Since the Taliban gained control of Afghanistan in 2021, thousands of Afghans who refused to follow the regime's strict form of Islam have been forced to flee the country. Among them are an estimated 13,000 refugees who sought asylum in neighbouring Tajikistan. However, in a deeply troubling development, Tajik authorities have begun forcibly deporting refugees back to Afghanistan, where they could face severe persecution and possibly death.
A horrific attack on a young Christian mother has once again exposed the severe forms of persecution experienced by religious minorities in Pakistan. On June 11th, Sheeza Bibi was brutally raped by three men while her three-year-old daughter, Dua, watched in terror. The incident was clearly premeditated.
As the church in Indonesia continues to grow, opposition to the construction of various worship facilities remains a major challenge. One Catholic church in the Bulukumba Regency of South Sulawesi has been waiting for 45 years to receive a building permit. Although the congregation was initially granted permission in 1980, their permit was revoked following public protests. Since then, members of the church have attempted to secure approval for multiple locations, but each application has been met with rejection.
