Persecution

Uighurs on Twitter

China | Brewing anger over detention of a famous singer and other Uighur minorities sparks a new social media campaign

by June Cheng
Posted 2/14/19, 12:55 pm

Most Muslim countries have remained silent since reports began circulating last year about the Chinese government’s detention of 1 million Muslim Uighur minorities in Xinjiang, China’s semi-autonomous region in the Northwest. Many of those same countries have close trade ties with China.

Yet on Saturday, Turkey condemned China for holding hundreds of thousands of Uighurs in re-education camps, where they face “torture and political brainwashing.” The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the reintroduction of internment camps a “great shame for humanity.”

Prayer and protest

Europe | A draconian bill on religion goes down to defeat in Bulgaria

by Jenny Lind Schmitt
Posted 2/14/19, 11:40 am

In a dramatic turnabout rarely seen in formerly communist Eastern Europe, the Bulgarian parliament passed a law protecting the liberties of the country’s religious minorities on the final day of its 2018 session.

The original version of the bill threatened to restrict the rights of religious groups representing less than 1 percent of the population—which included at least 100 of the country’s growing evangelical churches. How the turnaround happened—through eight weeks of prayer vigils and organized protests—is a lesson for other threatened believers.

Holiday in jail

Persecution | While most residents of China celebrate Chinese New Year, 14 church members remain in state custody

by June Cheng
Posted 2/07/19, 11:36 am

The world’s largest annual migration is currently underway as Chinese people return home to celebrate Chinese New Year this week. Chinese citizens are expected to make a whopping 2.99 billion trips by train, plane, and automobile between Jan. 21 and March 1, according to Lian Weiliang, the deputy director of China’s National Development and Reform Commission.

Officials contradict reports Bibi left Pakistan

Onize Ohikere & Lynde Langdon | 2/02/19, 10:27 am

UPDATE: Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian woman acquitted of blasphemy against Islam, remains in hiding in Pakistan despite reports she had reunited with her family in Canada, according to several sources. Fox News reported Friday that Pakistani and Canadian government officials said Bibi had not left Pakistan.

Joining the chorus

Persecution | Global persecution is rising and calling Christians to persevere

Mindy Belz | 1/30/19, 01:25 pm

The persecution index is rising. If someone launched a futures market based on Christian believers getting killed and took a “long” position, they’d have a safe prospect of a return.

Several Early Rain members released from detention

Onize Ohikere | 1/30/19, 01:07 pm

Chinese authorities this week released four Bible study leaders from Early Rain Covenant Church from administrative detention, according to Bob Fu, a Chinese-American pastor and the founder of China Aid. He said the group, released on Monday after 15 days in detention, includes a married couple. “Beautiful smiles since the Lord has done great things through them!” Fu wrote in a Facebook post.

Asia Bibi free to leave Pakistan

Kiley Crossland | 1/29/19, 10:17 am

The Pakistani Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the acquittal of Asia Bibi, the Catholic woman and mother of five sentenced to death in 2010 for blasphemy against Islam. The high court dismissed a petition asking it to review its Oct. 31 acquittal of Bibi and send her back to death row. Tuesday’s ruling finally clears Bibi to leave the country and seek asylum elsewhere.

The fight for Chinese rights

Persecution | A network of lawyers in China has led a bold effort to enforce the rule of law, but Communist opposition is formidable

June Cheng | 1/17/19, 02:59 pm

For three years after her husband’s disappearance, Li Wenzu had no idea where he was or whether he was even alive. Wang Quanzhang, a 42-year-old Chinese human rights lawyer who had represented political dissidents and the victims of land grabs, first went missing during a 2015 crackdown, when Communist agents detained more than 320 lawyers and activists.

Sharing a bitter cup

Persecution | Government oppression continues for China’s Early Rain Church

June Cheng | 1/10/19, 11:22 am

On Wednesday, a month after authorities raided Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China, police released church member Zhu Xiaoguang. He had spent 27 days in detention. Twenty other leaders and members of the church remain in criminal detention as the persecution continues for Early Rain and its church plants.

Chinese police disrupt weekend worship

Persecution | In continuing crackdown, police detained Early Rain Church members worshipping at a park

June Cheng | 12/17/18, 12:00 pm

On Sunday morning, members of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China, tried to meet together for Sunday worship only to have police detain about 60 people and shut down outdoor services. Several small groups found spaces to meet and worship without incident.