Tags

Detainment / Arrest

• Hundreds Flee After Blasphemy Charges

  

  Police have charged a Christian man, Haroon Shahzad, with blasphemy after he posted a Bible passage onto his Facebook page on June 29th. The passage, 1 Corinthians 10:18-21, refers to the sacrificing of food to idols, and the timing of the post coincided with the beginning of the Islamic feast of Eid al-Adha. The post was made without comment.

• Five Arrested at Family Celebration
  

  Bibha Kerketta made her vows to become a nun six months ago and came home in early June to celebrate with her family and friends in Balachhapar, a village located in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh. However, as people gathered at her mother's home on June 6th, a group of Hindu militants barged into the house, accusing the Christians of conducting a healing service and insulting other religions.

• Five Detained During Raid on Christian Education Centre

  

  On May 24th, police raided the Shengjia Christian Education and Help Centre in Shunde City, which is located within the Chinese province of Guangdong. After forcibly entering the building, the authorities searched the premises and confiscated all the teaching materials. Pastor Deng was arrested, along with four of his coworkers.

• Over 100 Young Christians Arrested

  

  In mid-April, a group of 103 young Christians, some of whom are students from the Mai-Nefhi technical college, gathered in the Eritrean capital of Asmara. Their purpose was to sing songs of praise, which they recorded to share on YouTube. However, since these believers are not members of a government-approved church, their meeting was deemed illegal.

• New Arrests and Prison Releases

  

  According to a recent report, 30 Christians were arrested in mid-March while gathering for worship at a believer's house in the Eritrean city of Keren. Unfortunately, no further details are available at this time. The recently arrested followers of Jesus join more than 400 other Christians who are presently being held captive in Eritrean prisons because of their faith. For other reports and ways you can pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in this East African nation, go to our country report.

• Lawyer Visits Imprisoned Church Elder

  

  Elder Hao Ming was arrested in November 2021 because of his ministry activities with the Early Rain Qingcaodi Church, which is located in the city of Deyang. Though retired from the pastorate, he continued to be actively involved in the church as a volunteer. At the time of his arrest, Hao was detained along with several other Christian leaders. (The initially published report may be reviewed at this page.)

• Christian Evangelist Released on Bail

  

  In June 2022, Lin Xuesui was arrested by China's Public Security Bureau and accused of "organizing and financing illegal gatherings." These accusations resulted from his ministry work in a remote region located approximately 2,000 kilometres from his home, where he shared his Christian testimony with local villagers. (A previous report on Lin's arrest is available here.)

• 44 Christians Arrested; Three Others Released

  

  According to a recent report, 44 believers have been arrested from private homes in Eritrea by governing officials since the beginning of 2023. The group – consisting of 39 women and five men – are being held at the Mai Serwa prison on the outskirts of the Eritrean capital of Asmara. No further details are available at this time.
  
  In a separate case relating to three other Christian prisoners, diplomatic action from the Vatican likely played a part in their release. In mid-October, three Catholic clerics – Mihretab Stefanos, Abba Abraham Habtom Gebremariam and Bishop Abune Fikremariam Hagos – were detained, despite belonging to one of the few faith communities approved by the Eritrean government. (See this page for more details on their arrests.)

• Seventeen Months Without a Trial

  

  On August 7th, 2021, police officers arrested Pastor Wang Xiaoguang and his wife Yang Rongli, along with ten other members of the Golden Lampstand Church in Linfen, China. For Pastor Wang and Yang, this situation was not unexpected, as the ministering couple had previously served prison sentences of three and seven years respectively after being arrested in 2009. (See this page for more details on these prior arrests.)

• Sentence Upheld for House Church Pastor

  

  In July 2019, Pastor Hao Zhiwei from the Egangqiao Church was arrested for allegedly swindling money. The charges came about because the Christian leader collected financial offerings to support the unregistered house church she was overseeing. Since the church is not part of the country's Three-Self Patriotic Movement, authorities of the Communist government deemed it illegal. (See this page to review a previous report.)