Tags
Discrimination
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Christians Hold Peaceful Protests for Equality
Believers in India.
Photo: VOMC
Amid escalating violence and discrimination against Christians in India, the need for greater awareness and advocacy has become increasingly urgent. On June 9th, a group called the National Christian Front organized peaceful demonstrations in the state of Odisha to protest against government policies that promote Hindu nationalism. Additionally, the protests drew attention to the many challenges facing religious minorities across the country.
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Churches Encounter Continued Oppression
Police questioning church members.
Photo: Baptist Council of Churches
Churches in occupied areas of eastern Ukraine continue to experience ongoing opposition from Russian-installed authorities. For Christians within the region, this has led to harsh restrictions on places of worship that are not affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as those that do not comply with the imposed regulations.
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New Beginnings for Exiled Christians
A church building in Hidalgo.
Photo: Wikimedia / Frankms (cc)
Members of the Great Commission Baptist Church in the Mexican villages of Coamila and Rancho Nuevo have frequently encountered opposition from hostile community leaders. About a year ago, more than a hundred church members were forced to flee their homes and villages. (Click here to read more details regarding the displacement of these believers.)
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Christians Forcibly Registered as Muslims
A church in Malaysia.
Photo: Public DomainChristians 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.
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Christian Families Expelled
Some of the believers who were evicted.
Photo: Barnabas AidFour Christian families were forcibly evicted from their village in northwestern Laos on May 5th and 6th. According to local sources, opposing community leaders and other residents of Huang Khan Village in Luang Namtha province specifically targeted the Christians.
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Christians Denied Burial Rights
A cemetery in India.
Photo: Public DomainSince 2022, Christians in the Nabarangpur district of Odisha have faced at least eight separate instances in which they have been denied the right to bury their loved ones. In many of these cases, opposing community members refused to allow the burial of deceased Christians in a cemetery used by Hindus, forcing the families to instead bury their loved ones in the forest or other locations.
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Villagers Forced from Their Homes
Belongings removed from the homes of Christian families.
Photo: CSWSix Christian families from Karingundam, a village located in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh state, were evicted from their homes on April 12th for refusing to renounce their faith in Christ. Opposing villagers loaded their belongings onto a truck – only to be hauled out of the village and dumped. The desolate families were forced to spend the night in the forest without any shelter. At least 25 individuals were affected by this dire situation.
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KGB Declares Religious Freedom Group "Extremist"
An Orthodox Church in Belarus.
Photo: PexelsAmidst the ongoing oppression of Christians in Belarus, an organization was established in 2020, bringing together leaders from multiple churches in an effort to monitor and publicize persecution in the country. The organization was registered in neighbouring Lithuania as "Christian Vision for Belarus."
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Safety Concerns After Demonstration Against Christians
Nouakchott, Mauritania
Photo: Flickr / jbdodane (cc)On April 7th, Muslim imams organized a demonstration in the southern city of Sélibaby, Mauritania, to protest against Christians within their community. The protest, which had been approved by the authorities, was instigated after a Christian convert died in a motorcycle accident a few days earlier. Some Muslim leaders were angered over the burial of the Christian's body within their community, since they regarded him as an "apostate."
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Public Easter Celebrations Banned
A church in Nicaragua. This year, Christians across Nicaragua are celebrating Holy Week under the watchful eye of police and paramilitary forces. The heightened tensions follow the decision of the Sandinista government led by Daniel Ortega and Rosaria Murillo to ban many public celebrations, including processions that are common among Latin American churches.