Iran: ‘staggering’ number of Christians arrested – 114 in a week

Iran: ‘staggering’ number of Christians arrested – 114 in a week
Over 100 Christians have been arrested in Iran in the past week and nearly 150 in the past month, as part of the government’s attempt to “warn” Christians against proselytising over Christmas, according to the advocacy director of religious freedom charity Article 18. Mansour Borji called the number of arrests . . . Read More

Malaysia releases four Finnish Christians

Putra Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Evangelism among Malay Muslims is against the law. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)
The four Finnish nationals arrested in Malaysia last week for distributing Christian literature have been released and deported, The Associated Press reports. The four – two men and two women aged between 27 and 60 – were arrested in their hotel on Langkawi Island, a well-known tourist destination, on 20 . . . Read More

Malaysia arrests four Finnish nationals for distributing Christian literature

Conversion to Christianity in Muslim-majority Malaysia is against the law in almost all states, as is evangelism among Malay Muslims. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)
Four Finnish nationals were arrested by police in Malaysia on Tuesday, 20 November, for allegedly distributing Christian pamphlets, reports AsiaNews. The four, two men and two women aged between 27 and 60, were arrested in their hotel on Langkawi Island, a well-known tourist destination, on charges of “disturbing religious harmony”. . . . Read More

Malaysia’s ‘deep-seated tensions’ exposed by MP’s call for religious freedom

Kasthuri Patto (Twitter)
A Malaysian Catholic MP’s call last month for the government to sign the UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief has highlighted the “deep-seated tensions between ultra-conservative Muslims and the new government”, says the director of Malaysia’s Religious Freedom . . . Read More

‘I am currently under threat of death for preaching’ – Colombian pastor

During the 50 years conflict between Colombia's government and main rebel group, FARC-EP, churches were threatened and hundreds of church leaders assassinated by armed groups. (Photo: World Watch Monitor, 2012)
Violence in Colombia has killed 200,000 people and caused around 7 million to flee their homes over the past 50 years, making them the world’s largest internally displaced group of people, World Magazine reported last week. Violence is especially severe in rural areas. At the border with Venezuela, the magazine . . . Read More

China: Cultivate ‘patriotic’ clergy, Henan officials told

China: Cultivate ‘patriotic’ clergy, Henan officials told
Local government officials in China’s central Henan province are being encouraged to cultivate “patriotic” clergy for leadership positions in the Catholic Church, according to a document outlining how to implement the new religion regulations. The guidelines, published in a confidential document titled ‘Supervision and Self-Inspection Framework for Implementing the Central . . . Read More