Asia/Pacific

By BosNewsLife Asia Service BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- One of China's most prominent Christian rights lawyers, was with family Friday, August 8, after he was released from prison, his brother confirmed. Gao Zhiyi said Gao left the Xinjiang prison early Thursday local time and was now at his father-in-law's home in Urumqi, ending years of imprisonment.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife VIENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)-- Five Christians accused of "murdering" a Christian convert and organizing an illegal funeral for her in southern Laos were found "not guilty by prosecutors, but authorities refused to release them, a rights official told BosNewsLife Thursday, July 7.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- Chinese security forces took down a church's cross in eastern China early Monday, July 28, as part of a government crackdown on church buildings in a coastal region where thousands of people are embracing Christianity, Christians said.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- Evangelical Christians in southern India struggle to organize Bible studies and worship meetings after a church was reportedly attacked by Hindu militants.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Afghanistan's tiny Christian community was left in shock Friday,  July 25, after two Finnish Christian aid workers were shot dead, officials confirmed. The two women were killed by gunmen in the western city of Herat, the latest in a series of attacks targeting Westerners, including Christian believers.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- Two more Christians detainees from 'Nanle County Christian Church' (NCCC) in China's central Henan province have been released, just days after Pastor Zhang Shaojie was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, representatives confirmed Wednesday, July 9.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- Zhang Shaojie, the popular pastor of 'Nanle Country Christian Church' (NCCC) in China's central Henan province, has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment on charges of "fraud" and "gathering a crowd to disturb public order”, Christians confirmed Friday, July 4.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- The health of the jailed founder of one of China's largest evangelical house-church denominations is "rapidly deteriorating" and he may die due to a lack of medical care, his daughter and other Christians confirmed Thursday, July 3.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service COLOMBO, SRI LANKA (BosNewsLife)-- Evangelical Christians in heavily Buddhist Sri Lanka are facing attacks and death threats with authorities reluctant to intervene, according to the organization representing them. The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) documented several cases in recent weeks including in northwestern Mannar district .

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Pakistani authorities prevented more than one thousand "persecuted" Christians from fleeing Pakistan and hundreds of Christian asylum seekers have been detained in Sri Lanka, a well-informed source told BosNewsLife Sunday, June 29.