are off-limits for most of the population. Previously published reports concerning the persecution of Christians in Iran are available at our country profile.
Source: VOMC
Sources: British Asian Christian Association, Pakistan Christian Post
On February 27th, an impoverished Christian man named Wasif Masih was collecting wood along the road when he was confronted by a group of six Muslim landowners. The men verbally abused the believer, referring to him as "chuhra" – a term frequently used in Pakistan to insult Christians. The perpetrators then physically beat Wasif and detained him for four hours on a poultry farm.
During the incident, the Muslim men forcibly shaved Wasif's head, along with one eyebrow and part of his moustache. The believer's face was also smeared with a black substance before he was paraded through the village streets on a donkey. When the procession reached the home of Muhammad Mushtaq, the father of one of the perpetrators, he immediately rebuked the culprits for their abusive treatment of Wasif, calling their actions "evil acts." When others began to arrive, the abusers released the injured Christian man and fled the area.
The men responsible for the incident are well known within the community for their violent actions. Two of them have since been arrested (including the son of Muhammad Mushtaq). Thus far, three others – Muhammad Junaid, Naeem and Teeter ul Haq – secured pre-arrest bail from the court. Wasif and his family are determined to seek justice for the assailants' acts of violence and humiliation.
To review other reports addressing the suffering inflicted on Christians in Pakistan, go to our country profile.
Source: VOMC
Source: ChinaAid
Two recently received reports indicate the ongoing coordinated opposition that members of unregistered house churches are facing throughout China. Since the groups are considered illegal, the authorities have tried using fines and arrests, along with threats and intimidation tactics, in their attempts to shut down the organizations.
For the All Ranges Church, two particular cases have been highlighted. In 2023, 20 pastors and church members were arrested by Public Security Bureau officials in Suizhou, Hubei Province. In September 2024, nine of the members were formally indicted. The Christians' "crimes" include providing a meeting space to hold worship gatherings, encouraging congregants to tithe, and teaching potential lay leaders how to host ministry-related gatherings for Christian youth.
In Nyingchi City, Tibet, ten members of the All Ranges Church were charged on December 25th, 2024, due to their alleged illegal business activities and missionary work. These believers have been accused of using medical clinics and childcare services to spread so-called "heretical fallacies."
A similar crackdown has been launched against the Living Spring church and its leaders. The municipal government of Hotan, Xinjiang, imposed penalties on March 24th and banned the Christians from conducting all religious activities. The members of the church, which was established in 2020, had been meeting regularly in residential communities, parks and private homes for prayer and worship. However, since these activities were not previously approved by the government, the authorities have deemed them illegal. As a result, exorbitant fines have been issued which far exceed the ability of the church to pay.
While Christians belonging to unregistered churches throughout China face increasing pressures, those in the region of Xinjiang are subjected to particularly extreme restrictions and intense scrutiny from officials of the Chinese Communist Party.
For more details on the difficulties being encountered by Chinese Christians, go to our country report.
Source: VOMC
Sources: International Christian Concern, The Hindu, Catholic News Agency, Mission Network News
The Chief Minister for the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has publicly announced plans to impose the death penalty on those convicted of forced or fraudulent religious conversions. In a public meeting for International Women's Day on March 8th, Mohan Yadav equated such conversions with child molestation, stating that both crimes warrant the imposition of capital punishment. Later that evening, the state government released a statement affirming the announcement made by Mohan.
The state's Religious Freedom Act, which came into effect in 2021, is intended to protect people from being forcefully or fraudulently converted from one religion to another. Similar anti-conversion laws are also presently being enforced within ten other states throughout India. Unfortunately, such laws have been widely abused. Militant groups have stirred up violent mob attacks against Christians, falsely claiming that the believers were involved in bribery and other ways of tricking people into converting.
For more information, including reports concerning the numerous incidents of persecution that have taken place against those allegedly accused of coercive conversions, see our country profile.
A 22-year-old Christian man was brutally attacked by his supervisor at a paper mill in Sharaqpur, Punjab, when he refused to renounce his faith in Christ. Having sustained severe injuries to his throat on March 21st, Waqas Masih was hospitalized in Lahore where his condition has been reported as critical but stable.
According to the young man's father, Waqas encountered pressure to convert to Islam for over a month. Throughout this time, he repeatedly refused to give up his Christian faith and continued to quietly perform his work duties. "Muslims often invite Christians to [convert to] Islam, and we simply don't respond," stated Waqas' mother, Bushra Bibi.
On the day of the attack, a supervisor named Zohaib Iftikhar called Waqas into a room at the mill. While there, he demanded to know why the Christian believer refused to accept Islam. When Waqas stood firmly for his beliefs, Zohaib pulled out a utility knife and slashed the young man's neck before fleeing the scene.
After collapsing, Waqas was rushed to a local hospital and then transferred to Lahore for surgery. When the attacked believer later regained consciousness, he was able to write a statement explaining that he had been falsely accused of desecrating an Islamic textbook by touching it with "unclean" hands (a term often used in Pakistan to reference those belonging to other religious groups). Following the violent incident, the manager of the factory filed a police report, and Zohaib has since been arrested. The factory owner denies that there was any desecration of Islamic texts or photographs.
Regrettably, blasphemy accusations are often used to justify violence against Pakistani followers of Jesus. Recently, VOMC's Minister-at-Large, Greg Musselman, travelled to Jaranwala – a community located 90 kilometres from Sharaqpur – where mob violence in August 2023 resulted in the destruction of hundreds of homes after two Christian brothers were falsely accused of blasphemy.
View the video-recorded testimonies of those who were affected by this devastating mob attack. For other reports on the persecution of Christians in Pakistan, go to our country profile.
Source: VOMC
Sources: Morning Star News, International Christian Concern, Tribunnews.com, Telisik.id
Churches in Indonesia frequently receive opposition from hostile community members and local leaders, particularly when they are seeking to build or utilize a worship facility. Christians in at least three separate communities are presently facing opposition for these reasons.
In the village of Paccerakkang, South Sulawesi Province, the Toraja Christian Church of Lanraki had been meeting in the home of a congregation member for two years. Due to the growth of this church, the believers applied for an official permit to build a facility that would accommodate their expanding congregation. Initially, the permit process was going well. However, on February 4th, a banner was installed in the community declaring that nearby residents were strongly opposed to the construction – along with all other religious-related activities in the area. Despite the opposition, leaders of the church remain determined to continue meeting with local residents in order to obtain approval for the construction.
In Bandung, West Java, a protest was held against members of a Catholic church on March 5th, opposing the use of a particular building for worship services. When the facility was first built, the congregation did not have a church permit – a process that can take months or years to complete. Therefore, the building was designated as a multi-purpose facility that would be used not only for worship but other community activities as well. However, local protestors are now demanding that the building not be used for worship, even though it is owned by the Catholic church and the official permit application is currently in process.
Another separate incident took place on March 10th, when community leaders were meeting to discuss an application for the construction of a church building in Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi Province. During the meeting, a demonstration involving community members who were opposed to the construction plans resulted in near chaos. Ultimately, the application was rejected for allegedly failing to meet Ministry of Religion regulations. Furthermore, the opposing community leaders asserted that, since the Wakatobi police occasionally provided a place for Christians to hold their worship services, the construction of the church building was unnecessary.
The registration process for churches in Indonesia can be onerous. For one church in Bogor, it took more than 15 years to receive approval from the government (read more).
For other reports on the challenges facing Christians in Indonesia, go to our country profile.
Source: VOMC
Sources: AsiaNews, ChinaAid, FSSPX, International Christian Concern
Peter Shao Zhumin, a Catholic priest who was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as an auxiliary bishop, became the bishop of the Diocese of Wenzhou in 2016. However, over the years, Bishop Shao has stood in opposition to the dictates of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Not acknowledging its authority over the church, he refused to join the state-controlled Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. In response, the official association appointed a different bishop to replace him; however, many members of the diocese do not recognize the association's appointment.
Bishop Shao has been arrested on at least two prior occasions because of his refusal to yield to the Chinese Communist Party. The most recent incident arose after he publicly celebrated mass on December 27th. Authorities of the CCP imposed a fine of 200,000 yuan (around $40,000 CAD) which the church leader challenged, insisting that no laws were violated. In response, police officials from the Public Security Bureau arrested him on March 7th, claiming that the arrest was for his own safety.
In recent years, opposition from Chinese security officials against unregistered religious groups has intensified. Plain clothes officers regularly attend unregistered churches to ban children and teenagers from entering, or to prevent services from taking place altogether. In recent social media posts, the CCP has publicly celebrated its increase in governmental persecution of religious minorities throughout 2024, referencing the party's "intensified efforts to dismantle cult organizations." The term "cult" is used to describe beliefs deemed anti-government or those that fail to comply with the principles of the CCP. Based on recent trends, this increased persecution is expected to continue during 2025.
To learn more about the various trials facing Chinese Christians, and/or to review previously posted Persecution & Prayer Alert reports, see our country profile.
Source: VOMC
Sources: Morning Star News, The Nation
On March 6th, Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz of the Lahore High Court unexpectedly resigned from his judicial post as a court official, effective immediately. The judge cited "personal issues" as the reason for his resignation.
While highly praised by many, allegations have arisen that Chaudhry had links to a group suspected of exploiting blasphemy laws for personal gain. An anonymous Muslim lawyer believes that mounting international pressure over the blatant human rights violations may have forced him to step down.
Some defence lawyers have reportedly expressed relief over the recent news of his resignation due to the pressures he placed on individuals who were victimized during the blasphemy trials. An investigation in 2024 alleges that organized groups (including those involving lawyers) have been intentionally entrapping Christians, leading to allegations of blasphemy.
Further information addressing this concern is available here.
Source: VOMC
Sources: Forum18, The Times of Central Asia, World Evangelical Alliance
For the past several months, members of the Uzbek parliament have been deliberating over revisions to their existing religion laws. On June 26th, 2024, a draft law was published. Recently, as of February 21st, this new law officially came into effect.
For more information, see this page.
Proponents of the new law proclaimed that it would promote religious tolerance, prevent discrimination, strengthen national unity, and ensure freedom and equality for all citizens. Authorities stated that, after receiving more than 480 public submissions, "most citizens backed the initiative, recognizing its timely development and potential benefits for the country."
Major concerns have since been raised by religious groups regarding the new restrictions placed on the religious education of children. These new restrictions impose fines or jail terms for parents who allow or arrange "illegal" religious education for youth under the age of 18. Defenders of the legislation allege that the new law is designed to keep children from the influence of terrorist groups; in particular, those who promote militant Islamic viewpoints. However, the implications of the new law actually apply to parents representing all religious groups, including adherents of Christianity, who wish to teach their children about their faith.
As a result of this new legislation, police have been targeting children who attend night prayers during Ramadan. Human rights defenders have also expressed concerns that parents could even be punished for instructing their children at home, which would be a clear violation of the country's constitution.
