Christian Persecution Around The World The Past Couple Of Months

Christian Persecution Around The World The Past Couple Of Months

I have taken the following headlines from The Persecution Times. There are many more headlines, if you care to read them please visit their website. I want you to see what is happening to Christians all around the world. This is only a snapshot.

Please visit Persecution.org - International Christian Concern for more indepth global news coverage by region.

12/31/11: Lao Officials Force Christians to Recant their Faith before allowing a Burial

DUBLIN, December 30 – Officials this week forced Christians in a Lao village to give up their faith in order to bury a family member in the village graveyard, according to advocacy group Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom (HRWLRF).

In Huey, Ad-Sapangthong district of Savannakhet Province, where immediate burial is essential in the hot tropical climate, the village’s eight Christian families quickly began to arrange a funeral for the deceased, a woman who died on Christmas Day who went by the single name of Wang. On Monday (Dec. 26), however, village officials ordered that her body be buried according to Buddhist funeral rites or be taken to a burial ground in Savannakhet city, HRWLRF reported.

12/28/11: Laos authorities move Christians to animal pen in Boukham village

On Wednesday (Dec. 28), sources close to district officials told HRWLRF that they suspected two people were directly responsible for the refusal of a Christian burial in Huey village as well as the Dec. 16 arrests of eight Christian leaders for gathering some 200 church members for a Christmas celebration in Boukham village.

Following the release of one of the Christian leaders, Boukham village authorities have moved six of the detained Christians to an animal pen, blocked visits from family members and banned direct delivery of food, local sources told HRWLRF.

12/28/11: Muslim Extremists in Uganda Throw Acid on Bishop

KAMPALA, Uganda (Compass Direct News) – Islamic extremists threw acid on a church leader on Christmas Eve shortly after a seven-day revival at his church, leaving him with severe burns that have blinded one eye and threaten the sight in the other.

12/25/11: Iranian Authorities raid church two days before Christmas

AHVAZ, IRAN (ANS) – Two days before Christmas, State Security agents of the Islamic Republic of Iran, attacked the Assembly of God Church in Ahvaz, and detained the pastor, the Rev. Farhad Sabok-Rooh, and his wife.

“All those present, including children attending their Friday school, were arrested, mobile phones confiscated, and church building thoroughly searched by the plainclothes agents who refused to identify themselves,” said the FCCN story.

“A number of computers, all audio-visual equipment, and hundreds of copies of Christian books, were seized and removed; Church attendees were relieved of their mobile phones and were taken on two buses to an unknown destination.

12/23/11: Village officials in Laos threaten to evict entire church from village unless they give up their faith

DUBLIN (Compass Direct News) – Nearly 50 Christians await their fate today after officials in Natoo village, southern Laos, on Wednesday (Dec. 21) summoned four of their leaders and warned that they would evict the entire church “within 24 hours” if they refused to give up their faith.

Officials told the Christians they had forfeited their right to live in the village because of their faith, the advocacy group Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom (HRWLRF) reported.

11/10/11: Police Detain, Beat Christian Converts from Islam in India

NEW DELHI (Compass Direct News) – Police in India’s Kashmir Valley detained and beat converts from Islam and were expected to arrest Christian workers after Muslim leaders alleged that Muslim youth were being “lured” to Christianity.

Police in the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley picked up seven converts who were recently baptized in All Saints Church in Srinagar, a local Christian who spoke to the converts after their release on Nov. 2 told Compass. Srinagar is the summer capital of the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir and the main city of the Kashmir Valley.

11/08/11: Burma Army Attacks Church, Shooting and Torturing Worshipers

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has received a report from sources inside Kachin State, Burma alleging that soldiers from the Burma Army shot at worshipers in a church in Wai Maw Township two days ago. The congregation was expelled from the church, and soldiers reportedly looted church donation boxes. The house of one church member, Mr Jumphpawk Hawng Lum, was burned down. At least fifty church members are taken to work as forced porters for the Burma Army.

10/31/11: Coptic Christian Student Murdered by Muslim Classmates for Wearing a Cross

CAIRO, EGYPT (ANS) — In mid-October Egyptian media published news of an altercation between Muslim and Christian students over a classroom seat at a school in Mallawi, Minya province.

Egyptian journalist Mary Abdelmassih, writing for AINA — Assyrian International News Agency, says the altercation lead to the murder of a Christian student.