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Ethiopia

• Jailed Church Leaders Released

  Evangelical church leaders Kiros Meles and Abebayeh Desalegn were released from prison on March 7 after being jailed without charges for 10 months in the northern Ethiopian town of Maychew. According to a report by Compass Direct, the magistrate found no basis for the charges, calling their imprisonment "a shame."

  The men were arrested after a riot in April 2002 in which an Ethiopian Orthodox man was killed. The local police accused the two evangelical leaders, even though the shot came from the local police chief's gun and an off-duty police officer was also jailed. Local Christians are skeptical that charges will ever be laid against the police officer.

  Join with us in thanking God that these men have been released. Pray for Ethiopian Christians as they face opposition. 

• Mob Attacks Evangelical Crusade

  On Sunday, December 29, a mob attacked a crusade in Mekelle, Ethiopia, killing two and injuring many others. According to a source for The Voice of the Martyrs, a crusade organized by the Ethiopian Full Gospel Church was in its final day when a mob of Ethiopian Orthodox militants attacked. Mekelle is the capital of the state of Tigray in northern Ethiopia. The state is strongly Ethiopian Orthodox and has often seen persecution against evangelicals. According to the Ethiopian source, there were at least twelve serious attacks against evangelical Christians in Ethiopia in 2002. Societal discrimination, individual physical assaults, and a denial of police protection are commonplace, particularly in rural areas.

  Pray for those suffering at the hands of those who often feel that they are doing a service for God by persecuting evangelicals (John 16:2). Pray for the attackers, that they might see and experience the love and peace of Christ in their lives through the lives of those whom they are persecuting. The February 2003 edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter will focus on the plight and testimonies of Christians in this east African nation. For more information or to receive a free subscription to this informative and inspirational monthly publication, go to our website at https://www.vomcanada.com/nlonline.htm.