Tags

conversion

• Court Rulings for Forcibly Married Christian Youth

  

  The kidnapping of young teens in Pakistan continues to be a serious concern for Christians and other religious minorities. After being kidnapped, many of these girls are forcibly "converted" to Islam and then compelled to marry their captors or other men associated with the crimes. While some state governments have introduced legislation to stop this abusive practice – including a law that recently passed in the Islamabad area – the courts frequently favour the kidnappers because of the pressures they encounter from militant Islamic groups. Two recent cases highlight the many challenges facing Christian girls in this South Asian country.

• Christians Forcibly Registered as Muslims

  

  Christians constitute a minority of the population in Malaysia, where they are frequently marginalized and pressured to convert to Islam. According to recent reports from the community of Nabawan, the national identity cards of some Christians have been secretly changed, classifying them as Muslims rather than followers of Jesus. These changes were made without the believers' knowledge.

• Kidnapped Teen Forcibly Converted to Islam and Married

  

  A 16-year-old Christian girl in Jaranwala, Punjab, was kidnapped on September 12th before being forced to convert to Islam and marry one of her captors. On the day of the attack, Diya Iftikhar was at home with her four sisters. The family's neighbours state that they saw three armed men force Diya into a white Suzuki van, which then sped away. The men have since been identified as Ghazaal Jutt, Afzal Jutt and Ramzan Jutt.

• Family of Deceased Pastor Forcibly Converted to Hinduism

  

  Pastor Manju, an outspoken leader and prominent advocate for Christian rights in India, pastored churches in two different villages within Chhattisgarh State. Sadly, Pastor Manju suffered a heart attack on August 28th and suddenly passed away, leaving his surviving wife, daughter and two sons grief-stricken and in a state of shock.

• Christians Forced to "Reconvert" to Hinduism

  

  Around 120 tribal Christians from two villages in Odisha State were forcibly "reconverted" to Hinduism on August 4th during a ceremony known as "ghar wapsi" (meaning "homecoming"). The ceremony involved Hindu and tribal rituals which are believed to "cleanse" those who had previously accepted Christ and wash away any remnants of Christianity.

• Young Girl Forcibly Converted

  

  On the night of February 11th, ten-year-old Laiba Suhail was abducted from her home in the Faisalabad District of Punjab. The Christian girl's captor has been identified as Muhammad Mohsin Shah – a man who is well known in the area for abducting and forcibly converting girls from religious minorities.

• Two Christian Brothers Forcibly Converted

  

  Two Christian brothers, Azam and Nadeem George Masih, were reportedly kidnapped on January 22nd before being beaten and forced to recite an Islamic conversion creed. The assailants recorded a video statement in which the brothers were forced to state that they had converted to Islam of their own free will.

• Christians Injured in Mob Attack

  

  A Christian advocate has challenged the state government of Chhattisgarh for being directly responsible for the ongoing violence perpetrated against members of the Christian minority. Arun Pannalal, the president of Chhattisgarh's Christian Forum, recounts at least ten reported incidents of Christian persecution in five different locations across the state since early January – and more than 200 incidents during the past two years. "It is a complete failure of the state government," he states.

• Christian Girls Abducted

  

  At least four Pakistani Christian girls have been kidnapped in the first two weeks of 2022, continuing a trend that has become increasingly prevalent across the country. In many cases, the abducted girls are forcibly converted to Islam, married to their kidnappers, and then held in captivity – an outcome justified by fraudulent marriage and conversion certificates. To read about previous instances, go to our country report.

• Young Teens Forcibly Converted by Employers

  

  Two 13-year-old girls from Christian families have been forcibly married to their employers and converted to Islam in separate incidents. These recent cases further demonstrate the ongoing abuse of young Christian girls in the country. It is estimated that about 1,000 believers were married against their wills to militant Muslims between November 2019 and October 2020. For information on Christian persecution in Pakistan, and to read reports about other instances of forced conversion, go to our country report.

  Nayab Gill
  On May 31st, Shahid Gill received the devastating news that the custody of his 13-year-old daughter had been given to a 30-year-old man who forcibly converted her to Islam and then married her.