Asia/Pacific

By BosNewsLife Asia Service KATHMANDU, NEPAL (BosNewsLife)-- Nepal's government has defended a proposed law that Christians say effectively bans evangelism and could lead to a crackdown on devoted believers. Under the new legislation, anyone who preaches or tries to persuade others to change religion could receive up to five years imprisonment and receive a fine of 50,000 Nepalese Rupees (some $700).

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BosNewsLife)-- An international Christian rights group has expressed "grave concerns"about increased violence against Christians and other religious minorities in Indonesia and urged the government to tackle Islamic extremism.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service LAHORE, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A tense calm has returned to a Pakistani village in Pakistan's turbulent Punjab province after local Christians announced they had forgiven armed Muslims who attacked their church, mediators said.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- Chinese authorities have detained a key official of  an influential umbrella group of house churches in China as part of a wider crackdown on unauthorized worship in the country, rights activists and Chinese Christians saidThursday, June 2.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos SEOUL/PYONGYANG (BosNewsLife)-- North Korea has released an American who was detained since November last year and allegedly mistreated for activities linked to mission work and spreading Christianity in the hardline Communist nation.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- One of 10 Chinese house church Christians sentenced to jail and a labor camp in China's Shanxi province was free on medical parole Friday, May 27, as she nearly died after more than a year in detention, her supporters said.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in Pakistan remained concerned Monday, May 23, over the situation of Pastor Ashraf Paul and his family after they reportedly narrowly survived a drive by shooting by suspected Islamic militants in Punjab province, seriously injuring their eldest son.    

By BosNewsLife Asia Service ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Pakistani Christians have expressed concerns about  renewed kidnappings and abuse of women and girls by Muslims in a country still reeling from the recent assassination of a Christian government minister.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- There was concern Sunday, May 15, that India would deport seven Afghan Christians and their families back to Afghanistan where they risk detention and execution for abandoning Islam, after the United Nations refused to grant them refugee status, representatives said.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in Pakistan remained on high alert Friday, May 13, as at least 80 people were killed and 120 others injured in two bomb blasts that militants said were to avenge the killing of terrorist Osama bin Laden.