VIETNAM: Christian Leader Extradited Despite Global Appeals

Source: VOMC
Sources: International Christian Concern, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Amnesty International, ABC News

Y Quynh Bdap and his wife. Photo: VOMC Source

Y Quynh Bdap, a Christian activist and co-founder of Montagnards Stand for Justice, has long advocated for the rights of his people. As a Christian from a minority tribal group, Bdap (his given name) faced significant persecution in Vietnam. He fled the country in 2018, settling in Thailand where he sought protection as a refugee.

In June 2024, Bdap was detained by Thai authorities who claimed that he had overstayed his visa. The Vietnamese government requested his extradition, alleging that he had been convicted on terrorism charges and sentenced in absentia to 10 years' imprisonment. These charges stem from a series of protests in Vietnam during 2023, including one that resulted in the bombing of a government building. However, Bdap was outside of the country during those events and denies any involvement.

For more than a year, human rights organizations have fought to prevent the Christian man's extradition, calling for his release from detention. Vietnam has a well-documented pattern of discrimination against Montagnards – and particularly Christians – through arbitrary arrests, torture and severe restrictions on their religious freedoms.

In the fall of 2024, a Thai court ordered that Bdap be extradited to Vietnam. Although this decision was appealed, the Court of Appeals ruled on November 26th of this year to uphold the verdict. Two days later, the Christian leader was handed over to Vietnamese authorities. He now faces an unknown future in a country where followers of Jesus continue to endure harassment and mistreatment.
For additional reports addressing the persecution of Christians in Vietnam, go to our country profile.

• Please pray for God's protection, strength and intervention on behalf of our extradited Christian brother as he now faces imprisonment in Vietnam.
• Also remember the many other believers in this Southeast Asian country who are suffering various forms of mistreatment for their faith, praying that God will likewise grant them courage, hope and unity in Christ despite the severe restrictions.
• Pray that the international community will continue to place pressure on the Vietnamese government, leading to justice and improved conditions – not only for Bdap, but also on behalf of the numerous other persecuted members of our Christian family who reside in that part of the world.

PAKISTAN: Missing Christian Woman Suspiciously Married

Source: VOMC
Sources: Pakistan Christian Post, Morning Star News

On November 17th, 21-year-old Monica Jennifer disappeared from her home in Rawalpindi, Punjab Province. Several days later, relatives of the resurfaced young Christian woman were heartbroken and fearful when she informed them of her sudden conversion to Islam and recent marriage to her Muslim neighbour.

Monica's relatives are convinced that she was coerced into abandoning her family and Christian faith. "She was a spirit-filled Christian girl, devoted to her faith," claims her brother, Raza Arif, who suspects that threats and blackmail were involved. The family of her alleged husband has warned the Christians to stop pursuing the case, threatening to accuse them of blasphemy if they challenged the validity of the marriage.

The kidnappings, forced conversions and coerced marriages of young Christian women and girls remain a significant problem in Pakistan. Although laws have been passed in efforts to curtail the practice, authorities are often hesitant to apply them. To review other reports concerning the persecution of our Pakistani sisters in Christ, go to our country profile.

• Ask the Lord to divinely intervene in this situation, providing Monica and her concerned family greatly needed protection, comfort and help as they seek His wisdom and guidance.
• May truth and justice prevail in this case, as well as those involving other Christian women and girls, resulting in the healing and restoration of many heartbroken families.
• Furthermore, pray that Pakistani authorities will courageously and more strictly enforce laws against coercive conversions – not only providing greater legal recourse and measures of protection for the victims, but ultimately preventing such crimes from occurring in the future.

LIBERIA: Charges Against Pastor Dismissed

Source: VOMC Contact

In late October, Pastor Sylvester was detained by police after Muslim community members claimed that he was unlawfully praying and worshipping. A Christian lawyer was hired to assist with the case, but concerns were raised about the health of the pastor and his family due to a lack of food and other necessities.
(A previously published report providing more information on this pastor's case is available here.)

With thanksgiving, we are pleased to report that Pastor Sylvester was released while awaiting trial. Following the recent hearing of his case in late November, all charges against him have been dropped. The Christian leader is now free to resume his ministry activities, despite ongoing opposition from local community members.

• Praise God for the release of this dedicated pastor!
• Pray that Pastor Sylvester will receive the Lord's wisdom, strength and protection as he endeavours to faithfully minister to the spiritually needy members of his community in the midst of opposition.
• May the light of the Gospel powerfully shine through his life and Christian witness, drawing many more Liberians to faith in Christ.

CHINA: 18 Church Leaders Formally Arrested

Source: VOMC
Sources: ChinaAid, Church in Chains, Reuters

Pastor Jin Mingri (second from right). Photo: ChinaAid

In October, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities began a coordinated campaign against the Beijing Zion Church and its various campuses, detaining dozens of Christian leaders.
(For more details, see our previously published report.)

On November 18th, the Beihai Municipal People's Procuratorate approved the formal arrests of 18 pastors and church staff members, charging them with "illegally using information networks." If convicted, the believers could face up to three years in prison. These formal arrests initiate criminal investigations that will eventually lead to the trial of each apprehended church leader – a process that could take more than a year.

Dr. Bob Fu, president of ChinaAid, describes the recent arrests as "a shocking milestone in the CCP's full-scale war against Christianity in China." Zion Church is one of the largest networks of unregistered churches in the country, with approximately 5,000 members spanning across more than 40 cities. In addition, an estimated 10,000 Christians view the services online. Jin Mingri, the church's founder and senior pastor, happens to be among those arrested.

• Please prayerfully uphold the lawyers representing these Christian leaders, asking God to give each one of them wisdom, guidance, courage and clarity throughout the court processes.
• As a result, may all the charges against the accused pastors and other church leaders be dropped, allowing them to freely resume their ministry activities.
• In general, pray for the ongoing ministry of all churches in China – asking that, despite the intense governmental opposition, the message of the Gospel will continue to spread exponentially throughout the country so that multitudes more will experience the life-transforming love of Christ.

Prayer for the Persecuted - Monday December 1, 2025 @ 7 PM

 1. Open in Prayer:

Nigerian Christians Defy Genocide Through Worship Caci Africa

2. Scripture: John 15:18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.

3. Worship Video:   Video: CeCe Winans - Come Jesus Come 

                                            In the Hidden Places - An Anthem for the Persecuted Church

Prayer for the Persecuted

4. CHINA: Coordinated Arrests Against Church Leaders

5. NIGERIA: Hundreds Kidnapped in School Attacks
                           

6. IRAN: Christian Prisoner Denied Adequate Medical Care

 
7. LIBERIA: Pastor Presently Awaiting Trial

 
Recent news:

• 
  Kidnapped Anglican Priest Dies in Captivity in Nigeria
• Christian Woman in Pakistan Forcibly Converted, Married, Brother Says
• Sudanese Christian Family Threatened with Death in Uganda
• Legality of Rajasthan, India’s ‘Anti-Conversion’ Law Challenged
• Anti-Child Marriage Bill Passed in Province in Pakistan

Vietnam - Thai court caving to pressure from the Vietnamese Communist Party to extradite Christian?

Sources: ICC, 8thirty8

Y Quynh Bdap (32), a Christian leader in Vietnam, fled to Thailand in 2018 due to persecution for his faith. Bdap has since sought asylum in Thailand.

Bdap is part of the Montagnard minority community in Vietnam, a predominantly Christian ethnic group that lives in the Central Highlands of Vietnam and Cambodia. The Montagnards have long faced harassment, persecution, and arrests by Vietnamese officials who crack down on church groups not sanctioned by the government. Vietnam allows some semblance of religion in the form of tightly controlled registered religious groups.

“During one visit, we saw dozens and dozens of Montagnard Christian families living in very basic and harsh conditions while waiting for years in Thailand, hoping for resettlement,” an ICC staffer said. “We met with Montagnard pastors and church leaders who were doing their best to strengthen their people spiritually through Bible studies and small group fellowships. Despite the extreme challenges in Thailand, they are still faithful and hopeful. But help is desperately needed for these Christian refugees.”

A Thai court in Fall 2024 ordered Bdap, 32, to be extradited to Vietnam to face charges and a 10-year sentence for alleged terrorist and anti-Communist government activities tied to protests in June 2023 in Vietnam. The Vietnamese government made the unusual extradition request to Thai officials even though Bdap was not in Vietnam during the protests.

“If extradited to Vietnam, Bdap will likely face torture, violence, and imprisonment. It looks like the Thai court is caving to pressure from the Vietnamese Communist Party to extradite him. This will set a dangerous precedent for the thousands of other Christian refugees in Thailand who could also be extradited to their home country, where they fled persecution,” reported a staff member of International Christian Concern in the region.

CeCe Winans - Come Jesus Come (Live From The GMA Dove Awards)

YESU YA CICE NI || cover by CACI AFRICA

China

"Coming out of prison during this month of [China's] Thanksgiving has

been full of God's grace – I have seen

the Holy Spirit's presence every day."

~ Pastor Zhang Shaojie

NIGERIA: Hundreds Kidnapped in School Attacks

Source: VOMC
Sources: BBC, CBC, Aljazeera, AP, Pique Newsmagazine, Reuters, Peoples Gazette

Photo: Unsplash / Samuel Martins

Shock and grief have spread through Niger State in central Nigeria after gunmen raided a Catholic boarding school in the village of Papiri on November 21st, taking 303 students and 12 staff members captive. According to the Christian Association of Nigeria, 50 of the kidnapped students managed to escape within the first two days and have been reunited with their families, leaving 265 still missing.

In a separate raid, gunmen abducted 25 girls from a high school in Kebbi State during the early morning hours of November 17th. A teacher and a guard were both killed in the assault. One of the kidnapped girls has since been located, while authorities continue to search for the remaining 24 students. At the time of publishing this report, no group has claimed responsibility for either of the recently occurring school attacks, and the abductors' motives remain unclear. The total number of victims resulting from these two incidents now surpass the infamous Chibok school kidnapping of 2014, when 276 students were abducted.

Security agencies and local hunters have been "combing the forests" in search of the remaining captive students. In response to the kidnappings, Pope Leo issued the following statement: "I make a heartfelt appeal for the immediate release of the hostages and urge the competent authorities to take appropriate and timely decisions to ensure their release."

Abductions and other atrocities continue to surge across Nigeria, leaving authorities struggling in their attempts to curtail the violence. The Christian Association of Nigeria is calling on churches throughout the country to come together in prayer on December 7th, interceding for the following five needs:

1) Divine intervention to end Christian killings in Nigeria, 2) the resettlement of displaced churchgoers, 3) a stop to the activities of terrorists, 4) heavenly wisdom for political decision-makers, and 5) restoration of peace in the country.
For more reports addressing the violence facing Nigeria's Christians, see our Nigeria profile.

• Please join in the call to prayerfully uphold our long-suffering Nigerian brothers and sisters in Christ, pleading for an end to the perpetual onslaught of violence in their nation.
• Intercede for the kidnapped students and staff members, asking that they would be divinely shielded from harm, immediately rescued from their plight, and safely reunited with their concerned loved ones.
• In the interim, pray on behalf of the abducted victims' families as well, that they will receive great comfort, peace and strength while awaiting urgent intervention.
• Lift up those who are responsible for these attacks, praying that they would repent, turn from their wicked ways, and receive the truth, forgiveness and eternal salvation that have been made available to them through Christ.

CHINA: Pastors Released from Prison

Source: VOMC
Sources: ChinaAid, Church in Chains, Release International

Pastor Zhang Shaojie (left) and Pastor Xing Wenxiang (far right) Photo: ChinaAid

In November 2013, Pastor Zhang Shaojie was arrested on charges of fraud and "disrupting public order." Despite multiple appeals, the church leader was sentenced to 12 years in prison. His family reported that, while imprisoned, Pastor Zhang suffered mental and physical mistreatment – including a time of "concentrated education." With great thankfulness, he completed his sentence this month and has since been freed from prison.

Upon his release, the pastor stated that he feels "deeply grateful" for the support of the international community. "Otherwise," he remarked, “I might not be here today, and might have...'disappeared.'" However, even though he has been physically released from prison, Pastor Zhang is still not free from the oppression of the Chinese Communist regime. Authorities have installed facial recognition cameras throughout his home and restricted his ability to receive visitors.

In 2016, Pastor Xing Wenxiang was also sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment after being arrested on similar charges. She had been ministering with her husband, Pastor Bao Guohua, in an officially recognized "Three-Self Church." Yet, when the pastoring couple refused to comply with the Zhejiang provincial government's widespread order to remove all crosses from church buildings, both of these believers were arrested. Pastor Bao, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison, presently remains in custody.

After a two-year sentence reduction, Pastor Xing was recently released. According to ChinaAid, "The decade behind bars has left visible trauma on her physical and emotional well-being." Upon regaining her freedom, Pastor Xing's first action was to visit the grave of her mother, who had passed away during the recently released church leader's imprisonment.
More information concerning Christian persecution in China, including video-recorded interviews, are available at our country profile..

• Praise God for His sustaining grace throughout the years of imprisonment endured by each of these dedicated pastors, whose perseverance amid trial and mistreatment is in itself a powerful testimony to numerous people in China and many other parts of the world.
• As Pastor Zhang and Pastor Xing readjust to life outside prison walls, and yet remain under continued government surveillance, may they receive further strength and healing in every area of their lives (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and relationally).
• Prayerfully remember all those in China who are presently imprisoned for their faith, including Pastor Bao, asking that their lives would brightly shine the light of Christ's love and hope – even in the darkest places.

BELARUS: Priests Pardoned by the Nation's Presidential Leader

Source: VOMC
Source: Forum18

Father Henryk (second from left) and Father Andrei (second from right), along with two archbishops. Photo: Catholic.by

Two Catholic priests who had been convicted and sentenced to more than 10 years in prison were pardoned and freed from a Belarusian labour camp on November 20th. State media claimed that the church leaders, who were granted clemency by President Alexander Lukashenko, had been "convicted of serious crimes against the state, as well as other crimes."

Father Henryk Okolotovich served as the priest of St. Joseph's Church in Volozhin, a town located near the country's capital of Minsk. He was arrested in November 2023, and then sentenced for treason one year later. During his imprisonment, the Soviet Union's KGB officers approached him on multiple occasions to offer freedom in exchange for planting evidence against the Vatican's nuncio (official state representative). The priest refused each time.

Father Andrei Marianovich Yukhnevich was arrested on May 8th, 2024. Originally, he was given a short-term sentence for posting an image of a Ukrainian flag on his Facebook page. Following this initial sentence, Father Andrei was then subjected to fabricated accusations of committing sexual abuse against minors, resulting in an extended sentence of 13 years in prison. Other reports referencing his crimes against the state reflect the questionable nature of the added allegations.

While the presidential pardons for the two church leaders were unexpected, it is unknown whether these priests will be allowed to return to their ministerial roles. Upon their release, they were taken to the airport for flights to Rome where both of them are presently staying.
To review further reports, outlining the Belarusian government's harsh regulations regarding religious registration and practice, go to our Belarus profile.

• In addition to thanking God for the unexpected release of Father Henryk and Father Andrei, please pray that He would minister healing and restoration in each of their lives following the ordeals of their trials and imprisonment.
• Continue to pray for other Christians who are currently imprisoned in Belarus because of their faith, asking the Lord to sustain them with His strength, peace and hope.
• Pray for wisdom on behalf of church leaders throughout the country as they faithfully minister under oppressive restrictions – asking the Holy Spirit to not only inspire them with innovative ways of sharing the Gospel, but to also provide further opportunities for their congregations to meet the spiritual and practical needs of those in their communities.