Asia/Pacific

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos LAHORE, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- The fate of a Christian woman who was sentenced to death for blasphemy remained unclear Wednesday, March 19, after a high court postponed an appeals hearing.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service COLOMBO, SRI LANKA (BosNewsLife)-- Two prominent Christian rights activists remained behind bars  in Sri Lanka, after they were detained by the country's feared Terrorist Investigation Division (TID), church officials and fellow activists said.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A Pakistani court will hear the appeal of a Pakistani woman who has been "languishing in prison since 2009" after she was sentenced to death on charges of blasphemy against Islam, amid hope her conviction may be overturned, advocacy officials involved in the case told BosNewsLife Saturday, March 15.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- Church leaders in India expressed alarm Tuesday, March 4, over "a dramatic increase" in attacks on Christians in the state of Andhra Pradesh, where in recent weeks one pastor has been murdered, others beaten, and churches demolished.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife BEIJING/PYONGYANG (BosNewsLife)-- North Korea has released an elderly Christian missionary who was jailed for promoting Christianity in the isolated Communist-run nation after he allegedly "apologized" for his actions.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service SEOUL/PYONGYANG (BosNewsLife)-- Concerns were mounting Wednesday, February 26, over the whereabouts of an elderly Australian Christian missionary, more than a week after he was detained in North Korea. John Short, 75, was arrested in the capital Pyongyang last Sunday, February 16, while openly expressing his Christian faith during on what was his second mission trip to the isolated Communist-run nation, his wife told media.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- Chinese authorities have "indefinitely postponed" the trial date of an evangelical pastor who has been detained on charges that supporters link to his effective work as a church leader. Pastor Zhang Shaojie’s trial date, which had been set for February 21, was previously already postponed twice in recent weeks, trial lawyers said.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- A dozen Chinese Christians remained detained, three weeks after their evangelical house church in China's capital Beijing was targeted by police, well-informed Christians said.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife ROME/ISLAMABAD (BosNewsLife)-- Pakistan's former Minister of National Harmony and Minority Affairs pledged on Tuesday, February 11, to leave Italy and return to Pakistan despite receiving death threats from Islamic militants

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- The elder brother of an assassinated Christian government minister has fled Pakistan and arrived in Italy after death threats from Islamic militants, a well-informed official told BosNewsLife Sunday, February 9.