A Nigerian priest formerly serving in Texas is set to stand trial in a city in Texas on charges of serial sexual assault against multiple women. Police report at least eight victims allege abuse occurred between 2007 and 2023, partly during his time in a diocese in the US. The outlet highlights discrepancies in how diocesan officials communicated warnings to other jurisdictions and the public. While the diocese claims it restricted his ministry in 2019, earlier statements omitted details about serious complaints. The case raises concerns about transparency and the management of abuse allegations by church authorities in the US and Nigeria.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a young survivor endured a violent rebel attack that claimed the lives of villagers and missionaries. He suffered severe injuries, including a crushed skull, and required extensive hospital care. After recovering, he returned to his community to teach teenagers about the Bible. Authors who reported on the incident view his transformation as a significant spiritual development. The narrative underscores the enduring trauma of the violence while highlighting the survivor's emergence as a dedicated youth leader and teacher within his local church context.
Armed militants attacked a town in Plateau State, Nigeria, on May 9. Local volunteers and mobile policemen defended the area against ethnic militias. The assault resulted in eight deaths, including a police inspector, and eleven injuries. Residents fled their homes as gunfire persisted for hours. Community leaders and a local youth association criticized security failures and the lack of firearms for trained community police. The group also condemned the military's delayed response and inadequate humanitarian support for victims. The incident highlights ongoing security challenges in the region.
A 33-year-old Christian sanitation worker died in Pakistan after inhaling toxic gases in a deep sewer. Government authorities removed him from his home after he refused the dangerous task for three days, citing threats of job loss. The worker died inside the sewer while a colleague was hospitalized. Authorities refused to handle the body, claiming the victim was a contractor to avoid liability. Legal justice groups report that at least 40 Christians have died in manholes since 2011 due to systemic discrimination and lack of safety measures in Pakistan's sanitation workforce.
The National Commission for Justice and Peace expressed deep shock over recent terrorist attacks on Catholic sites in a city in northern Mozambique. The group reported that twenty youths were kidnapped, a historic church was destroyed, and Christian homes were razed in the northern province. The commission warned of escalating violence against the Christian community. Additionally, the local Islamic community condemned the attacks, noting concerns about the end of European Union funding for Rwandan defense forces. The justice commission urged Portuguese authorities to help ensure peace and security for these Lusophone communities.
Eleven women and children freed from an armed group camp in northern Nigeria reported severe abuse after months of captivity. The survivors described enduring starvation, flogging, and forced cannibalism when ransom demands were not met. Captives stated that terrorists killed a woman and compelled children to consume her flesh. The group described systematic torture, including broken limbs and chaining. Experts attribute these atrocities to deliberate terror tactics used by armed groups in the Middle Belt region to suppress local communities. The incident highlights the ongoing hostage crisis affecting Christians in northern Nigeria.
A remix of the song 'Suffer They (A Garden Rises Up)' by the band Widow’s Mite has been released to honor persecuted Christians in northeastern Nigeria. The project highlights the ongoing violence faced by communities, particularly those connected to Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN). Recent attacks in Borno State, including raids in various villages, have resulted in abductions, deaths, and destroyed churches. EYN President Rev. Daniel Y. C. Mbaya condemned these acts. The musical initiative serves as a memorial, aiming to restore human presence to the suffering and express resilience amid devastation.
Human Rights Without Frontiers reports that Iran continues to target religious minorities in April 2026. A memorial for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was held in a recognized minority cathedral in the capital, highlighting the regime's use of established groups for propaganda while cracking down on converts. A Christian convert was released from a major prison after two years. Meanwhile, prosecutors in a central province claim to have arrested leaders of a house-church network. Baha’i persecution intensified, with arrests in several cities and reports of torture and mock executions against detainees. The outlet notes these actions contradict state claims of religious tolerance.
A terror alert has been issued for several local government areas in Plateau State, Nigeria. Reports indicate attacks in multiple villages and districts, prompting authorities to advise residents to shelter in place and avoid movement in the affected zones. Security agencies have been notified of credible threats, and the situation is described as developing. Authorities urge vigilance and the sharing of only verified information to prevent panic. Travelers are instructed to use major roads during daylight hours if evacuation becomes necessary. The alert aims to protect Christians and other residents from imminent violence in these high-risk regions.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide released a prayer diary for Nigeria, focusing on recent security crises. The outlet notes that 166 Christians were freed from a village in Kaduna State, though one infant died after the abduction. It also highlights the case of a young woman who remains captive in northeast Nigeria. Additionally, the diary calls for justice for a child who died in a Kano orphanage, and addresses attacks in Kwara, Katsina, and Benue states where over 200 people were killed. The group urges authorities to address security gaps causing trauma across the country.
A Muslim organization in Mozambique condemned jihadist attacks on a Catholic parish in a northern region, expressing solidarity with believers and rejecting violence justified by faith. A local bishop described the condemnation as a sign of hope amid ongoing conflict. Since 2017, the insurgency has killed thousands and displaced over a million people. Reports indicate hundreds of Christians and numerous churches have been targeted. Aid organizations continue to support victims in the affected area, highlighting the severe persecution faced by the Christian community in this part of the country.
Sources report that Kalegeya Faruku, a 40-year-old man in Jinja, Uganda, had his hands severed by Muslim relatives on April 17 after he converted to Christianity in March. Faruku stated that his family became angry and sent threats following his conversion. He was ambushed at his home by his brothers, who cut off his limbs while reciting Islamic scripture before abandoning him. He was rescued by a stranger and taken to a clinic. His father justified the act by citing sharia law. Police have not yet released a statement regarding arrests or the investigation.
Christian communities in a local government area of Plateau State, Nigeria, were attacked by Fulani militia on Saturday evening. Armed groups stormed suburbs, firing at residents and causing at least three deaths. Many others fled their homes. Local leaders reported that mobile police and soldiers struggled to contain the attackers. This incident adds to ongoing violence against Christians in the region, which the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has cited as a major threat. Military response details remain unclear.
Israeli prosecutors have indicted 36-year-old Yona Shreiber for attacking a French Catholic nun in Jerusalem's Old City on April 28. The indictment alleges religiously motivated assault causing actual injury and simple assault. Surveillance footage shows the attacker, wearing religious Jewish attire, pushed the nun to the ground and kicked her, also striking a bystander who tried to intervene. The nun suffered bruises on her face and leg. Shreiber was arrested the following day and remains in custody. Christian community members report rising tensions and harassment in the area, while Israeli police state they strictly oppose violence against religious groups.
Police in a northern Nigerian state denied reports of a violent attack during a mass burial in a local village, claiming no such incident occurred. This official statement contradicted eyewitness accounts from a reporter and a community leader, who described gunfire and armed men shouting religious slogans. The community leader alleged military collaboration and noted the arrest of a soldier linked to a special task force. The denial follows a pattern of conflicting official narratives and local reports in Nigeria, raising concerns about institutional trust and security responses. A U.S. Representative criticized the government's handling of the situation, urging stronger action to protect citizens.
OIDAC Europe documented 38 anti-Christian hate crimes in April 2026, targeting worship sites and individuals. The report details vandalism, arson, theft, and physical violence across multiple nations. France recorded the highest number of incidents with ten cases, followed by Germany and Italy with seven each. Other affected countries include Spain, Poland, Croatia, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Significant events included arson attacks in Italy and Germany, an explosion in the Netherlands, and violent assaults in Ireland, France, and Spain. The group notes that several attacks occurred during Easter celebrations, highlighting a pattern of intolerance against Christian symbols and clergy throughout the month.
A suicide bomber attacked a church in a district near the capital of Syria, killing 25 people and injuring dozens during a service. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombing, which occurred after more than a decade of civil war. A local Christian leader stated that approximately 300,000 Christians remain in the country despite ongoing persecution. The outlet reports that the congregation continued to meet after the tragedy, demonstrating resilience amid the violence and economic instability in the region.
Dom Nikodemus Schnabel, abbot of the Dormition Abbey in Jerusalem, condemns recent attacks against Christians in Israel and Lebanon. He cites the assault on a French nun in Jerusalem and the desecration of religious statues in Debel, Lebanon, as evidence of escalating anti-Christian hatred. Schnabel attributes this violence to Kahanist ideology, noting that figures linked to this movement now hold positions in the Israeli government. He expresses concern that the current administration lacks a clear stance against such acts, contrasting this with past societal rejection of similar violence. The abbot urges Israel to preserve its commitment to religious minorities and an open Jerusalem.
A Dominican nun and Bible scholar at the Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem was assaulted by a man in a quiet street. Surveillance footage shows the attacker striking her from behind, causing her to fall. He initially walked away but returned to kick her again before another man intervened. The assailant, identified by the tzitzit fringes on his jacket as an observant Jew, has been arrested. The incident highlights a shocking act of violence between individuals of different faiths in Israel.
Translated from Français
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