Tag: Proselytism

Brunei takes another step towards full implementation of Sharia

March 21, 2018 Brunei Borneo, Brunei, Islamic extremism, Proselytism, Quran, Ramadan, Religious freedom, Sharia, Southeast Asia, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Torture

Parliament building in Brunei's capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Brunei’s Sultan and his Islamic Religious Council have approved a draft Criminal Code that brings the country another step closer to the full implementation of Sharia (Islamic law), the Borneo Bulletin reports. The draft outlines procedures for investigation, prosecution and the judiciary, and would facilitate the introduction of harsher punishments . . . Read More

Kazakhstan: 24 faith-related criminal convictions in 2017

March 8, 2018 Kazakhstan Baptists, Censorship, Education, Kazakhstan, Proselytism, Religion Law

New figures show the number of known criminal convictions handed out for exercising freedom of religion or belief in Kazakhstan reached 24 in 2017, reports the Oslo-based Forum 18 news service. The individuals were mainly Sunni Muslims but included one Christian, Yuri Ivanovich Bekker, a Baptist sentenced to a year . . . Read More

Algeria: two more churches closed, others threatened

March 1, 2018 Algeria Aïn Turk, Algeria, Churches, Kabylie, North Africa, Oran, Proselytism, Protestant Church of Algeria, Religious freedom, Tizi Ouzou

Local authorities in Algeria’s north-western city of Oran have closed two more churches amidst growing pressure on Christians in the Maghreb country. The two churches – L’Oratoire (The Oratory) in Oran’s city centre, and a village church in Layayda (about 40km from Oran) – were sealed off by police on . . . Read More

Indonesia: Catholics forced to stop aid work after accusations of converting Muslims

February 2, 2018 Indonesia Catholics, Indonesia, Proselytism, Yogyakarta

Catholics from a church in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta have been accused of proselytism while distributing aid packages to the local mostly Muslim community, Catholic news agency UCAN reports. The packages, containing basic necessities and healthcare, were delivered to locals as part of a programme to celebrate the elevation . . . Read More

Malaysian pastor Raymond Koh’s kidnap inquiry halted

January 19, 2018 Malaysia Borneo, Converts, Joshua Hilmy, Kidnapping, Malaysia, Minorities, Police, Proselytism, Putrajaya, Raymond Koh, Religious freedom, Sabah, Sarawak

The fragile hopes of a Malaysian family in search of answers to the abduction of church leader Raymond Koh were dashed by a surprise development on Wednesday (17 January). Almost a year after Koh went missing, after little or no progress in police investigations, Malaysia’s newest Inspector General of Police . . . Read More

Algerian church closed for ‘illegally printing Bibles and material intended for evangelism’

November 20, 2017 Algeria Aïn Turk, Algeria, Bibles, Churches, Oran, Proselytism, Protestant Church of Algeria

A church in Algeria’s north-western town of Aïn Turk (15km from Oran city) has been closed down by local authorities. The church, affiliated to the Protestant Church of Algeria (known as EPA, its French acronym), was sealed off by police on 9 November. Authorities in Oran claimed the church had . . . Read More

Nepali Christians freed 9 months after conviction for ‘witchcraft’ of praying for mentally ill woman

September 26, 2017 Nepal Charikot, Converts, Minorities, Nepal, Proselytism, Salyan

Four Nepali Christians sentenced last year to five years in prison for “violence and witchcraft”, after praying for a mentally ill woman, have been released after their sentences were overturned. In a statement, the Federation of National Christian, Nepal (FNCN) thanked the court for “setting free our innocent people”, and . . . Read More

Nepal criminalises conversions and ‘hurting religious sentiment’

August 22, 2017 Nepal Anti-conversion law, Blasphemy, Charikot, Converts, Hindu nationalism, India, Nepal, Proselytism

As Nepal prepares for its first election following the introduction of a new Constitution two years ago, its parliament has passed a Bill criminalising religious conversion and the “hurting of religious sentiment”, as Christian Solidary Worldwide (CSW) reports. Nepal’s Christian minority fears that, once presidential approval is given, the new . . . Read More

Wife of abducted Malaysian pastor: why are police investigating my husband rather than looking for him?

May 26, 2017 Malaysia Joshua Hilmy, Perlis, Petaling Jaya, Proselytism, Raymond Koh

The family of a Malaysian pastor abducted more than 100 days ago have expressed their disappointment that police are investigating his alleged preaching to Muslims rather than focusing on finding him and bringing his kidnappers to justice. Raymond Koh was abducted by masked men near his home in Petaling Jaya, . . . Read More

Turkish court blocks US Christian’s deportation

February 17, 2017 Turkey Andrew Brunson, Ankara, Coup, David Byle, Gaziantep, Istanbul, Proselytism, Ryan Keating

David Byle preaching in Turkey.World Watch Monitor Turkey’s Constitutional Court intervened promptly this week to block temporarily the pending deportation and re-entry ban ordered against a US citizen active in Christian ministry in Turkey for the past 17 years. Without the high court’s provisional ruling, Canadian-American David Byle would . . . Read More

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