Two young women have been rejected by their families for placing their faith in Christ. Nathalie’s conversion to Christianity three years ago angered her Muslim parents, who then tried to force her to marry an older Muslim man. She escaped the arranged marriage by running away from home and enrolling in a trade school, but her parents found her and have continued trying to force her to return to Islam. “I have no intention of turning away from Christ,” Nathalie said. Anothe

Despite its long presence in the area, a Kazakh church was fined for holding an unauthorized gathering. In the 20th century, the Soviet Union attempted to quash Russian churches, often by arresting and imprisoning pastors and church members. Some of the imprisoned Russian Christians stayed in what is now Kazakhstan after they were released and formed an independent church in 1970, which has continually faced opposition. “This church is definitely battle-tested and knows how t

This Burkinabe pastor and his family fled during an Islamist attack. Islamist militias attacked three different villages in eastern Burkina Faso on and shortly after 19 July 2025. “Eleven Christians have been killed, and others have been taken hostage or are missing,” said a Front-Line Worker. He added that many Christians in the area have fled their homes, and one pastor was evacuated to another city to receive medical care after suffering a serious injury. The incidents occ

Sources: Voice of the Martys Canada, Morning Star News, International Christian Concern, Christian Daily International Violence against Christians in Nigeria continues to spread, even as international attention to the crisis grows. Recently, the United States designated Nigeria as a "a country of particular concern" due to the ongoing religious persecution, threatening military intervention if the situation does not change. In response to the recent global attention, the Nig

Beninese churches, especially those located in the north, have been facing increasing pressures by Islamists. On Sunday, 27 July 2025, Islamists entered a church building in northeastern Benin near the end of the service and abducted its pastor and three elders. Persecution is prevalent in the northern part of Benin, where Christians are beaten and sometimes killed and church buildings are routinely destroyed. Witchcraft is deeply ingrained in the local culture and is openly

Source: Voice of the Martyrs Australia, Voice of the Martyrs Korea, Voice of the Martyrs Canada A Voice of the Martyrs partner has reported the release of Deacon Jang Moon Seok, also known by his Chinese name Zhang Wen Shi, who was imprisoned in North Korea and returned home to China on 5 November. Deacon Jang, who ministered to North Koreans in Changbai, China, alongside martyred Pastor Han Chung-Ryeol, served more than 12 years of a 15-year sentence. Deacon Jang is an ethni

Source: Voice of the Martyrs Australia, Article 18 A Christian convert who has been detained in the women’s ward of Tehran’s Evin Prison since February has suffered a spinal fracture after falling from her bunk bed. Aida Najaflou, who is 44 years old, was taken to Taleghani Hospital for an X-ray after suffering the injury in the early hours of 31 October, but despite the severity of her injuries and ongoing health problems, she was denied proper medical treatment and returned

Each modern Western democracy fares better or worse at a given time depending on the place God’s wisdom holds in the hearts and minds of its voters. To the extent that the electorate is ungodly, the corrupt and godless officials they choose become a self-teaching lesson and even a self-inflicted punishment. The form of government may not be inherently flawed, but no system can thrive without embracing God’s wisdom. Communism is different. Founded explicitly on a rejection of

Sources: Voice of the Martyrs Canada, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Open Doors Canada, Release International, Christianity Today, CNN On 13 February 2017, Pastor Raymond Koh was abducted from his car by 15 masked men in the Malaysian city of Petaling Jaya. The incident, which was captured on security cameras and took only 40 seconds to unfold, appears to have been executed by professionally trained individuals. From the beginning, there were strong indications of official g

On 14 September 2025, government officials entered a church, began recording the service and ultimately arrested two church leaders. The officials first demanded to see documents authorizing the religious meeting. Two church leaders explained that the fellowship had been meeting since 1992 and that, under Article 34 of the Kyrgyz constitution, they were guaranteed “freedom of conscience and religion.” The officials then confiscated some of the church’s written materials and t