On February 9th, two Christian evangelists were attacked by Muslim militants while preaching within an open-air market in central Ethiopia. As a result of the incident, both men suffered severe head injuries and thereby had to be transported to a local hospital. Details surrounding their current conditions have not yet been released at the time of publishing this report.
In a tribal region of Odisha State, three members of a Christian family were recently killed by close relatives, leaving three children orphaned and now in hiding. The incident took place in the village of Nialijharan on January 25th, claiming the lives of Jitendra Soren and his wife Malati, along with their 15-year-old daughter Sasmita.
On January 6th, seven members of the Early Rain Covenant Church were arrested, marking another development in the ongoing campaign against this unregistered congregation. (Previously published details relating to the arrests are available here.)
In a recent update, it was confirmed that three of the detained believers have been released on bail pending trial. One of the Christians, Liang Zhongyuan, was released on February 5th but remains under surveillance at a relative's home in Chengdu. Zhang Xinjue, the wife of Elder Li Yingqiang, was released on February 6th, along with Brother Lin.
In many parts of the world, opposition is expected for those who commit their lives to Christ. Unfortunately, obtaining reliable information from some of these regions is often difficult – and Yemen is no exception. Late last year, Houthi rebels, who control approximately one-third of the country, launched a campaign of arbitrary detentions specifically targeting Christians. In January 2026 alone, more than 50 followers of Jesus were arrested, while another 43 had been abducted.
For Christian girls in Pakistan, the threat of kidnapping is a very real danger. Once abducted, these minors are often sexually assaulted, coerced into converting to Islam, and then forcibly married to their kidnappers. Thankfully, recent legislative action is offering new hope for justice and greater protections from such devastating abuse.
On January 24th, a Catholic priest travelling by motorcycle near Negombo was suddenly stopped by police officers while wearing his clerical attire. After asking for the church leader's identification, one officer reportedly remarked that people who dressed in such robes were "harming the country." The officers then allegedly assaulted the priest and left him injured at the roadside.
