Persecution Watch Weblog

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Open Doors USA

Hebrews 13:3 (King James Version)

Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body

The church in Algeria is under attack and needs our support!

In March 2006, a new law governing non-Muslim places of worship was enacted and is threatening the very existence of Algerian churches. Since November 2007, 26 of the 52 known churches and Christian meeting groups have been ordered to close.

Please send an email to Algerian Ambassador Kherbi, on their behalf.

Algeria’s official state religion is Islam, and religious minorities like Christianity are seen as a threat to the government’s internal affairs. Anyone found trying to convert a Muslim to Christianity can receive a sentence of two to five years imprisonment and given a fine up to $15,800. Christianity has been compared to terrorism, and Muslim schools and mosques have been encouraged to continue the attack that threatens to drive the Christian community in Algeria underground.

Please email Ambassador Kherbi today, asking him to stop the closure of churches and to reopen those that have already been closed. We need to tell the Algerian government that these church closures must stop, and that freedom for all religions must be respected.

Learn more about the situation in Algeria>>

Thank you for your prayers and support for the Algerian Church!

Advocating with you,

Lindsay Vessey

Advocacy Program Manager

“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,” (1 Timothy 1:12)

IRAN Iranian Police Arrest 12 Christian Converts, Four Remain in Prison – Compass Direct News

On May 12, Iranian police arrested 12 known Muslim converts to Christianity and confiscated their books, computers and printers in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz. According to Compass Direct News, “The arrests began at 5 a.m. on May 11, when two couples were taken into custody before boarding their flights at the Shiraz International Airport and sent directly to jail. All four were subjected to hours of interrogation, questioning them solely ‘just about their faith and house church activities.’” Compass Direct News added the detained Christians had been identified as: Homayon Shokohie Gholamzadeh, 48; his wife, Fariba Nazemiyan Pur, 40; Amir Hussein Bab Anari, 25; and his wife, Fatemeh Shenasa, 25. Although the two wives were released the same day, Anari was detained until May 14, and Gholamzadeh remains jailed. “Two hours after the early arrests of May 11, police authorities invaded the home of Hamid Allaedin Hussein, 58, arresting him and his three adult children: Fatemah, 28; Muhammed Ali, 27; and Mojtaba, 21. All the family’s books, CDs and computers were hauled off as well. Hussein, his daughter and one son were released later the same day, but [his] son Mojtaba remains in prison,” Compass Direct added. On May 13, local police also arrested two more former Muslims involved in a separate house church in Shiraz as the Christian converts were talking together in a city park. Both men, Mahmood Matin and a second man identified only as Arash, are still in jail. Yet another arrest incident was reported last month in the northern city of Amol, in Mazandaran province near the Caspian Sea. Two of the arrested converts to Christianity, one a pregnant woman, are still imprisoned with no news of their whereabouts. Psalm 91

CHINA Prominent House Church Leader Arrested – China Aid Association

On May 19, Pastor Lou Yuanqi, a prominent house church leader in the town of Qingshuihe, Xinjiang province, was arrested by police. According to China Aid Association, “After being interrogated for an hour in the township police station, Yuanqi was transferred to a detention centre and charged with ‘inciting separatism.’ The pastor has been previously arrested several times. This is the first instance, however, of him being placed under criminal detention which means that he will likely face a serious indictment in court.” Pray for Pastor Yuanqi to experience the joy and peace of Christ while he suffers. Pray for Chinese house church leaders to stand in God’s grace as they continue to face pressure from the authorities. Acts 5:40-42

NIGERIA Teenage Girls Kidnapped By Muslims; Rescue Incites Violence – Compass Direct News

On May 12, the police rescued two Christian girls, Mary Chikwodi Okoye (15) and Uche Edward (14), kidnapped by Muslim militants three weeks earlier in Bauchi state, Nigeria. According to Compass Direct News, “The kidnappers initially took the girls to the house of a Muslim leader in the town of Wudil. Okoye’s foster father and a group of believers heard where the girls were being held. When they arrived at the home, however, the girls had been relocated to the residence of a Muslim leader in Ningi. When the team went to this home they were told by the leader that the girls had converted to Islam and could not be released. The police then stepped in and evacuated the girls to eastern Nigeria where they were reunited with their biological parents.” Compass added that the following day, Muslims associated with a paramilitary arm of Kano state’s Sharia Commission went on a rampage, attacking Christians and setting fire to local churches, in protest of the girls’ release. Six church buildings, the Deeper Life Bible Church, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, All Souls Anglican Church, Church of Christ in Nigeria, Redeemed Christian Church of God and the Redeemed Peoples Mission, were destroyed in the attack. The Muslims also attacked shops belonging to Okoye’s foster father, looting and destroying goods worth over 50 million naira (US $430,198). Thank the Lord that Mary and Uche were found safe. Ask God to strengthen those affected by the mob attack to enable them to remain steadfast as they suffer. Pray that young Christian girls in Nigeria who have been kidnapped by Muslims will remain strong in faith and be freed. Revelation 2:10

Iran (MNN/CDN) – The underground evangelical church is growing exponetially in Iran, and authorities appear to be taking action against it.

According to the President of Open Doors USA Carl Moeller, “There’s a crackdown going on right now against evangelical Muslim-background believers, or converts from Islam to Christianity in the area of Shiraz. We have reports from Southern Iran that 12 Christian converts have been arrested, and four are still imprisoned.”

The arrests began at 5 a.m. on May 11 when two couples were taken into custody before boarding their flights at the Shiraz International Airport, reports Compass Direct News. All were subjected to hours of interrogation, questioning them solely “just about their faith and house church activities,” an Iranian source told Compass.

The detained Christians were identified as Homayon Shokohie Gholamzadeh, 48, and his wife Fariba Nazemiyan Pur, 40; Amir Hussein Bab Anari, 25, and his wife Fatemeh Shenasa, 25.

Although the two wives were released the same day of their arrest, Anari was detained until May 14, and Gholamzadeh remains jailed.

Two hours after the early morning arrests on May 11, police authorities invaded the home of Hamid Allaedin Hussein, 58, arresting him and his three adult children, Fatemah, 28, Muhammed Ali, 27, and Mojtaba, 21.

All the family’s books, CDs, computers and printers were hauled off as well.

Hussein, his daughter and one son were released later the same day, but son Mojtaba remains in prison.

Two days later, local police picked up two more former Muslims involved in a separate house church in Shiraz as the Christian converts were talking together in a city park. Both men, Mahmood Matin and a second man identified only as Arash, are still jailed.

Still another arrest incident was reported last month in the northern city of Amol, in Mazandaran province near the Caspian Sea. Two of the arrested converts to Christianity–one a pregnant woman–are still imprisoned, with no news of their whereabouts.

According to Moeller, there’s a reason why this harassment is taking place. “Iranian authorities are recognizing that there’s a mushrooming house church movement going on in Iran. (It’s) doubling in size of the indigenous house church movement there in Iran every six months. So the rate of growth is actually stunning.”

Converts from Islam are routinely subjected to both physical and psychological mistreatment while being held for days or weeks, usually in solitary confinement. Huge bail amounts are demanded for their release, under the threat of further detention or formal criminal prosecution if caught worshipping or spreading their faith.

The large number of Iranians embracing Christianity has been attributed in part to a number of radio stations and satellite television channels launched in the past five years broadcasting Christian programs in Farsi into the country 24 hours a day.

But Moeller thinks disillusionment is causing people to look for answers. “This disillusionment with these conservative clerics and this harsh political hatred creates a tremendous opportunity for the love of Jesus Christ to make inroads into people’s lives. People are searching for real spiritual answers, and they are finding it in Jesus Christ.”

In January of this year, the Iranian parliament drafted a proposed criminal code that would make the death penalty mandatory for “apostates” who leave Islam for another religion.

Under the existing law, apostasy is one of several “crimes” which can be punished with execution, although Islamic court judges are not required to hand down a death sentence.

The last Iranian Christian convert from Islam formally charged with apostasy was acquitted in May 2005. But Hamid Pourmand served 22 months of a three-year prison sentence on fabricated charges before he was finally released under virtual house arrest in July 2006.

With the large number of people turning to Christ, Bibles and discipleship materials are needs. If you’d like to help Open Doors provide new believers with these materials, click here.

Nigeria (MNN) — An Islamic militant group recently kidnapped two Christian teenage girls in northern Nigeria, with the intent of forcible conversion. Their rescue ignited a riot that destroyed six churches in Bauchi State.

Bernie Daniel with Voice of the Martyrs Canada says this highlights a trend: “Kidnapping teenage Christian girls by militant Muslims has become kind of a recurrent and ongoing practice. There are 13 Christian teenage girls who have been abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and married to older Muslim men so that their whereabouts are still unknown.”

On May 12, 15-year-old Mary Chikwodi Okoye and 14-year-old Uche Edward were kidnapped by Muslims in Ningi for just that purpose. Police took the two girls, who had been under foster care, to safety in southeastern Nigeria where their biological parents live.

According to a Compass Direct report, the day after the girls were rescued, Hisbah Command Muslims went on a rampage, attacking Christians and setting fire to the churches. The Hisbah Command is a paramilitary arm of Kano state’s Sharia Commission, responsible for enforcing Islamic law.

When the dust settled, Deeper Life Bible Church, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, All Souls Anglican Church, Church of Christ in Nigeria, Redeemed Christian Church of God, and the Redeemed People’s Mission were in ruins.

The pastor of Deeper Life Bible Church says the violence has taken its toll on ministry, too. The congregation of that church has shrunk to 40 people from the 130 who attended before the attack.

Because this attack was carried out by Hisbah Command, a paramilitary arm of Kano state’s Sharia Commission, trouble won’t be ending in the foreseeable future. Northern Nigeria is predominantly Muslim, and several of the states have adopted Sharia law for all civil cases.

But Daniel says the violence will have little impact overall on the vibrancy of the church. “Nigeria is a nation where there is an active evangelism both in the southern parts of the nation and also in the northern-dominated states. Evangelism will continue. The church of Nigeria will continue to grow, despite this opposition from Islamic militants.”

ALGERIA

Christian Sentenced for Carrying a Bible – Compass Direct News

On April 29, a court in Djilfa, south of Algiers, charged a 33-year-old Muslim convert to Christianity with “printing, storing and distributing” illegal religious material. According to Compass Direct News, “An Algerian Christian detained five days for carrying a Bible and personal Bible study books was handed a 300-Euro (US $460) fine and a one-year suspended prison sentence.” Compass reported this conviction was the latest in numerous detentions and court cases against Algerian Christians. “Since January, police and provincial officials have ordered the closure of up to half of the country’s estimated 50 Protestant congregations,” Compass Direct said. The 33-year-old Algerian Christian converted from Islam to Christianity eight years ago. On April 25, he was stopped at a police road block while riding in a shared taxi. Compass Direct added, “Officials took the convert into custody upon finding a Bible and several religious study books in his luggage. Police appear to have previous knowledge of the Christian’s connections. Officers refused to let the convert call friends to let them know of his detention, naming a church member in Tiaret whom they claimed he would contact.” Pray believers in Algeria will remain faithful despite persecution. Ask God to protect and give courage to this Algerian Christian who is standing for Christ. Psalm 37:28

CHINA & BURMA

Pray for Believers Affected by the Cyclone and Earthquake – VOM Sources

The Voice of the Martyrs is encouraging believers to pray for those affected by the cyclone in Burma (Myanmar) and the earthquake in China. Pray God will comfort Christians who have been displaced and lost loved ones during these natural disasters. Ask Him to provide for them during this difficult time and for the Holy Spirit to be their comforter. Isaiah 61: 1-3

WEST BANK

Pastor’s Son Recovering after Bomb Attack – VOM Sources

Praise God! Amiel Ortiz, the teenage son of Messianic Pastor David Ortiz, is recovering after he was seriously injured when a bomb delivered to the family’s home in the Jewish settlement went off in his hands. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts, Amiel’s father reports, “We checked out of the Schneider Children’s Hospital last week after a six-week stay, eight days in the ICU and the rest on the children’s floor. Ami received excellent care from the doctors and nurses in that hospital, but in response to prayer from the four corners of the earth, Ami has been healing at a rate that is extraordinary The plastic surgeon that worked on Ami said that in his 15 years of experience, he had never seen such extensive wounds. He said he has at least 100 pieces of shrapnel in his body from his head to his feet, which his body is slowly bringing up under the surface of the skin, which will come out by themselves.” Pray for Amiel’s continued recovery as he has transitioned into a rehabilitation center. Pray specifically for both eardrums to be restored, for him to regain use of his hands and arms, and healing for the burns and scars on his body. Also for the emotional healing for Amiel and his family, and for those responsible for the attack to be brought to justice. Ask God to give this family strength to forgive their attackers. 1 Corinthians 1: 3-5

VIETNAM

Government Officials Confiscate Evangelist’s Home – Compass Direct News

Government officials in Vietnam’s Lao Cai province have confiscated the land and home of a former opium addict because of his phenomenal success as an evangelist. According to Compass Direct News, “Local Christians report Sua Yinh Siong of Lau Chai village, in Sapa district in the Northwest Mountainous Region, had long been a desperate opium addict, leading to destitution for him and his family. In 2004, after becoming a Christian, Siong broke from his addiction and his animistic past, taking down paraphernalia for ancestor worship and other spirit-related articles and burning them. His joy over his liberation soon spread to others, and eventually more than 200 families also decided to follow Christ.” The Compass report added, ” Earlier this month, Siong told other Christian leaders that government harassment had reached a crisis point – in April, local and provincial officials had confiscated his land, citing ‘illegal religious activities.’ In the first few days of this month, Siong said officials evicted him from his home and threatened to destroy it.” Pray for protection for Siong and his family and for their land and home to be returned. Ask God to use his testimony to draw more nonbelievers into fellowship with Him. Philippians 4:13

China (MNN) — In preparation for the Olympics, China is cracking down on their security. Included in this, Dale Randolph of World Bible Translation Center says, “Some people have been arrested, Bible’s have been confiscated, and so we’re trying to quietly replace some of those Bibles.”

This confiscation of Bibles has created a critical need for more of God’s Word in a country where house churches already have to share them.

WBTC does distribution all year round, but with the recent situation, they’re trying to ramp up the process. Randolph says they are “like the turtle Bible distribution in China. It’s slow, consistent. At maybe about a thousand a week, we will print, distribute, and put in the hands mainly of people who do not have a Bible.”

The process is also tied to church planting. “We’re seeing many, many churches planted all across the areas as the Bibles are being distributed because we’re not trying to saturate an area; we’re not trying to do something overwhelming. We’re trying to consistently get people the Bibles that don’t have them, and at the same time help them to grapple with what the text says and come to know Jesus from that. And its having tremendous results all across the country,” said Randolph.

The price of each Bible is slightly higher because of the strategic process. Each Bible is $4.00 which means $40 will allow WBTC to place 10 Bibles.

It may seem like a drop in the bucket at the distribution rate of 1,000 per week in a country with possibly millions of underground believers. However, each Bible will likely be read by at least 10 people if used in a house church.

Jordan (MNN)– A Jordanian man has fled to Europe and applied for asylum there after being asked to renounce his Christian faith, according to a Voice of the Martyrs Canada report.

40-year-old Mohammad Abbad was attacked by Muslim militants earlier this year which put him in the hospital for a night. While there, he was handcuffed to his bed. Abbad’s son and another Muslim convert to Christianity were also victims of the attack. During Abbad’s stay in the hospital, his own father submitted charges of apostasy against him.

Just a few days after that attack, Abbad was asked to renounce his faith in a court hearing. He refused and fled the country the next day with his Jordanian Christian wife. Since then, his next hearing was postponed because of his absence, but his father is now applying for custody for the children while Abbad and his wife are out of the country.

The couple moved about in several Arab countries for about two weeks and are now in a European country hoping for asylum. The government is in the process of annulling the Christian couple’s marriage, awaiting the delivery of their marriage certificate from Abbad’s father.

In Jordan, Christians and Jews are allowed to worship as long as they do not try to convert Muslims. Converts are usually still considered Muslim by the government and report social and government discrimination.

INDONESIA Pastor Released from Prison – VOM Sources

Praise God! On April 27, Pastor Abraham Bentar was released from prison. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts in Indonesia, “Pastor Bentar was released two days ago; because he had served two-thirds of his sentence, he could be paroled. His wife received more than 10,000 letters and photographs from families around the world who were praying for them. The family is thankful for the support they received and rejoice in the pastor’s release.” VOM rejoices with Pastor Bentar’s family and thanks believers around the world for praying and encouraging him. Continue praying for protection and wisdom for Pastor Bentar as he returns home to his family and congregation. Ask God to protect believers in Indonesia. Psalm 100

INDIA “Anti-Conversion” Law Implemented in Gujarat State – VOM Sources

On April 1, an anti-conversion law passed in 2003, in Gujarat State, India, came into effect, increasing Christians’ concerns that it will encourage false accusations by Hindu extremists. According to VOM sources, “The law is supposed to curb religious conversions made by ‘force,’ ‘fraud’ or ‘allurement.’ However, Christians and human rights groups believe that the law actually obstructs all conversions, as Hindu extremists invoke it to harass Christian workers with arrests and imprisonments, which are often accompanied with violence against the accused.” The law dictates that any person who intends to convert must notify the government or they will be declared an offender and prosecuted under criminal laws. It also stipulates that those convicted of “forcible conversion” could be jailed for up to three years. Anti-conversion laws are now enforced in five Indian states-Gujarat, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh-and have been passed, but are yet to be implemented in Arunachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. Ask God to strengthen Christian workers in Gujarat as they face more opposition in serving the Lord. Pray the faithfulness of Indian Christians will be a light that draws many to the love of Christ. Matthew 5:14-16

KAZAKHSTAN Churches Facing Administrative Charges – Forum 18 News

On April 21, the government in Kazakhstan brought charges against the Salem Church in the capital city of Atyrau, in Atyrau province, for holding “illegal” meetings under Article 374, part 1, of the Administrative Code, which punishes unregistered church activity. According to Forum 18 News, “The charges are a response to a group of Russian-speaking church members meeting regularly in a private home instead of the church’s registered address. The church’s leader, however, stated that the Administrative Code allows such groups to meet in a member’s private home, so long as important religious ceremonies-such as baptisms and weddings-are not conducted.” Meanwhile, local authorities have asked the New Life Church, also in Atyrau city, to re-register since their old registration did not indicate a legal address. Forum 18 reports, “Since the church does not currently have a building, re-registering will be difficult as Kazakhstan’s amended Religion Law demands that a church indicate a legal address. Church members fear they will be subject to penalty because authorities will now consider their church activity ‘illegal.’” Pray for wisdom for these churches and their leaders as they face pressure and opposition from authorities. Pray that the Word of God will continue to spread throughout Kazakhstan. Psalm 5:11-12

Somalia (MNN) — An Islamic extremist group has murdered another Somali Christian.

Bernie Daniel with Voice of the Martyrs-Canada says the details about the April 22nd killing have only recently emerged. “A Christian brother by the name of David Abdulwahab Mohamed Ali who was only 29 years old–an active evangelist–was killed by the same militia that avowed the attacks on the teachers, the Al Shabab militia, which is a militant Islamic organization affiliated with Al Qaeda.”

According to a report from the International Christian Concern, David converted to Christianity in 1995. He was living in Yemen but had to flee to Ethiopia because of government persecution. This April, David returned to Somalia to visit family, where Al Shabab found him.

The group is fighting to implement Sharia law in Somalia and create an Islamic state. They have vowed to eradicate Christianity. That threat causes great concern for the church body there. Less than three percent of the population is Christian, and the rest is Sunni Muslim.

Al Shabab has claimed responsibility for killing four Christians over the last six months. Daniel believes this will intensify. “The situation for our Christian brethren in Somalia is very dire. It’s a very tiny community in a militant Islamic society, so there is a kind of open season on Christians in Somalia.”

Daniel urges prayer for the body of Christ in Somalia: “The response of the Christians in Somalia is going to be to carry on the message of the Cross, at great cost to their lives.”

Pray for encouragement and strength for the Christians remaining in Somalia as well as for those who have been forced to leave their homes.