Ominous New Decree 95 Confirms Vietnam’s Intent to Control Religion  

Shutting down churches will be easier, raising and receiving funds much harder.

(Morning Star News) – Two millennia ago, Jesus of Nazareth said, “Yes, what sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease their burden.” (Luke 11:46, NLT). What Jesus said about the religious zealots of His day could also be said […]

A Year of Bumpy Ups and Downs for Religious Liberty in Vietnam

Despite all efforts, the country again lands on the U.S. Special Watch List.

(Morning Star News) – Vietnam improved from 24th to 35th place in Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List (WWL) of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, but the U.S. government was not so generous regarding its religious freedom record, placing the country on its Special Watch List on Jan. 4 […]

Pastor in Nepal Fears Conviction Sets Ominous Precedent

Supreme Court upholds prison sentence and fine.

NEW DELHI (Morning Star News) – As he awaits prison after a wrongful conviction for proselytizing, Pastor Keshab Raj Acharya fears his case will set a precedent for authorities in Nepal to incarcerate other Christians, he said. The 35-year-old pastor said he fears police and judiciary will cite his case as an example to send Christians […]

Christians Fear Implication in Attack on Government in Vietnam

Long oppressed Montagnard evangelicals could be targeted.

(Morning Star News) – Ethnic Christians in Vietnam are bracing for potential fallout should they be blamed for recent anti-government violence. In the pre-dawn hours of June 11, four policemen, two government officials and three bystanders were killed by camouflage-clad armed groups. This rare anti-government violence took place in Ea Tieu and Ea Ktur communes, […]

Unusual Ruling Frees Christian Couple from Prison in Iran

Judge rules participating in religious ‘home-group’ is not illegal.

(Morning Star News) – Iranian authorities released two Christian leaders from prison last week after a judge broke with common judicial practice in the country and ruled that home church participation was not illegal, sources said. Throwing out a 2020 conviction, a judge in Branch 34 of the Appeals Court in Tehran on May 9 […]

Iran Releases Two Christians from Notorious Evin Prison

After denial of pardons, church leaders receive freedom.

(Morning Star News) – Two Christians imprisoned in Iran for their church leadership roles were released a few days after a fire broke out in Tehran’s Evin Prison on Oct. 15, but rights advocates were mystified about why they were freed. Pastor Naser Navard Goltapeh, who had spent two months in solitary confinement, was released […]

Iran Punishes Christians with Harsh Prison Sentences

House churches considered threat to national security.

(Morning Star News) – When authorities in Iran summoned a Christian couple in Tehran on Aug. 13, the house-church members supposed it concerned the return of their confiscated belongings. Instead, Homayoun Zhaveh and his wife Sara Ahmadi were detained in Tehran’s Evin Prison, notorious for its harsh treatment of people deemed political enemies of the […]

China ‘Liquidates’ House Church as Part of Crackdown

Pastors and other workers arrested.

(Morning Star News) – Authorities in China on Aug. 19 officially “liquidated” an historical house church in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, as part of a crackdown on churches that refuse to join the state-controlled Three-Self Church, rights advocates said. The Church of Abundance, which began about 30 years ago, had been targeted as a “cult” that […]

Hmong Christians in Vietnam Suffering Severe Persecution

Federal authorities do nothing as local officials violate religion law.

(Morning Star News) – Severe persecution of Hmong Christians is underway in Nghe An Province in Vietnam. In the central Vietnam province, officials vying with each other to create “Christian-free zones” operate “with no conscience or humanity,” as if they were in a different country than the one whose religious freedom measures they are violating, […]

Vietnam Floats Draconian New Religion Decrees

Proposed high fines, shutdowns and onerous regulations submitted for feedback.

HANOI, Vietnam (Morning Star News) – When the “Government of Vietnam” posted two draft religion decrees the first week of June, even ranking staff members of the Government Bureau of Religious Affairs were taken by surprise and encouraged religious leaders to strongly object. The decrees with ancillary documents were posted online for input by government departments […]