A report has recently surfaced, indicating that 24 Eritrean believers were released from prison in early April. While most of the freed Christians had been detained for more than two years, one of them endured imprisonment for over 18 years. As is often the case, few details have been made available, and no official explanation was given for the releases.
Churches in Belarus continue to encounter increasing pressures under a new religion law that came into effect in July 2024. The legislation requires all churches to undergo re-registration, including those that had previously been approved by the government. As a result, three Greek Catholic parishes that were originally registered in the 1990s have had their applications rejected.
On February 11th, the governor of Punjab, Pakistan, signed the "Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026" into effect. The bill raised the minimum age for marriage, providing greater protections for the country's vulnerable youth. It is hoped that this law will now help prevent the kidnapping, forced conversion and marriage of Christian girls. (Further details about the newly implemented legislation are available in this report.)
On April 21st, legal proceedings began in the case against Saeid Abdulraziq, a Christian convert in Egypt. Although the believer has been accused under the country's anti-terrorism laws, advocates believe his arrest is primarily linked to his conversion to Christianity and subsequent involvement in faith-related activities. (To access a previously published report regarding Saeid's case, go to this report.)
