Tags

Fine

• Believer Faces Hefty Fine for Assisting Others

  

  A court in Saudi Arabia has recently imposed a hefty fine of 300,000 SAR (which converted equates to approximately $97,000 CAD) on a Christian man who can only be identified as "A" or "Adam" for security reasons. He has been given 30 days to pay the fine unless an appeal is granted within that time.

• Christian Fined for Distributing Magazines

  

  This past Christmas, a neighbourhood celebration in Uzbekistan was hosted by Tatyana Akhmadiyeva, a member of a local Baptist church. At the event, she offered Christian magazines to 15 of her neighbours. Local authorities received a report about the distribution and summoned Tatyana for questioning. She was told that the publications had been imported illegally, since they had not been evaluated by the "Struggle with Extremism and Terrorism Department." As a result, the officials confiscated the magazines, which they claimed were unlawfully distributed, and fined Tatyana the equivalent of two weeks' average wages.

• Christians Facing Two Years' Imprisonment

  

  Along with the issuance of a substantial fine, a court in Algeria has sentenced Pastor Rachid Seighir and Nouh Hamimi to two years in prison. These Christians are being accused of "shaking the faith" of Muslims for having made Christian literature available at the bookstore they managed. The men found out about the February 27th ruling when a notice was slipped under the door of their church building.

• Increasing Pressure from Hindu Nationalists

  

  For many years, the Hindu Nationalist organization RSS has been an influential factor in Indian politics, particularly within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). One of the goals of the RSS is to change India from a secular democracy to a nation governed by Hindu polity. One way this is being achieved is through the passing of anti-conversion laws to prevent people from converting from Hinduism.

• Strict Opposition to Missionary Activity

  

  In July 2016, Russia passed religion laws restricting "illegal missionary activity" by either citizens or foreigners. This activity could involve speaking to people about religion, or the distribution of either printed, audio or video materials. Between January and June of this year, there have been 42 known prosecutions, resulting in 36 convictions. All those who were convicted received fines.

• Seven Iranians Sentenced

  

  Seven Iranian Christian converts were sentenced on June 21st for "spreading propaganda against the state." The evidence used against them included possession of Christian books and symbols, holding home church meetings, and being in contact with Iranian "evangelists" abroad. All seven intend to appeal their sentences.