Tags

Kidnap

• Hope for Young Teen Forced into Marriage

  

  According to Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, the Sindh High Court has ordered that Arzoo Raja, a 13-year-old Christian girl, be recovered by police and moved into a shelter. This comes almost a month after she was abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and married against her will to a 44-year-old Muslim neighbour.

• Teen Girls Kidnapped for Forcible Marriages

  

  On April 28th, 14-year-old Maira Shahbaz (also referenced as "Maria") had been abducted at gunpoint by Mohamad Nakash and his two accomplices while she was walking to her home near Faisalabad. She was then forced to convert to Islam and marry her abductor. The teen girl's parents challenged the validity of the marriage but Mohamad presented a marriage certificate falsely stating that Maira was 19 years old. The kidnapper has also issued death threats against Maira and her family if they continued to pursue this action.

• Teen Girls Kidnapped for Forcible Marriages (Sample)

  

  On April 28th, 14-year-old Maira Shahbaz (also referenced as "Maria") had been abducted at gunpoint by Mohamad Nakash and his two accomplices while she was walking to her home near Faisalabad. She was then forced to convert to Islam and marry her abductor. The teen girl's parents challenged the validity of the marriage but Mohamad presented a marriage certificate falsely stating that Maira was 19 years old. The kidnapper has also issued death threats against Maira and her family if they continued to pursue this action.

• Pregnant Teen Confined to a Single Room

  

  In October 2019, 14-year-old Huma Younus was kidnapped from her home, forcibly converted to Islam, and then married to her kidnapper (read more). Since the abduction, her parents have been working on her behalf, seeking to annul the marriage, which by law is forbidden before the age of 18 without parental permission.

• Justice Declared for Kidnapped Girl

  

  On August 12th, 2015, a 13-year-old girl named Ese Rita Oruru was kidnapped from her home in Bayelsa State of southern Nigeria. After being taken to the northern state of Kano, she was raped, forcibly converted to Islam, and married to her kidnapper.

• Christian Woman "Converts" after Kidnapping

  

  Rania Abd al-Meseh was kidnapped on April 23rd by two veiled women in the Monufia Governorate. Three days later, a video began circulating in which she allegedly announces her conversion to Islam. Those who know her, however, are convinced that she was under duress at the time of the videotaping, based on her body language.

• Rohingya Christians Deal with Aftermath of Attack

  

  In last week's "Persecution & Prayer Alert," an urgent prayer request was issued for Christians who were recently attacked in a Rohingya refugee camp and the imminent forced marriage of a pastor's daughter to a Muslim man (read more). Since the previous report, more details have continued to come to light.

  The attack occurred in Kutapalong, the world's largest refugee camp. More than 20 Christian families were attacked with at least 12 people injured. A similar attack happened in May 2019 by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army who claim to be fighting for the liberation of the Rohingya. Local police insist that the ARSA is not involved and have downplayed the number of injured.

• Pastor Repeatedly Beaten

  

  Pastor Jai Singh was part of a house church that had gathered for worship on January 5th in the village of Bichpari when a mob of 250 to 300 people surrounded the home. He was dragged to a school where he was beaten multiple times by different groups of people before being driven to a Hindu temple and forced to sit in front of idols. By the time the abuse was finished, his garment was covered in blood. After the assault, the perpetrators took Pastor Jai to a police station where he was left in severe pain.

  Police took him to a hospital for treatment and then brought him back to the station where he, along with the owner of the house church meeting and other participants, were charged for allegedly offering money to convert people to Christianity. The pastor remained in custody until bail was granted two days later.

• Kidnapped Pastor Executed

  

  A leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and pastor of a Brethren church, Lawan Andimi, was executed by Boko Haram terrorists on January 20th. Pastor Lawan was kidnapped during a raid in the town of Michika on January 3rd (read more). Shortly after, a video was released in which the pastor speaks of his faith in God's sovereignty despite the situation. He told his family: "God is still alive.... Don't cry, don't worry, thank God for everything." News of his death also came via video, sent to the same journalist, showing the beheadings of Pastor Lawan and an unnamed soldier.

• Church Leader Kidnapped in Raid

  

  A leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria was kidnapped on January 3rd when Boko Haram raided the town of Michika which is located near the border with Cameroon. Fighters came into town with a convoy of vehicles. Nigerian soldiers readily responded and, in the confusion, town people fled into the bush. While the military drove out the attackers, killing most of them, Pastor Lawan Andimi was taken hostage as the remaining terrorists fled.