Persecution & Prayer Alert

"God will judge us not
according to how much we endured,
but how much we could love."
~ Rev. Richard Wurmbrand

Believers arrested and fined

Officials have been cracking down on Christians throughout Uzbekistan in recent weeks, according to an April 8 report from Forum 18.

Thirteen Uzbek Christians from an unregistered Baptist church in the city of Almalyk were arrested on March 15 when the Police Anti-Terrorism Department raided a home where they had gathered for worship. On April 3, the Christians were found guilty of "attracting believers of one confession to another" and fined 50 times the minimum monthly salary (approximately $1,200 CAD). The verdict states that the church members were distributing religious literature without permission and had gathered for an "illegal religious teaching meeting."

On April 5, two believers of an unregistered Baptist church were apprehended at the Metro station in Tashkent by police officials. Ilgiz Bikkinin (66) and Vera Prokhorova (54) were questioned and their Bibles and other Christian literature confiscated. According to local believers, a case is being prepared against them for their alleged "illegal production, import, storage or distribution of religious literature" and "violations of the Religion Law."

Ask God to provide financially for believers who have been fined. Pray that authorities will allow Christians to worship together freely. Pray that increased persecution will result in increased boldness among Uzbek believers (Acts 4:29-31).

To learn more about the plight of Uzbek Christians, click here.

Christians under attack

Followers of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir have intensified attacks on Christians and others they believe support the International Criminal Court's recent decision to prosecute the president for atrocities in the Darfur region.

According to an April 8 report from Compass Direct, Aburahaman Tai, a leader of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in the Nuba Mountains village of Chat, central Sudan, was beaten and injured by a suspected government militia in early March. On March 27, the building used by Tai's congregation and the Sudanese Church of Christ was set on fire by the same group, which reportedly supports an Islamist agenda. Church members fled the scene in fear for their lives. Tai's congregation has since been meeting for worship outdoors.

In Dungala, the capital of Northern state, a church building was recently turned into a mosque and some believers were forcibly converted to Islam.

Pray that Christians in Sudan will remain steadfast in their faith at all cost. Ask God to grant boldness and wisdom to the Christian leaders in this war-torn country.

For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Sudan, go to the Sudan Country Report.

Religious liberty organizations call attention to Sri Lankan crisis

Key organizations that work on religious liberty issues around the world made strong statements on the state of religious freedom in the midst of the civil war in Sri Lanka and launched a global campaign calling for prayer for that nation. In what is being called "The Toronto Statement," the Religious Liberty Partnership (RLP), with member organizations that include Open Doors International (Holland), Christian Solidarity Worldwide (United Kingdom), The Voice of the Martyrs (Canada), HMK (Switzerland) and the Religious Liberty Commission of World Evangelical Alliance (representing 128 countries), is calling the worldwide Christian community to pray for the crisis in Sri Lanka.

The Toronto Statement acknowledges some positive elements within Sri Lanka, including the role that the church is playing, but expresses deep concern about the ways in which humanitarian efforts are currently being handled. In addition, the Statement calls on the worldwide church to pray for work toward the religious rights of all Sri Lankans, and to support efforts to end hostilities and seek an enduring peace.

"This is yet another example of the Christian family worldwide standing together and calling its members to pray into a complex, but very serious political situation," stated Mervyn Thomas, CEO of Christian Solidarity World, UK and Chairman of the Religious Liberty Partnership. "The Toronto Statement is in full accord with the RLP's reputation for taking a balanced approach in these issues and we trust that this call to prayer will be heeded by Christians globally."

"I believe this Statement captures the heart of what the RLP is about," said Anthony Rhodes of The Voice of the Martyrs (Canada) and member of the RLP Leadership Team. "Not only are we able to work together as individual organizations, but with a united voice speak to the issues that affect religious liberty. We pray that this collective global voice will be able to give clear direction to the government officials we petition and influence positive change in the countries like Sri Lanka where religious liberty is threatened."

The Religious Liberty Partnership (RLP) is a collaborative effort of Christian organizations in over a dozen countries focused on religious liberty. The RLP seeks to more intentionally work together in addressing advocacy and in raising the awareness of religious liberty issues globally. To view the entire Toronto Statement, click here.

For detailed updates on the opposition facing Christians in Sri Lanka, go to the Sri Lanka Country Report.

Persecution & Prayer Alert

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