OVER 200 CHRISTIANS ARRESTED FOR THEIR FAITH
ERITREA
Persecution of Christians has worsened in Eritrea with 218 arbitrary arrests in 12 months, including children.
This means around 400 Christians are now in prison for their faith, with no prospect of a trial.
UK-based Release International (RI) says: “Most were taken from their houses – some at 3am… some children have been arrested with their parents, and in some cases the whole family is in prison.
“We are very concerned for the physical and mental well-being of the children, some of whom are only two years old. This is totally unacceptable, and we strongly condemn this inhuman act by the Eritrean government.”
The son, held in a steel shipping container, was not aware of his father’s death
In 2002, the regime headed by Isaias Afwerki outlawed most Christian churches and began arresting Christians. Some have been incarcerated for over 20 years, some were held in steel shipping containers in the hot desert, some have been tortured, and others have died from abuse and untreated illness.
The best known prisoner, who died in May aged 83, was Rev Ghirmay Araya, one of the founding fathers of the Full Gospel Church in Eritrea. Arrested along with other church leaders in 2021, Rev Ghirmay was never charged with any crime. He suffered from diabetes and related illnesses and was held in the maximum security Wengel Mermera Central Criminal Investigation Centre, along with other church leaders. Some had been detained for 20 years. Release International says: “Rev Ghirmay endured his suffering with steadfast faith.”
One of Rev Ghirmay’s sons has also been imprisoned for his faith for the past seven years. Sources say he is being kept in a shipping container. Although they were in the same prison, father and son had no opportunity to meet, and the son was not even aware of his father’s death.
Release International partner Dr Berhane Asmelash said: “I’m deeply saddened by Rev Ghirmay’s death. He served the Church diligently for more than 60 years in both Eritrea and Ethiopia. His ministry extended across the Orthodox, Lutheran and, finally, Full Gospel churches.” Dr Asmelash expressed his deepest condolences to Ghirmay’s five children and 13 grandchildren.
MOTHER AND CHILDREN FORCED TO CONVERT TO ISLAM
A Christian mother, Elvin Joseph, and her three daughters must become Muslims due to Iraq’s Personal status law, reports International Christian Concern.
“I am married to a Christian man with three Christian kids”
This law states that children must adopt Islam if one of their parents converts to Islam. As Elvin’s mother has turned Muslim after marrying a Muslim, Elvin and her daughters must follow suit.
Elvin protests: “I am married to a Christian man. I have three Christian kids… All my official documents are Christian. Our marriage is registered by the church.
IRAN
ARMENIAN CHRISTIAN GIVEN TEN-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE
Armenian Hakop Gochymayan has been sentenced to ten years behind bars for participating in Christian activities. This comes after he lost an appeal against the harsh sentence in June.
International Christian Concern (ICC) reports there was “no clear evidence” against Gochymayan. The judge made his decision on assumptions rather than proof.
They were in Iran to visit family
Gochymayan and his wife, Elisa Shahvardian, who is of Iranian descent, were arrested in August 2023. Elisa was released in October but Gochymayan remains incarcerated.
In addition, Barnabas Aid reports that the couple have had to endure solitary confinement and were “subjected to intense psychological torture”.
The couple, who had their two young children with them, were in Iran to visit friends and family but reportedly Gochymayan had some copies of the New Testament in Farsi, and had visited different churches in Iran.
It is illegal in Iran to evangelise and to have Bibles in Farsi (the official Iranian language) but the underground Church continues to grow.
UGANDA
EVANGELIST KILLED AFTER LEADING MUSLIMS TO CHRIST
A church evangelist who received death threats from Muslim extremists has been murdered in eastern Uganda.
Richard Malinga’s body was found on 17 June at Kayete Swamp in Akisim A village, Butebo District. Just before dying he texted his pastor that he was surrounded by Muslims. His pastor (name withheld for security reasons) replied several times but received no answer. Local residents who found Malinga’s body also found his phone and called his pastor, who then called the police.
They found him in a pool of blood…tied with ropes
One resident told Morning Star News that they had heard a “loud wailing”, rushed to the scene and “found the victim in a pool of blood… tied with ropes.”
Malinga’s pastor said that the evangelist had been visiting homes in the area bringing the Gospel and several people had become Christians, including some radical Muslims.
PAKISTAN
WIFE OF MURDERED CHRISTIAN DIES OF HEARTBREAK
A widow traumatised by the death of her husband at the hands of a Muslim mob has passed away.
Allah Rakhi Bibi, 72, cried every day after 74-year-old Nazeer Masih Gill was Beaten to death by attackers who falsely accused him of blasphemy.
Her pain worsened when she heard the killers had been granted bail
Christian Daily International reports that the grieving widow died of cardiac arrest on 21 June. Her family say she could not bear the loss of her husband, who was beaten up on 25 May and died on 3 June.
Son Sultan Gill said: “Her pain and agony apparently worsened when she overheard some family members talking about the bails being granted to the people involved in my father’s killing. We tried our best to keep this information from her, but we failed.
”Muslim lawyer, Asad Jamal, who has defended several Christians wrongly accused of blasphemy, accused the police of bias. He says they recorded statements of false witnesses to aid the case of Nazeer’s killers, while failing to preserve the crime scene. They also failed to interrogate the suspects and to record the statements of Nazeer’s family.
INDIA
CHRISTIAN REFUGEES IN URGENT NEED OF AID
Around 70,000 internally displaced Christians are facing a humanitarian crisis in Manipur.
According to the Evangelical Times, the Christians fled their homes after militant assaults on their villages earlier this year. Aid agencies say help for the victims has mainly come from churches, with the government providing only about ten per cent of the support.
Help for the victims has mainly come from churches
The Christians’ situation has deteriorated after recent flooding, which has destroyed personal belongings and what little food they had, as well as hampering the distribution of aid to them.
The British Asian Christian Association (BACA) has made the crisis its priority appeal due to ongoing violence and predictions that the floods will return.