NIGERIA: 28 Bethel students released; four more escape
On Saturday 24 July, 28 of the students abducted at Bethel Baptist High School were released
CHINA: Pastors ordered to preach from President Xi Jinping’s speech
Pastors of TSPM churches have been ordered to preach sermons based on President Xi Jinping’s recent speech marking the CCP centenary
NIGERIA: 33 Christians killed in a week in south Kaduna
At least 33 Christians were killed in one week in July in south Kaduna, and four church buildings and 215 homes were burned
ERITREA: UN re-appoints Special Rapporteur on Human Rights
On 12 July the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution extending the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea for another year
UZBEKISTAN: New Religion Law retains restrictions on freedom of religion
Uzbekistan’s new Religion Law, which was signed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev (pictured) on 5 July, retains almost all the restrictions in the existing 1998 Religion Law
NIGERIA: Gunmen kidnap 140 Baptist school students
Gunmen kidnapped around 140 students at a Christian secondary school in Kaduna state on Monday 5 July
INDIA: Pastor beaten to death with wooden beam
Pastor Vinod Kumar from Haryana state was beaten to death with a wooden beam on 30 June
IRAN: Three Christians receive five-year prison sentences
On 26 June, Christian converts Milad Goudarzi, Amin Khaki and Alireza Nourmohammadi were informed that they had been sentenced to five years each in prison
NIGERIA: Fulani militants kill Christian doctor
Armed Fulani militants shot a Christian doctor dead on 17 June in Niger state in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region
CHINA: Concerns grow for Pastor Wang Yi in prison
Concerns are growing over the health of Pastor Wang Yi of the banned Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church, who is serving a nine-year prison sentence
CHINA: Early Rain’s Minister Wu locked in apartment
Chinese authorities locked Minister Wu Wuqing of Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church into his apartment in the latest bid to make him leave Chengdu and end his ministry
IRAN: Sara and Homayoun given 30-day reprieve
The couple has relaunched their appeal to Iran’s Supreme Court.
NIGERIA: Pastor Polycarp released after eight months
It is understood that two Christian women kidnapped with him while en-route to a Christian conference have also been freed.
PAKISTAN: Extremists call for killing of Shagufta, Shafqat and lawyer
Islamist extremists are calling for the murder of Christian couple Shagufta Kausar and Shafqat Emmanuel, who were acquitted of blasphemy charges on 3 June, and their lawyer Saiful Malook
INDIA: Two Christian men killed in separate states
Last month two Christian men were martyred for their faith in violent attacks on pastors’ families in Odisha and Rajasthan state.
PAKISTAN: Shagufta Kausar and Shafqat Emmanuel acquitted
Shagufta Kausar and Shafqat Emmanuel have been acquitted of blasphemy charges by the Pakistan High Court.
PAKISTAN: Zafar Bhatti to have cataract surgery; wife Nawab Bibi injured in fall
Church in Chains is planning to send aid to help Zafar and Nawab.
NIGERIA: Twelve Christians killed in latest series of attacks
Twelve Christians killed in latest series of attacks in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region by Fulani militants.
CHINA: Pastor Yang Hua brutally beaten in police station
Pastor Yang Hua of Huoshi “Living Stone” Church in Guiyang, Guizhou province has been brutally beaten in a local police station
CHINA: Early Rain’s Minister Wu repeatedly detained
Minister Wu Wuqing of the heavily-persecuted Early Rain Covenant Church continues to be harassed and repeatedly detained by police