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2018-02-01

• New Religion Law Poses Increased Concerns

  

  Vietnam's Law on Belief and Religion, which came into force on January 1st, has alarmed Christians because it insists religious groups must be registered and approved by the government. They also believe that the law's vague wording could be exploited to limit church activities.

  Despite some improvement in religious freedoms during recent years, some Christians continue to face intense pressure, especially those who speak out against corruption and human rights abuses. Christian lawyer Nguyen Van Dai and Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton are both still in custody since their arrests in December 2015 and July 2017, respectively, because they have called for greater religious freedom. They have also been barred from meeting with their lawyers.

• Believers Appeal Latest Prison Sentences

  

  Two Iranian Christians were sentenced to a total of eight years in prison by a revolutionary court in December 2017 after being convicted of national security-related crimes. Suroush Saraie and Eskandar Rezaie, who are both members of the Church of Iran denomination, each received seven-year sentences for "creating a group that works against national security" and an additional year for "propaganda against the state." Both men are appealing the verdict. (A report on the previous arrest of these believers, which took place in 2012 during a home prayer meeting, can be found here.)

• Restored Churches Emerge from the Ashes

  

  New buildings have emerged in Niger from the rubble of churches that were destroyed three years ago in the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, France. On the weekend of January 16th and 17th in 2015, more than 70 churches were ransacked by hundreds of militant Islamists who were angered that Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou, joined by five other African heads of state, met in Paris for meetings. A previous prayer alert report on the destruction and chaos that took place in Niger may be reviewed here.