Release International
ETHIOPIA: MUSLIM EXTREMISTS KILL CHRISTIAN SHARING HIS FAITH NEAR A MOSQUE Plus news from India and Pakistan |
| Nov 02 2007 |
Persecution Now
Ethiopia: Muslim extremists have beaten a Christian man to death as he took part in street evangelism in the southern town of Jimma.
The Christian was talking about his faith in a street near the town’s mosque, with two female colleagues. A gang of men ran out of the mosque and beat him to death. The two female evangelists escaped.
Local sources claim that the attack was premeditated and the attackers were looking for an opportunity to kill the evangelist.
His is the second such killing in the area in the last six months (International Christian Concern).
Pakistan: More than 160 Christian prisoners ended a two-day fast after prison authorities allowed them to continue holding church services.
The hunger strike was held because the Christians – imprisoned at Rawalpindi’s Central Jail – had been denied access to a laundry room that they used as a church.
Guards filled the makeshift chapel with additional prisoners, using it as accommodation.
But staff yielded to Christian inmates’ demands after believers and other minority groups protested outside the Lahore press club. Prison officials now say every inmate ‘has the right’ to attend prayer meetings (Compass Direct News).
In neighbouring India, 30 Hindu extremists attacked 250 Christians as prayers were being said at St Paul’s Church in Gokulpur.
According to reports, the extremists arrived on motorbikes, armed with sticks and swords. They beat some of the worshippers, including a five-year-old boy. Seven people had to be taken to hospital.
The extremists cursed and insulted the congregation and the Christian faith, accusing the Christians of fraudulently converting poor Hindus.
Christians are increasingly becoming the target of attacks in India – aided and abetted by the spread of anti-conversion laws (Compass Direct News).
Pakistan: Christian and Muslim leaders have been working to defuse tensions in a Punjab city after rumours of ‘blasphemy’ sparked a mob attack on the Christian community.
Two thousand people celebrating Mohammad’s birthday became violent after rumours spread that Christians had attacked some Muslims and desecrated a sticker bearing the Prophet’s name. They stoned Christian homes and allegedly ‘tortured’ Christian men, women and children.
A witness said: ‘Christians ran to save their lives’. Some Christians abandoned their homes over Easter for fear of reprisals.
Local Christian leaders deny the blasphemy and have been meeting with government officials to try to disprove the rumours (Compass Direct News).
Pakistan’s Blasphemy Law stipulates that any person who ‘defiles’ the name of the Prophet Mohammed should be charged with blasphemy. The punishment is either death or life imprisonment.
Additional sources are given in brackets. Further details from those sources.
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Notes to the Editor
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