Tag: Proselytism

Nepal ‘anything but progressive’ on religious freedom

December 6, 2018 Nepal Anti-conversion law, Churches, Hindu nationalism, Nepal, Proselytism, Religious freedom

The situation for Christians in Nepal has “worsened” since a new criminal code came into effect earlier this year, writes human rights activist Prakash Khadka for the Catholic news site UCAN. Nepal only became a secular country in 2007. Until that time it had been a Hindu monarchy for centuries . . . Read More

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

December 5, 2018 Iran Amin Afshar Naderi, Christmas, Ebrahim Firouzi, Evin Prison, Iran, Karaj, Maryam Naghash Zargaran, Prisons, Proselytism, Rajaei Shahr Prison, Tehran

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

Algeria: Christian family charged with ‘inciting a Muslim to change his religion’

December 4, 2018 Algeria Algeria, Churches, Kabylie, Minorities, Proselytism

A sign at the entrance of a mosque which was once a church.

Four Algerian Christians appeared in court last week, charged with “inciting a Muslim to change his religion” and “performing religious worship in an unauthorised place”, reports Middle East Concern (MEC). If found guilty they face to two to five years in prison and a fine of up to 1 million . . . Read More

Malaysia releases four Finnish Christians

November 29, 2018 Malaysia Apostasy, Malaysia, Proselytism

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

Turkey refuses entry to N. American Christian evangelist

November 26, 2018 Turkey Ankara, David Byle, Istanbul, Proselytism, Turkey

Turkish immigration authorities refused to permit Canadian-American Christian David Byle to enter Turkey when he returned to Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen airport last week. After living and ministering in Turkey for the past 19 years, the 49-year-old evangelist was told by police officials on his arrival on 20 November that a . . . Read More

Malaysia arrests four Finnish nationals for distributing Christian literature

November 23, 2018 Malaysia Apostasy, Malaysia, Proselytism, Religious freedom

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

Nepal: 4 women arrested for ‘attempting to forcefully convert people to Christianity’

November 8, 2018 Nepal Anti-conversion law, Dalits, Kathmandu, Nepal, Proselytism

Nepal Entry, Meeting Sonam Tsering (guitarist, leads tours up to Annapurna, surprisingly a Christian Tibetan), Intro to everything, Pema Wangdi Lama recording studio, Boudhanath 1 (Flickr / Damien KR / CC)

Four Christian women were arrested earlier this week in Nepal on suspicion of attempting to convert people to Christianity by force, Asia News reports. The women – two of whom are Japanese – were accused by residents of proselytising door-to-door. They were followed and filmed, and the footage was passed . . . Read More

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

November 7, 2018 Malaysia Apostasy, Catholics, Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia, Proselytism, Putrajaya, Raymond Koh, Religious freedom, UN

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

November 2, 2018 Colombia Colombia, FARC, Medellin, Organised crime, Proselytism, Venezuela

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

November 2, 2018 China Catholics, Chengdu, China, Churches, Fujian, Fuzhou, Henan, Human rights, Police, Proselytism, Religious freedom, Sichuan, Sinicisation, Three-Self Patriotic Movement

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

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