Tag: Police

Coptic barber dies after ‘fainting’ at police station; family say he was killed

July 24, 2018 Egypt Beni Suef, Copts, Egypt, Police

The family of a Coptic barber, who died at a police station where he had gone to report threats, say they believe he was beaten to death. Maher Girgis Tawfiq, a 43-year-old father-of-four from the city of Beni Suef, had gone to the local police station on Friday 20 July . . . Read More

India: Police slow to register case after church burnt down by suspected Hindu extremists

June 15, 2018 India BJP, Churches, Hindu nationalism, Hindutva, India, Pentecostals, Police, Puducherry, RSS, Tamil Nadu

A church in Puducherry in southern India was set ablaze recently, after upper-caste Hindu neighbours had objected to worship services in the area. Puducherry, formerly Pondicherry, was a French colonial settlement until 1954. Pastor David Santosham and members of the Bible Presbyterian church in Karaikal District left for home after . . . Read More

Wife of missing Malaysian pastor Raymond Koh writes to PM

June 14, 2018 Malaysia Joshua Hilmy, Kidnapping, Malaysia, Perlis, Police, Raymond Koh

Pastor Raymond Koh who was last seen in February 2017. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

The wives of the abducted Malaysian pastor Raymond Koh and social activist Amri Che Mat have written an open letter to the country’s prime minister, asking for an immediate and independent investigation into the disappearance of their husbands. In their letter to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, published in the MalayMail . . . Read More

Uzbek police accused of targeting Christian women with sexual violence

June 1, 2018 Uzbekistan Khorezm, Police, Protestants, Religious freedom, Urgench, Uzbekistan, Women

Christian women in Uzbekistan meet for a meal and to pray together. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Women belonging to a Protestant church in the western Uzbek city of Urgench face threats, harassments and sexual violence from local authorities, according to regional news agency Forum 18. The news agency highlighted the case of Nargiza Khusainova, who was reportedly walking in the streets in January when she was . . . Read More

Pakistan: family of Christian boy killed by police compensated in ‘rare victory’

April 26, 2018 Pakistan Diyat, Islamic extremism, Minorities, Pakistan, Police, Punjab, Sheikhupura

The family of a Christian boy who was killed while in police custody has been compensated for more than the standard amount paid out in similar cases. A lawyer working for the family called the outcome a “rare victory”. Arsalan Masih, a 16-year-old student from Sheikhupura in the north-eastern Punjab . . . Read More

Indian police play down mob attack on Christian meeting

April 18, 2018 India BJP, Chhattisgarh, Hindu nationalism, India, Narendra Modi, Pentecostals, Police

Christian families have fled their homes in eastern India after telling police a Hindu nationalist mob had attacked a church fellowship meal, only to be met with attempts to silence them. Pastor Kasi Ram told World Watch Monitor that only three Christian families remained in the village of Bakel – . . . Read More

Indian Christians charged with ‘hurting religious sentiments’ by handing out Easter tracts

April 5, 2018 India BJP, Churches, Easter, Hindu nationalism, Hindutva, Hyderabad, India, Police, Proselytism, RSS, Telangana, Women

Four Christians, including the wife of a church leader, have been charged with “hurting religious sentiments” after they handed out Christian tracts during an Easter procession in India’s southern Telangana state. Rayapuri Jyothi, 38, Meena Kumari, 52, Mahima Kumari, 35 and Bagadam Sudhakar, 45, were taken into custody by police . . . Read More

Elderly Christian woman murdered in India – family say she was targeted, police say killer ‘mad’

March 27, 2018 India Andhra Pradesh, Hindu nationalism, India, Police, Women

The body of an elderly Christian woman was found in a pool of blood on the terrace of her house in southern India’s Andhra Pradesh state last Wednesday, 21 March. Chadarajupalli Subbaravamma, who was in her mid-sixties and converted to Christianity ten years ago, was last seen by her family . . . Read More

India: police leave Catholic hospital separated from power supply after attack

March 23, 2018 India BJP, Catholics, Hindu nationalism, India, Madhya Pradesh, Police, Ujjain

Police guarding a Catholic hospital in central India that was attacked by a Hindu nationalist mob are restricting staff access to its emergency generator. The last members of the 100-strong mob that attacked Pushpa Mission Hospital in Ujjain city, Madhya Pradesh, left the site following a 16 March court order . . . Read More

Pakistan blasphemy suspect says he jumped from fourth floor to escape forced sex act

February 26, 2018 Pakistan Blasphemy, Lahore, Pakistan, Patras Masih, Police, Sajid Masih, Torture

A suspect in a blasphemy case in Lahore, Pakistan, claims he was tortured by police and jumped from a fourth floor window to avoid being forced by officers to perform oral sex on his cousin, who is also under investigation. Sajid Masih, 24, suffered multiple fractures after jumping on Friday, . . . Read More

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