Sisters' Stories

Women

• Appeal Hearing Postponed Indefinitely

  

  The appeal hearing for Pastor Victor Bet Tamraz and his wife, along with three other Christians, had been scheduled for June 1st but was cancelled with no new court date set. No reason was given for the delay, and the lawyers involved with this case were not allowed to approach the judge. Pastor Victor and the others each face sentences of at least ten years in prison. (Review the previously posted report.)

• At Least 37 Dead in Kaduna State

  

  Two recent attacks in Kaduna State show the extent of violence facing Nigerian Christians due to the terrorism of Fulani militia groups....

  On the evening of May 11th, Fulani gunmen laid siege to the village of Gonan Rogo in the Kajuru area. Entire households were wiped out as the militants went from house to house, killing those they found. In one home, Jonathan Yakubu was slaughtered, along with his wife and three young children. In another home, a mother and child were killed, but a three-month-old baby girl miraculous survived a bullet wound to her head. The baby is now in the care of her aunt. In all, 17 people were killed that night and six injured. Ages of the victims ranged from young children to the elderly.

• Justice Declared for Kidnapped Girl

  

  On August 12th, 2015, a 13-year-old girl named Ese Rita Oruru was kidnapped from her home in Bayelsa State of southern Nigeria. After being taken to the northern state of Kano, she was raped, forcibly converted to Islam, and married to her kidnapper.

• Christian Woman Seriously Beaten

  

  A young Christian woman from the village of Luwooko in eastern Uganda was ambushed and beaten on April 7th for sharing her faith. Lydia Nabirye, 23, is the daughter of an area evangelist. In early March, she shared her faith with a young Muslim woman who later came to salvation in Christ. After the new convert was threatened by family members, Lydia's family gave her refuge, along with six other converts from Islam.

• Daughter of Slain Pastor Wounded

  

  On October 13th, 2015, Pastor Chamu Hassa Purty was shot and killed while at his home in Sandih village, Jharkhand. The murder happened after he had prayed for a sick boy in a nearby village and then helped him get to hospital.

  Five years later, on the evening of April 16th, two men came to the door of the Purty home, asking if it was the home of the pastor who was killed. Threatening the family members who were there, the men shouted: "That pastor was killed, but you did not learn a lesson. You have continued assembling in large numbers for Christian prayers. Where is the woman working as a spy?" Chamu's widow insisted they were not spies and demanded that the men leave the premises.

• Girl Facing Charges After Resisting Attack

  

  Nang Tookta Phetsomphone is a Christian girl who worked for a Chinese national but quit when he failed to pay her wages. A month later, he asked her to return to the store, promising to pay her. When she arrived, he forced her into a restroom and pulled out a knife, threatening to kill her unless she submitted to him. Somehow, in the midst of the struggle, her attacker was stabbed and killed.

  Immediately following the incident, Tookta reported what took place and was detained. Eventually she was released from provincial custody without charge, but district authorities refused to drop the case and continued to detain her. These authorities are demanding that her family leave their Christian faith and pay a large monetary restitution to the family of her attacker. They will only "consider" releasing her if the family complies. At last report, Tookta has not been able to talk to any family members nor obtain legal representation.

• Two Prisoners Released

  

  In the endeavour to deal with the COVID-19 crisis, Iranian authorities released thousands of prisoners in mid-March to stop the spread within the country's prisons. It was noted, however, that many Christians detained for their faith were not included. We are pleased to report, however, that two Christian prisoners have gained their freedom.

• Hearing Delayed for Huma Younus

  

  The concerned parents of Huma Younus, a teenage girl who was forced into marrying a Muslim man, have expressed anger after yet another delay of legal proceedings in their attempts to annul the marriage. Huma, 14, was abducted from her home on October 10th and taken 600 kilometres away where she "converted" to Islam and married her kidnapper (read more). While forcible marriage is not illegal in Pakistan, the Child Marriage Restraint Act does require permission from the guardian(s) if the person is under 18 years of age.

• Hearings of Accused Christians Delayed

  

  In last week's Persecution and Prayer Alert, we wrote about Mary Mohammadi who was arrested and facing abuse while incarcerated. We are thankful to report that as of February 26th, she was released on bail. Although a court hearing had been scheduled for March 2nd, it was postponed indefinitely, apparently due to concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

• Christian Blogger Faces Abuse in Prison

  

  Fatemeh (Mary) Mohammadi, a Christian convert and outspoken critic of the oppression being experienced by the Iranian people, has had to endure imprisonment and abuse. Initially arrested in November 2017, she was sentenced to six months in prison for her "membership in proselytizing groups," as well as her participation in Christian activity and the spreading of propaganda. Although released in the spring of 2018, Mary was arrested again in July 2019 prior to being freed on bail. In December, she was unexpectedly banned from continuing her education at the Islamic Adad University.