Prayer for the Persecuted - March 10, 2025 @ 7 PM

1. Open in Prayer

2. Scripture:  Psalm 31:5 NIV Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.

The first Christian martyr, as described in the Book of Acts in the Bible. 

Before he was stoned to death, Stephen quoted Scripture and spoke words of faith. In Acts 7:59-60, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," echoing Psalm 31:5, and then said, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them," showing remarkable forgiveness.

3. Worship Video: Only A Holy God - CityAlight
                                  Precious Lord Take My Hand 
                              I Asked the Lord that I Might Grow 
                              Jews & Arabs worship together in Nazareth, Israel.

4. Video: Pastor Gideon's Story of Unspeakable Tragedy and Extraordinary Forgiveness

5. SOMALIA: Attacked Christian Loses Ability to Speak

6. Video: Ukraine - Persecution Of Christians You Haven't Heard About

7. OCCUPIED UKRAINE: Orthodox Priest Transferred to Russian Labour Camp

8. IRAN: Two Pardoned Pastors Rearrested

Praise Reports

EGYPT: Prisoners Released After Years of Detention
INDIA: Christian Couple Released on Bail
PAKISTAN: Acquittal for Christian Brothers
PAKISTAN: Court Calls for Inquiry into Blasphemy Cases

Jews & Arabs worship together

INDIA: Arrests for Alleged Conversion Activities

Source: VOMC
Sources: UCA News, Church in Chains, Christian Today, News Nation Bharat, Dainik Bhaskar

Christians in India. Photo: VOMC

Multiple Christians were recently arrested by authorities in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, resulting in charges of coercive religious conversions. In each case, allegations against the Christians by Hindu nationalist groups led to sudden police raids.

On February 22nd or 23rd (the exact date varies according to sourced reports), Pastor Vijay Singh and three other believers were arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli district. According to local press reports, the Christians were accused of organizing "a big game of religious conversion" in which candy and pencils were allegedly given to children in an attempt to lure them into converting to Christianity.

In a related incident, police also raided the residence of Pastor Anil in a different village of Raebareli district, but the church leader was not home at the time. Unable to find the pastor, the authorities instead detained his son before later releasing him. On the afternoon of February 25th, Pastor Anil was located and subsequently arrested by police. Thankfully, the church leader was granted bail that same evening.

A similar raid occurred in Hargaon, a village in the district of Sitapur, when police invaded a worship gathering on February 23rd. During the incident, Pastor Surest Chand and his wife Nutan Kumari were arrested, along with four other worshippers. The believers were charged with conducting "unlawful religious conversions" in what local reporters described as "a big case." The Christians were accused of luring people to their faith with money and possessions. According to eyewitnesses, various religious materials – including Bibles – were seized as evidence of alleged conversion activities. Though the Christians were taken into custody, some have since been released on bail.

Anti-conversion laws are frequently used in several Indian states to intimidate followers of Jesus and shut down unwanted Christian activities.

Often, the accusations have no factual basis. For more details on the persecution of Christians in India, go to our country report.

• Pray that God will work powerfully within the hearts and minds of India's authorities so that each one of these recently detained believers will be justly declared innocent.
• May our Christian brothers and sisters who continue to be held in custody tangibly sense the reassuring presence and empowerment of God's Holy Spirit.
• Ask the Lord to also minister His peace, protection and comfort to the accused believers' family members as they cope with this time of uncertainty and fear.
• Additionally, pray that the accusers would be convicted of their wrongful allegations and, as a result, come to a point of repentance and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

CHINA: Pastor Tried for Organizing Illegal Gatherings

Source: VOMC
Sources: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, ChinaAid, VOM Australia, Release International

Ma Yan Photo: ChinaAid

On August 9th, 2024, a preacher named Ma Yan was arrested in the Chinese city of Yinchuan for "disrupting social order" and given a ten-day detention. Immediately following his release, Ma was arrested again for "organizing illegal gatherings." The accusations stem from a small gathering of Christians that took place in a hotel on August 9th.

After Ma continued to be held in custody without trial, the church leader's wife, Shu Hang, filed a lawsuit against the Jinfeng District Branch of the Yinchuan Public Security Bureau in response to the charges against her husband and his prolonged detention. The documents were taken to the court office on November 4th, where staff members accepted Shu's formal complaint and files of evidence. However, when her lawyer requested written proof of receipt, the court officials refused. Instead, Shu and her lawyer were told to return to their homes and wait for a response from the court office which they never received.

Finally, on February 10th, the young preacher went to trial. According to sources, Ma pleaded guilty because the charge of "organizing illegal gatherings" carries a lighter sentence and does not attract the same moral stigmatization as other charges commonly used against Christian leaders. The final verdict is unknown, but the prosecutor recommended a sentence of nine months in prison.

In the 2025 Persecution Trends report, VOMC's ministry partner, Release International, stated that the year ahead is likely to result in an increased number of arrests and imprisonments for Christians in China, as Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials continue their attempts to infiltrate churches with the government's ideology.

To access other reports about the persecution of Christians in China, visit our country profile.

• Please pray that Ma will experience God's strength, courage and protection as he continues to serve time in prison because of his faith in Jesus.
• May the Lord's abiding peace and comfort rest on this Christian leader's wife, as well as the believers who attended the church gathering he had previously overseen.
• Ask our Heavenly Father to divinely intervene in the lives of the country's governing officials, leading CCP members to personally discover the reality and love of Jesus Christ.
• Continue to prayerfully remember the many Christians throughout China who are endeavouring to faithfully share the Gospel message despite the opposition they may encounter.

OCCUPIED UKRAINE: Orthodox Priest Transferred to Russian Labour Camp

Source: VOMC
Source: Forum18

Father Kostiantyn Maksimov  Photo: Center for Civil Liberties

In May 2023, Orthodox priest Kostiantyn Maksimov was taken captive by Russian occupation forces in the Zaporizhzhia Region of eastern Ukraine. In March 2024, it was announced that he had been accused of reporting the location of Russian air defences and put on trial for espionage. On August 2nd, the church leader was found guilty and sentenced to 14 years in a forced labour camp.

For more details on Father Kostiantyn's case, see these reports.

Although Father Kostiantyn appealed the ruling, his sentence was upheld in November 2024. At the time, concerns were raised that the priest may be transferred to a prison camp in Russia – an action that would violate the Geneva Conventions. According to these international laws, prisoners from an occupied territory must be detained within that territory. On February 11th, those concerns were realized when Father Kostiantyn was transferred to a labour camp in Russia's Saratov Region, which is located more than 1,000 kilometres from his home.

All Protestant and non-Moscow Patriarchate Orthodox churches have been declared illegal in occupied areas of Ukraine, and the occupying Russian forces have implemented many of the religious restrictions currently found in Russia.

For previously published reports on the challenges facing Christians in these regions, see our country profile.

• Ask our Heavenly Father to provide Father Kostiantyn with greatly needed physical and spiritual endurance as he continues to be detained in captivity.
• In addition to interceding for this Christian leader's immediate release, please also pray for the cessation of Russian aggression so that the people of Ukraine can live in peace.
• May followers of Jesus in Russia and occupied regions of Ukraine who are suffering under the dictates of repressive policies receive guidance, protection and courage as they share the Lord's love and the hope that He alone provides while residing in these very difficult and dangerous areas.

This report has been retracted - DR CONGO: 70 Christians Found Beheaded

Source: VOMC
DR CONGO: Report Retracted

Each week, staff members from Voice of the Martyrs Canada research news reports to provide valuable and accurate information about ways you can pray for persecuted Christians around the world. Without the ability to have personnel in each of the nations, we work together with reliable partners who have similar goals in supporting our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Regrettably, there are times when, for any of numerous reasons, we receive inaccurate information. Despite due diligence, errors occur, which we deeply regret.  Such appears to be the case with the recent incident in DR Congo reported on February 27th. Further investigation by a reliable partner reveals that the incident, as reported, does not appear to have occurred.

While this specific incident appears to be erroneous, the situation in DR Congo, particularly in the North Kivu province, is extremely dangerous. Deaths at the hands of rebel groups happen frequently and Christians are regularly targeted because of the militant Islamist views of the rebels. Continued prayers for Christians in DR Congo is urged.

SRI LANKA: Church Pressured to Halt Christian Activities

Source: VOMC
Source: NCEASL

A congregation in Sri Lanka. Photo: VOMC

Members of the Way to the Comfort Ministry Church in Seethwaka, Sri Lanka, are receiving ongoing demands to cease all Christian activities in their village. On January 26th, Buddhist monks approached the church leadership and insisted that the pastor stop holding worship services, claiming that only Buddhist practices are permitted within the village. They further accused the pastor of forcibly converting people to Christianity and receiving foreign aid.

The next evening, an unidentified person threw large stones at the church building, damaging the roof and nearly striking the pastor's wife. In response to these threats, the Christians filed police reports, prompting the authorities to investigate the incident. As a result of the investigation, the police ordered three Buddhist monks to meet with the church's pastor, his wife, some congregants, and other local pastors. During the gathering, the authorities asked for a peaceful resolution, to which the monks agreed. Despite this agreement, one of the monks later told the pastor that they intend to pursue legal action.

Opposition against Christians in Sri Lanka is frequently instigated by local village leaders, Buddhist monks, and other hostile community members.

To learn more about the difficulties Christians in this South Asian country have been experiencing, and/or to review other reports, go to our country profile.

• Pray for a peaceful and lasting resolution to the issues being encountered by the members of this church.
• May God work mightily within the hearts of the opposing Buddhist leaders and encourage them to live harmoniously with local Christians, despite their differences in beliefs.
• Pray for the ongoing ministry of this pastor and his church members, asking our Heavenly Father to reveal ways in which they can proactively love, bless and pray for their persecutors while continuing to share the Gospel.

PAKISTAN: Court Calls for Inquiry into Blasphemy Cases

Source: VOMC
Sources: Mission Network News, Morning Star News, Voicepk.net

A protest against Pakistan's blasphemy laws. Photo: Wikipedia / Vivek Ravikumar (cc)

In late 2024, an investigation by the AFP news agency revealed that a startling number of Christians in Pakistan have been falsely accused of blasphemy by members of organized "vigilante groups" who intentionally deceived followers of Jesus into sharing content that was deemed blasphemous. (See this page for more details.)

In response to these allegations, the Islamabad High Court has called on the government to establish a commission that would investigate collusion between the Federal Investigation Agency and some militant Muslim clerics who seek to entrap innocent victims. The court recommended that the commission include experts in law, religion and technology.

Pakistan's blasphemy laws are overly broad, making them easy to exploit for wrongful personal or financial motives. According to Floyd Brobbel, CEO for Voice of the Martyrs Canada, "The way [the legislation is] written...anything can be turned into a blasphemy case." This is particularly true in cases against accused Christians who are uneducated and illiterate. If established, the newly proposed commission will hopefully investigate groups and individuals who fabricate evidence for their own vested interests.

• Pray that the many issues related to Pakistan's widely abused blasphemy laws would be thoroughly investigated, leading to positive changes within the country's legal system and policies.
• May those responsible for falsified blasphemy charges be held accountable for their wrongful actions and reach a point of sincere repentance.
• Ask the Lord to provide needed wisdom, direction and protection to His people as they interact with those around them, and to ensure that opposing militant groups and individuals will be prevented from deceiving or taking advantage of our Pakistani brothers and sisters in Christ.

The 21

TÜRKIYE: Arrested Iranian Convert Faces Deportation

Source: VOMC
Sources: Article18, Barnabas Aid, Mission Network News

Mojtaba Ahmadi. Photo: Article18

When threatened with imprisonment for his faith in 2013, a Christian convert named Mojtaba Ahmadi was forced to flee from Iran. Upon his arrival in neighbouring Türkiye, he applied for refugee status. However, despite the fact that he stayed more than a decade within the country, Mojtaba had never been interviewed about his case and, therefore, did not receive official protection as a refugee.

On January 29th, Mojtaba was suddenly arrested by immigration authorities and accused of leaving Düzce, his present city of residence, without authorization. He denies ever having left Düzce. In addition to having his identification card confiscated, officials took him to the Ayvacik Geri Gönderme Merkezi detention centre. If deported, the arrested believer may have to spend at least three years in prison.

Before escaping to Türkiye, Mojtaba previously faced months of detention and torture in Iran for allegedly "spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran." While the church in Iran is growing rapidly, believers like Mojtaba risk the possibility of imprisonment and torture.

Find more reports on the persecution of Christians in Iran here.

Over the years, officials in Türkiye have also become increasingly antagonistic towards Christian ministry workers. According to one source, individuals seeking asylum are regularly sent to deportation camps, seemingly arbitrarily.

To review reports specifically addressing persecution in Türkiye, go to our country profile.

• Pray for God's swift intervention so that Mojtaba will be released from detention and not deported to Iran.
• In the meantime, may he officially gain refugee status and protection in Türkiye.
• Please prayerfully remember the many other believers in Iran who have been detained without cause, as well as those experiencing increasing pressures in Türkiye.

EGYPT: Prisoners Released After Years of Detention

Source: VOMC
Sources: ADF International, USCIRF, International Christian Concern, Morning Star News, Amnesty International

Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo Photo: ADF International

Originally from Yemen, Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo was forced to flee to Egypt in 2014 after being subjected to violent attacks because of his conversion to Christianity. Then, in 2021, Abdulbaqi was arrested by Egyptian officials following an interview he did for a Christian television program addressing the topic of persecution in Yemen. Additionally, he was identified as a member of a Facebook group for those who had converted from Islam to Christianity. Nour Gerges, an Egyptian Coptic believer who also participated in the same Facebook group, was arrested at the same time.

Both men were detained without charge for more than three years. According to Abdulbaqi's family members, he was in poor health during that time. Thankfully, both believers were released from detention on January 23rd. Abdulbaqi has since been reunited with his wife and five children in Canada. Details on the location and condition of Nour Girgis are not yet available.

Even though the two men were released, Egyptian authorities have not dropped the blasphemy charges against either of them. And while Abdulbaqi is no longer in the country, he is working to clear his name.

To learn more about the persecution of Christians in Egypt, and/or to view recorded documentaries/podcast interviews, go to our country report.

• Praise God for the recent release of these two believers in Christ!
• Pray that all charges against them will be completely dropped.
• May they both experience full recoveries from the physical injuries they sustained – along with the mental anguish they experienced – during their terms of incarceration.
• Ask the Lord to provide wisdom, grace and guidance to all those in Eqypt who are evangelizing and discipling others while surrounded by opposition.

IRAN: Two Pardoned Pastors Rearrested

Source: VOMC
Sources: Article18, Christian Daily International, Iran Human Rights Monitor

Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh (left) and Joseph Shahbazian Photo: Article18

While Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh had been sentenced in 2017 to ten years' imprisonment because of his Christian ministry, he was suddenly pardoned and released in 2022. Similarly, Joseph Shahbazian, a house church leader who had likewise been sentenced to ten years in 2022, was released after just over a year following an appeal of his sentence.

More information on Nasser's case is available here.

For unknown reasons, both pastors were recently rearrested on February 6th without warning. Each of them was apprehended in their homes and then taken back to Tehran's Evin Prison. While the motives for their arrests are unknown, according to a report from Article18, any Christian who is considered to be "unaligned" with the goals of the Islamic Republic of Iran is at risk of arrest and imprisonment on "security" charges.

As Joseph is an Iranian-Armenian pastor, and Armenian churches are considered legal, his arrest demonstrates that no Christian is safe in the country – even those who allegedly have freedom to worship.

More reports relating to the persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters in Iran are available at our country profile.

• Please pray for the health and safety of these two recently rearrested pastors.
• May the reassuring presence of the Holy Spirit greatly strengthen and encourage them, as well as the many other believers who are presently being incarcerated in Iranian prisons due to their faith.
• Also prayerfully uphold their loved ones during this difficult time of separation, asking that they too would receive needed strength and encouragement from the Lord as they await the hopeful soon reunion of their families.