In a village in Chhattisgarh, India, a Christian family was banned from their home after refusing to convert to Hinduism. Village leaders held a public meeting and declared the family expelled. A mob then destroyed their belongings and abused the children. The goal was to force a conversion ceremony known as Ghar Wapsi. The family reported the incident to police, who advised villagers to allow the return but took no further action when villagers refused. International Christian Concern provided aid. Local leaders note this was the fifth pressure meeting. The family now lives in temporary shelter. This reflects broader tensions in the state regarding religious minorities.
Santal Christians across several South Asian nations endure social exclusion and illegal land seizures. Reports indicate that a small percentage of the Santal population identifies as Christian. A believer shared that non-Christian community members often bully converts online and socially ostracize them. Furthermore, Santals in these regions struggle with unlawful land grabs by local majorities or officials, resulting in homelessness for many. During recent unrest in one affected country, Santals were targeted by radical groups. Advocacy groups note that these persecutions persist despite occasional temporary unity against external threats, highlighting ongoing vulnerability for this minority community.
Apollinaris Darmawan, an elderly Christian man in Indonesia, was released from Kebon Waru Prison in November 2024 after serving more than four years. International Christian Concern reports that Darmawan received sentence remissions, resulting in his early release. He was originally arrested in late 2020 and sentenced by the Bandung District Court for blasphemy and disseminating information causing hatred, following accusations of insulting Islam on social media. This marks his second imprisonment for faith-related charges, having previously served time from 2017 to 2020. ICC staff supported him through letters and visits during his incarceration. Darmawan, a former Muslim who converted to Catholicism, maintains his stance on the issues that led to his conviction.
Members of the Allied Democratic Forces attacked a village in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing at least five people with machetes. A local civil society group reported that the rebels disguised themselves as local militia before striking. Joint forces from the Congolese and Ugandan armies arrived shortly after. The group urged continued military operations, noting that the attack occurred shortly after a new joint operation began in a neighboring chiefdom. Authorities are asked to pursue the suspects who may still be in the area.
Malaysia’s High Court ruled that a TikTok video by preacher Firdaus Wong Wai Hung encouraging non-Muslim minors to convert to Islam without parental consent is unconstitutional. Justice Amarjeet Singh ordered the removal of the content and issued a permanent injunction against similar posts. The court also mandated that Firdaus pay 10,000 MYR in legal costs to eight parents who filed the lawsuit. The case, originating from a June 2024 video, affirmed parental rights under Article 12(4) of the Federal Constitution. The decision highlights the judiciary’s role in protecting guardians’ authority over minors’ religious choices and addresses digital proselytization in Malaysia. According to the outlet, this landmark ruling reinforces constitutional safeguards against circumventing parental authority via social media.
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by Eugene on UnsplashPersecuted church
At least 32 people were killed in a village in Plateau State, Nigeria, during an attack by armed Fulani militias. International Christian Concern reports that assailants burned homes and destroyed the local church. The state governor visited the site, condemning the violence and promising compensation. Survivors allege that nearby soldiers failed to intervene. The incident is part of ongoing rural violence in the region, with over 150 deaths recorded since January. Local groups are now providing emergency aid to displaced residents.
Authorities in China have intensified restrictions on independent religious groups, banning unapproved foreign missionary work and mandating state propaganda in worship music. The government is cracking down on unregistered Catholic communities, closing a significant majority of independent churches in a major city in eastern China. Additionally, Beijing has unilaterally appointed bishops, challenging Vatican authority. These measures aim to enforce ideological loyalty and suppress faith practices outside state-sanctioned institutions. The crackdown targets believers operating outside the official Three-Self Patriotic Movement and the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, severely limiting religious freedom for Christians across the country.
In early June, the Rapid Support Forces carried out coordinated airstrikes on three churches in a city in North Darfur, Sudan. The attacks on the Sudanese Episcopal Church, the African Inland Church, and the Roman Catholic Church resulted in at least five deaths, including a priest, and dozens of injuries. A human rights organization stated the bombings target religious freedom and serve as part of a campaign to establish control. The city remains a disputed battleground where churches often serve as sanctuaries. Since the 2023 civil war began, the RSF has been accused of targeting minority groups, including Christians, through violence and looting.
International Christian Concern reports that Christians in India, Nepal, and Pakistan are experiencing eroding property rights. In India’s Chhattisgarh state, village councils and mobs have looted land and evicted families, sometimes forcing them to renounce their faith. CSW President Mervyn Thomas condemned these actions. In Nepal, Christians face hurdles registering organizations and securing burial plots in Kathmandu. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch notes that abused blasphemy laws in Pakistan are used to seize land from poor Christians and Ahmadis, forcing communities to flee. These incidents highlight a growing trend of religiously motivated displacement across South Asia.
Authorities in a state in India plan to demolish hundreds of church structures deemed unauthorized, primarily in tribal areas, within six months. A senior government minister announced the initiative alongside intentions to enact a strict anti-conversion law. This move follows allegations by legislators that illegal churches, allegedly funded from abroad, facilitate religious conversions in specific districts. If passed, this state would become one of many in the country with such legislation. The ruling party aims to curb conversions through inducement or coercion, with officials promising a comprehensive survey of conversion activities among marginalized communities.
An Iranian Christian convert was deported from Turkey to Iran. Upon arrival at an airport in a major city, he was detained and transferred to a capital city to serve a lengthy prison sentence for house church activities. He had previously fled Iran after being released on bail. Reports indicate that Turkish authorities increasingly use security codes to deport Christians, a tactic described as systematic targeting based on faith. This follows a pattern of expulsions under Turkey's Alien Act. The incident highlights the ongoing persecution of believers in the region and the risks faced by those seeking refuge abroad.
Allied Democratic Forces militants attacked two predominantly Christian villages in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The group struck settlements in Ituri province and North Kivu. Local officials reported at least thirteen civilians killed and several wounded using firearms and edged weapons. The attackers also burned homes in one location. According to International Christian Concern, these incidents are part of a broader strategy to suppress Christian communities and force displacement. Survivors describe the violence as targeted persecution aimed at undermining the right to worship peacefully in the region.
Armed Fulani militants attacked a Christian worship service in a village in northern Nigeria. The assault killed a pastor and a Christian convert. A woman was also abducted during the raid. According to International Christian Concern, this incident is part of a broader pattern of violence against Christians in Nigeria, with at least 63 pastors killed since January 2023. Witnesses reported the attackers shouted Islamic slogans and targeted the church specifically. No arrests have been made, and security forces have not yet issued a statement regarding the attack.
A Malaysian foreign minister stated at an ASEAN meeting that elections in Myanmar are premature due to ongoing violence. He urged the military junta to stop attacks and prioritize peace. The regime, which took power in 2021, controls limited areas and faces broad opposition. Reports indicate tens of thousands of arrests and deaths since the coup. Analysts warn that any current vote would likely be illegitimate. The military has been criticized for attacking civilians, including after recent natural disasters, while ethnic and religious minorities continue to suffer severe displacement and persecution across the country.
Two Christian teenagers in Pakistan were acquitted of blasphemy charges after a two-year trial. They were falsely accused in 2023 when a neighbor claimed they used a religious figure's name for a puppy. Witnesses testified that no puppy was present and the accusation was a pretext for settling a personal dispute. A judge noted that these laws are often misused to persecute minorities. This case highlights the severe risks Christians face in Pakistan, which ranks eighth on the 2025 World Watch List for religious persecution. The acquittal underscores the vulnerability of believers in the region.
In South Kalimantan, Indonesia, Pastor Matias has been ordered to stop leading worship services by a local imam. The directive follows tensions stemming from a conversion incident four years ago. More than 40 congregants attend the services held near the pastor's home. The Dayak tribe, an indigenous group to which Matias belongs, has offered to guard the church building. International Christian Concern staff are providing support and maintaining communication with the pastor. The local Christian community is urging government and media attention regarding the situation. Matias is currently worshipping elsewhere while tribal members seek recognition for their place of worship.
In Lamu County, Kenya, Auma Wambui lost her home and livelihood when al-Shabab militants attacked her village of Witho in February 2024. The International Christian Concern reports that the group provided emergency relief to Wambui, who was displaced with her seven children. Staffers delivered food, shelter, and emotional support. Crucially, they gifted her a motorcycle to use as a taxi. This assistance allowed Wambui to generate a steady income for her family. She stated that the vehicle restored her ability to provide for her children, marking a return to stability after the destruction caused by the insurgency.
Hundreds of Muslim residents in Depok City, West Java, Indonesia, protested the construction of a Batak Karo Protestant Church (GBKP) on July 5. Demonstrators shouted slogans demanding the demolition of the site after the church laid its first stone. Rudi Ardiansah of the Community Empowerment Institute attributed the backlash to insufficient communication with locals. Church leader Zetsplayrs Tarigan stated that the congregation obtained a building permit in March and met with village officials two days prior to construction. He noted that the church secured necessary approvals, including a recommendation from the Interfaith Harmony Forum, and offered land for village access roads. This incident highlights ongoing tensions regarding house of worship permits in Indonesia.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan recently overturned the blasphemy conviction of a 72-year-old Catholic man who had been imprisoned for 23 years. A three-judge bench ruled that the man, who suffers from mental illness, cannot be held criminally liable. He was originally arrested in 2001 and sentenced to death in 2002. A Dominican priest praised the decision but noted the lost years. Human Rights Watch reported a sharp rise in blasphemy charges in the country, prompting calls for legal reform. Advocacy groups view the acquittal as a potential catalyst for changing the nation's strict blasphemy laws.
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