During Lent 2023, each of these six prisoners pictured will be featured in weekly prayer profiles.
Top Row (left – right): Sara Ahmadi (Iran), Homayoun Zhaveh (Iran), Gebremedhin Gebregiorsis (Eritrea).
Bottom Row (left – right): Asif Pervaiz (Pakistan), Hao Zhiwei (China), Y Pum Bya (Vietnam).
Each profile details arrest and sentence, background, prison conditions and daily prayer points (dated to begin on Sunday 26 February, the first Sunday of Lent).
CHURCH RESOURCE: Set of Powerpoint slides (one slide for each Sunday.
WEEK 1 – Sara Ahmadi (Iran)
Sara Ahmadi (44) is a Christian convert from Islam who began serving an eight-year sentence for house-church leadership in Tehran’s Evin prison in August 2022.
WEEK 2 – Homayoun Zhaveh (Iran)
Homayoun Zhaveh (64) is a Christian convert from Islam who began serving a two-year sentence for house-church membership in Tehran’s Evin prison in August 2022. Homayoun has advanced Parkinson’s disease.
WEEK 3 – Gebremedhin Gebregiorsis (Eritrea)
Rev Gebremedhin Gebregiorsis is an Orthodox priest and expert theologian who was arrested in November 2004 because of his involvement in a Bible study renewal movement within the Eritrean Orthodox Church.
WEEK 4 – Asif Pervaiz (Pakistan)
Asif Pervaiz, a Christian from Lahore, was accused of sending blasphemous text messages in October 2013 and has been in prison ever since. In September 2020, he was sentenced to death.
WEEK 5 – Hao Zhiwei (China)
Pastor Hao Zhiwei has been in detention since July 2019. She was charged with fraud for collecting offerings and tithes from house church members and waited two and a half years for her trial, which was postponed several times due to Covid-19. In February 2022 she was sentenced to eight years in prison.
WEEK 6 – Y Pum Bya (Vietnam)
Y Pum Bya is a house church leader from Dak Lak province who is serving a 14-year prison sentence for peacefully promoting religious freedom and human rights for his fellow Montagnard people.