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2022-10-27

  • Churches Facing Threats of Forcible Closure
    Interior of a small church.
    A church in Sri Lanka.
    Photo: VOM Canada

    In two separate instances, churches in Sri Lanka received demands to close on the pretence that their activities were offensive to their communities. In both cases, legal action has been threatened if they fail to comply.

  • Abducted Pastor and His Wife Released!
    Ponomarevs with two unnamed men.
    Pastor Leonid Ponomarev and his wife Tatyana (centre).
    Photo: VOM Korea

    The previous month, a report from the Persecution & Prayer Alert addressed concerns over the ongoing harassment experienced by churches in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. It was reported that the leader of the Kurchatov Church in Mariupol, together with his wife, had been abducted by Russian soldiers. At that time, their location was unknown. (For more information, see this page.)

  • Two Christians Released from Evin Prison
    Naser sitting in a home.
    Naser Navard Gol-Tapeh
    Photo: Article18

    When news broke out that Evin Prison in Tehran had experienced a fire on October 15th, families of the prisoners were rightly concerned about the safety of those who were inside during the incident. Sounds of gunfire had been heard in the prison, along with explosions. While the reason for the fire remains unclear, it has been reported that all Christian prisoners of conscience were unharmed. For two particular Christian inmates, the days that followed brought an unexpected blessing when they were pardoned and released from prison.