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Fine

  • Suspended Prison Sentence
    Rundown church that was returned. - Photo: Middle East Concern www.meconcern.org
    The church building in Mostaganem.
    Photo: Middle East Concern

    On February 27th, Pastor Rachid Seighir was convicted of "shaking the faith" of Muslims through the availability of materials in his church's bookstore in Oran, Algeria. He, along with his bookstore sales representative, Nouh Hamimi, were sentenced to two years in prison. For more on this case, see this report.

    The men appealed the decision, and a ruling was expected on May 30th. After a week's delay, the judgement was reduced on June 6th to a one-year suspended sentence, along with a fine of $1,800.00 CAD each. The men intend to appeal their initial conviction.

    Government-Mandated Church Closures

  • Believer Faces Hefty Fine for Assisting Others
    A man in the desert.
    Pray that Saudi believers will know they are never alone.

    A court in Saudi Arabia has recently imposed a hefty fine of 300,000 SAR (which converted equates to approximately $97,000 CAD) on a Christian man who can only be identified as "A" or "Adam" for security reasons. He has been given 30 days to pay the fine unless an appeal is granted within that time.

  • Christian Fined for Distributing Magazines
    Magazines

    This past Christmas, a neighbourhood celebration in Uzbekistan was hosted by Tatyana Akhmadiyeva, a member of a local Baptist church. At the event, she offered Christian magazines to 15 of her neighbours. Local authorities received a report about the distribution and summoned Tatyana for questioning. She was told that the publications had been imported illegally, since they had not been evaluated by the "Struggle with Extremism and Terrorism Department." As a result, the officials confiscated the magazines, which they claimed were unlawfully distributed, and fined Tatyana the equivalent of two weeks' average wages.

  • Christians Facing Two Years' Imprisonment
    Rev. Rachid Seighir - Photo: Facebook via Morning Star News
    Rev. Rachid Seighir
    Photo: Facebook via Morning Star News

    Along with the issuance of a substantial fine, a court in Algeria has sentenced Pastor Rachid Seighir and Nouh Hamimi to two years in prison. These Christians are being accused of "shaking the faith" of Muslims for having made Christian literature available at the bookstore they managed. The men found out about the February 27th ruling when a notice was slipped under the door of their church building.

  • Increasing Pressure from Hindu Nationalists
    Christian women in India - Photo: World Watch Monitor www.worldwatchmonitor.org
    Pray that believers in India will not succumb to the mounting pressure against them.
    Photo: World Watch Monitor

    For many years, the Hindu Nationalist organization RSS has been an influential factor in Indian politics, particularly within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). One of the goals of the RSS is to change India from a secular democracy to a nation governed by Hindu polity. One way this is being achieved is through the passing of anti-conversion laws to prevent people from converting from Hinduism.

  • Strict Opposition to Missionary Activity
    Rubles, gavel

    In July 2016, Russia passed religion laws restricting "illegal missionary activity" by either citizens or foreigners. This activity could involve speaking to people about religion, or the distribution of either printed, audio or video materials. Between January and June of this year, there have been 42 known prosecutions, resulting in 36 convictions. All those who were convicted received fines.

  • Seven Iranians Sentenced
    The seven who were sentenced
    L to R: Pooriya Peyma, Fatemeh Talebi, Maryam Falahi, Sam Khosravi, Habib Heydari, Sasan Khosravi, Marjan Falahi
    Photo: Article18

    Seven Iranian Christian converts were sentenced on June 21st for "spreading propaganda against the state." The evidence used against them included possession of Christian books and symbols, holding home church meetings, and being in contact with Iranian "evangelists" abroad. All seven intend to appeal their sentences.

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