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As political conflict continues in Iran, serious concerns have been raised about the safety of the country's prisoners of conscience, including at least 48 Christian captives. In June 2025, Evin Prison was struck by an Israeli missile, resulting in major damages to the facility which houses many religious and political prisoners. Those in custody were transferred to other locations of the country where they were imprisoned amid unsanitary and overcrowded conditions until the repairs were completed. Human rights advocates warn that the renewed instability raises the risk of similar incidents occurring.

Zhang Chunlei is an elder with the Ren'ai Reformed Church in Guiyang, China. Following his arrest in March 2021, he was sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly "inciting subversion of state power." The Christian leader also received accusations of fraud relating to the receipt of church offerings – a charge commonly used to suppress unregistered congregations. Fellow believers describe the elder as a "gentle, yet firm spiritual leader."

In January, Ms. Park Tae-yeon – a long-serving missionary who lovingly cared for children in Russia – was planning to retire after 33 years of ministry. However, before she could return to South Korea, Russian authorities prevented the Christian woman from leaving the country. In the process, they also arrested her for alleged immigration violations. (For more details, see this report.)

Each week, Pastor Rolando Pérez Lora visits a park in Matanzas, Cuba, where public Wi-Fi is available, to film a series of Bible teachings for his YouTube channel. As he records, people often gather around to listen, sometimes asking him for prayer.

A Christian leader in Indonesia was arrested on February 18th following the online comments he made about Muhammad. According to reports, Dedi Saputra allegedly referenced the Muslim prophet's multiple wives on his TikTok account. Before being removed, Dedi's video was viewed almost two million times and sparked widespread backlash.

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.

Ms. Park Tae-yeon is a recently retired Korean missionary who served in Russia as a children's ministry worker with Child Evangelism Fellowship. At the age of 69, she decided that it was time for her to retire and return to Korea. Reflecting on her 33 years of ministry, the Christian woman described herself as "married to Russia."

In January 2025, 41-year-old Ghazal Marzban was detained in Tehran's Evin Prison after being sentenced to six months' imprisonment and 74 lashes. The charges against her included "propaganda against the regime" and "appearing in public without a hijab." Ghazal, a Christian convert from Islam, had initially been arrested in November 2024 while participating in protests against government oppression. She was released from prison in 2025 after serving two months of her initially sentenced term.

In parts of rural Oaxaca State and other regions of southern Mexico, the dominant religion is a syncretism of Roman Catholicism and traditional indigenous beliefs. The resulting ritual-based belief system is a significant part of community life in many villages.