UPDATES
Fatemeh (Aylar) Bakhteri | Iran RELEASED!
On September 5, 2019 Fatemeh Bakhteri was charged with 'propaganda against the system', and sentenced to one years imprisonment, followed by two-years deprivation of all social activities, membership in political and social groups and associations with Christians. ...
Zhang Shaojie Transferred – Jan. 2021
Zhang Shaojie was transferred to another prison in January 2021. According to an official letter received by his sister, Zhang Shaojie will spend the next two months in “concentrated education” at the Zhengzhou City prison. After the initial two-month period,...
Zhao Weiliang | China RELEASED!
Source: Prisoner Alert On 27 May 2015, Zhao was sentenced to four years in prison under the charge of “using a cult organization to undermine law enforcement.”
Cheng Hongpeng | China RELEASED!
On 27 May 2015, Cheng was sentenced to three years in prison under the charge of “using a cult organization to undermine law enforcement.” According to Prisoner Release, Cheng has now been released.
Twen Theodros | Eritrea Released!
According to a recent report from Church in Chains, Twen Theodoros was released in late 2020. Twen has been in prison since 2005. Helen Berhane writes of her friendship with Twen in her autobiography, Song of the Nightingale. As they suffered together in the same...
Mussie Eyob | Eritrea Released!
According to a recent report from Church in Chains, at least 83 Christians have been released since late January (2021), including Mussie Eyob. Some of those released had been held in captivity for more than ten years, often under horrific conditions. Mussie has been...
Pastor A Dao Released
Pastor A Dao, who is the leader of the Montagnard Evangelical Church of Christ, has been released from prison after serving four years of his five-year prison sentence. He advocated for religious freedom for his fellow church members in the Central Highlands and...
Release Due to COVID-19 Becomes Permanent
Mahrokh Roksare Kanbari was released temporarily on March 2 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, having provided security of 30 million tomans ($2,000). On April 2, prison authorities informed Mahrokh that she was no longer required to return to prison. It is expected that...
Imran Ghafur Released!
The Lahore High Court has acquitted Imran Ghafur Masih, a Christian sentenced to life in prison under Pakistan's blasphemy laws. According to Imran's family they have moved into hiding following the acquittal due to potential threats from extremists. On 15 December,...
10-Year Sentence Reduced
On June 22, 2020, Yousef Nadarkhani's sentence was reduced to six years. Further areas for appeal are also being explored.
Bhakrom Released!
In a wonderful Christmas gift for his family, Bakhrom Kholmatov was freed early from prison on Wednesday, Dec. 18, three months earlier than his original release date. Praise God, and pray for the family as they reunite. (Source: Prisoner Alert)
Kandhamal Christians | India
(Source: World Watch Monitor) After spending nearly a decade in prison, the Supreme Court of India has ruled that the last five of the seven Kandhamal Christians, Bhaskar Sunamajhi, Munda Badmajhi, Durjo Sunamajhi, Sanatan Badamajhi and Budhadeb Nayak, be released on...
Ebrahim Firouzi RELEASED
Update - October 2019 Ebrahim Firouzi was released from Rajaei Shahr prison on Oct. 26, 2019. He will now serve two years' internal exile in the city of Sarbaz, on the border with Pakistan. The prison warden wanted to send Ebrahim directly to exile, but he was allowed...
Believers Imprisoned In India On False Charges
Kandhamal Christians | India On August 23, 2008, as Hindus celebrated Janmashtami in the Kandhamal district of Odisha state, eastern India, their prominent leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati was shot dead. Hindu fundamentalists quickly blamed Swami’s murder on...
Update – Imran Ghafur | Pakistan
The court handling the case of Pakistani Christian Imran Ghafur announced a new court hearing on Friday, May 17. Please pray that something will come from the hearing and that Imran will soon be released from prison. Imran has been in prison for nearly 10 years on...
Abraham Ben Moses Released!
We are delighted to report that Abraham Ben Moses, also known as Saifuddin Ibrahim, a well-known former Muslim and Christian apologist in Indonesia, has been released from prison. Abraham, who was active in Internet evangelism and debates with Muslim groups, was...
Pray for Siu Thai, Vietnam
On November 21, Siu Thai was beaten so harshly that he lost his memory. In the latest meeting with his familyhe was not able to recognise any of his relatives and could not walk by himself. Siu Thai is an ethnic Hmong Christian. He was arrested in April 2011 and was...
Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, Indonesia Released
Former Christian governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, has been set free after serving nearly two years in prison for 'blasphemy', according to CBN News. He said he doesn't regret his imprisonment, saying, "If we could go back in time and someone asked which...
Vietnamese Prisoner Beaten
On November 21, Siu Thai was beaten so harshly that he lost his memory. In the latest meeting with his family he was not able to recognise any of his relatives and could not walk by himself. Siu Thai is an ethnic Hmong Christian. He was arrested in April 2011 and was...
ASIA BIBI FREED. PAKISTAN SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS ACQUITTAL
from VOM partner, Release International Release International welcomes the decision by Pakistan Supreme Court to uphold acquittal of Asia Bibi. Calls for Pakistan to protect Asia and Christian minority, review cases of 200 other Christians behind bars and repeal...