Asia/Pacific

By BosNewsLife Asia Service ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A Christian girl was kidnapped, beaten, stripped and left naked in Pakistan by Muslims who were outraged that her uncle plans to marry a Muslim, Christians involved in the case told BosNewsLife.

By Martin Roth, BosNewsLife Senior Columnist JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BosNewsLife Columns)-- Fears that Islamic State supporters may be planning attacks in Indonesia are a further concern to the country’s Christian minority, who are already suffering from the growing Islamist presence in their nation. Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald daily newspaper reported that Indonesian police stepped up security at places of worship, along with embassies and shopping malls, following the recent Paris attack

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife SAHIWAL, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A young Christian man who was sentenced to life imprisonment in Pakistan on charges of "blasphemy against Islam" has appealed for prayers, ahead of the first hearing in his appeal case against the ruling. Sajjad Masih Gill, 31, said he spent four years behind bars in Pakistan's Punjab province on what he views as false accusations.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife LAHORE, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- An activist of an influential Christian advocacy group in Pakistan is recovering of his injuries after he was shot by suspected Islamic militants, activists told BosNewsLife learned. Aslam Masih, a Christian field coordinator of the Pakistan-based advocacy group Legal Evangelical Association Development (LEAD), said he sustained two bullets wounds to his left and right leg during the shooting in the Lahore area on October 28.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service KATHMANDU,NEPAL (BosNewsLife)-- Native Christian missionaries in Nepal say they will continue evangelism despite unrest over a newly constitution that enshrined a long-time ban on proselytizing. The new constitution signed by Nepal's president on September 20 outlaws "any act to convert another person from one religion to another or any act or behavior to undermine or jeopardize the religion of another," with violations punishable by prison and/or fines.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service HANOI, VIETNAM (BosNewsLife)—Church leaders and rights activists fear that lawmakers in Vietnam will pass a new law on religion that would “likely worsen oppression” of minority Christians and other groups in the Communist-run Asian nation. Some 27 advocacy and religious groups have urged Vietnam's government to make necessary changes to the legislation to prevent “further abuse of religious” minorities.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)—Evangelical Christians in central India are recovering after Hindu militants reportedly attacked them at a Pentecostal church, injuring a pastor and other believers while forcing several worshipers to “reconvert” to Hinduism.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- An advocacy group is urging authorities to seriously investigate the gang rape by Muslims of a Christian married deaf-mute woman, after two suspects were acquitted in a similar case.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BosNewsLife)-- Islamic authorities in Indonesia's conservative Aceh province have begun destroying several small churches after hardline Muslims demanding their reportedly killed at least one Christian.

By Stefan J, Bos, Chief Internationalk Correspondent BosNewsLife LONDON/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife) -- An influential Catholic charity and advocacy group warns in a new report that Christianity may be "eradicated" in several nations as persecution of Christians has worsened over the last two years in countries such as China, Indonesia, Iraq, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan and Syria.