For the second time in two years, the Tesalonika Christians Oikumene congregation in Teluknaga, Tangerang Regency, has encountered community opposition during Easter celebrations at their prayer house. The previous year, local officials sealed the building the day after Good Friday, forcing the believers to rent an alternative location in order to hold their Easter Sunday services.
Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq converted from Islam to Christianity in 2016, joining the Russian Orthodox Church. Immediately following his conversion, he began experiencing harassment and intimidation from his family members, the wider community, and local police. In an effort to find safety, Saeid sought asylum in Russia but was forced to return to Egypt in 2024.
On February 11th, the governor of Punjab signed the "Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026" into effect. This recently implemented law aims to raise the minimum legal age for marriage to 18 and establish penalties for violation. Those advocating for the protection of the country's youth describe the legislation as a "moral and social victory." (For more details, see our previously published report.)
In December 2024, Pastor Janmajaya Bhattarai, joined by a team of fellow Christians, distributed gifts and clothing to underprivileged students. At the request of local schools, the believers faithfully carried out this outreach program for several years as a Christmas tradition.
On March 16th, masked security officials arrested Anatol Parakhnevich, a 65-year-old Catholic priest, at his parish in Alkovichi, Minsk Region. During the arrest, officers searched his home as well as the church building. Following the raid, both premises were sealed, with the keys being returned one week later.
In November 2025, the Malaysian High Court ruled that the government was complicit in the 2017 disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh and ordered that his wife, Susanna, receive significant financial compensation. The court also directed the release of a government report containing information about the disappearance, despite authorities' insistence that the document was classified as "top secret." For more details on this ruling, see this report.
