Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, including Faisal Mosque. (Fassifarooq, Creative Commons) LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – Police in Pakistan are pressuring a young Christian woman to withdraw charges against two Muslims who raped, blackmailed and tried to forcibly convert her to Islam, sources said. The 26-year-old woman, a resident of Islamabad whose name is […]
Badshahi Mosque, Lahore, Pakistan. (Romero Maia, Creative Commons) LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – With a soaring number of blasphemy allegations in Pakistan in 2023, rights activists are reiterating demands for legislation against blatant abuse of the country’s notorious blasphemy laws. At least 329 persons were accused of blasphemy under the law in 2023, […]
Zarvia Masih was 12 when kidnapped and forced to marry her Muslim abductor in 2022. (Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – The Lahore High Court’s recent directive to strictly enforce anti-child marriage laws has raised hope among Pakistan’s Christians of some protection against their underage girls being forced to convert to […]
Attorney Tahir Bashir with Umair Saleem (L) and Umar Saleem (R) after their release on March 1, 2024. (Christian Daily International-Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – A judge in Pakistan on Friday (March 1) acquitted two Christian brothers of false blasphemy charges that had led to Muslims attacking Christian homes and […]
Indonesian youth in Pallawa village, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. (Rezki Sugiharto Nurdin, Creative Commons) SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – The head of Indonesia’s counter-terrorism agency said officials are focussing on protecting teenaged children and women from Islamic radicalization as they have become the most targeted groups. Citing a report by the Setara Institute for Democracy […]
Reconstructed One Pillar Pagoda, historic Buddhist temple, in Hanoi, Vietnam. (Bgabel, Creative Commons) (Morning Star News) – Two millennia ago, Jesus of Nazareth said, “Yes, what sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease their burden.” (Luke 11:46, NLT). What […]
Parents of Noman Masih hold a photograph of their imprisoned son. (Christian Daily International-Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – A Christian sentenced to death in one blasphemy case in Pakistan was acquitted on Feb. 20 in another related to the same incident, with the judge citing double jeopardy, his attorney said. […]
Pastor Keshab Raj Acharya with wife and children. (Morning Star News courtesy of family) NEW DELHI (Morning Star News) – More than a month after the Supreme Court of Nepal ordered Pastor Keshab Raj Acharya to serve one year in prison under a law against proselytizing, he seeks to convert the sentence into a fine. He […]
Canakkale Province, Turkey, where detention center outside Ayvacık is located. (TUBS, Creative Commons) (Morning Star News) – An Iranian Christian convert faces possible expulsion from Turkey and a three-year prison sentence on a charge of spreading “propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” according to religious freedom advocates. The government of Turkish President Recept Tayyip […]