Judge in Pakistan Validates Marriage of Muslim to 13-Year-Old

Catholic girl kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam, family says.

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A 13-year-old Christian girl kidnapped by a Muslim man in Pakistan leapt toward her mother when she spotted her outside a courtroom on Tuesday (Oct. 27), but her family was not permitted to enter as a judge validated the 45-year-old abductor’s Islamic “marriage” to the child, sources said. Refusing to […]

Christian Girl, 13, Forcibly Married, Converted in Pakistan, Father Says

Kidnapper’s brothers are police officials protecting him, rights advocate says.

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Police in Karachi, Pakistan are ignoring the kidnapping and forcible conversion to Islam of a 13-year-old Christian girl by a 45-year-old Muslim whose two brothers are police officials, sources said. Ali Azhar, a neighbor of the victim’s Catholic family, abducted Arzoo Raja on Oct. 13, and her family went to […]

Christian’s Hearing Damaged in ‘Reconversion’ Attacks in India

Death threats, violence and sexual harassment from Hindu extremists.

HYDERABAD, India (Morning Star News) – A Christian and his 20-year-old son have taken refuge at an undisclosed location since an attack on Sept. 2 in Chhattisgarh state left the father with permanent damage to his hearing, sources said. Jagra Kashyap, 45, and son Asharam Kashyap had to leave their families at home in Badrenga village, […]

Christian Sentenced to Death for ‘Blasphemy’ in Pakistan Acquitted

False allegation destroyed Christian area in 2013.

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A Christian sentenced to death in Pakistan on blasphemy charges six years ago was acquitted by a high court in Lahore on Monday (Oct. 5), sources said. Sawan Masih, a 40-year-old Catholic father of three, had been handed the death sentence in March 2014 after a Muslim friend accused him […]

Beaten Christians Tonsured, Paraded in India

Hindu extremists falsely accuse them of eating cow beef.

NEW DELHI (Morning Star News) – After beating and parading Pastor Raj Singh along with four other Christians in eastern India, Hindu extremists were tonsuring them to further ridicule them when one cut the pastor’s head. “While shaving my head, the razor cut my skull, and blood oozed out,” Pastor Singh said of the Sept. 16 […]

Mobs of Thousands Attack Christian Homes in India

Animists incited by Hindu extremists as police stand by.

NEW DELHI (Morning Star News) – Incited by Hindu extremists, thousands of tribal animists in Chhattisgarh, India last week drove Christians in three villages from their homes in assaults that police declined to prevent or stop in spite of prior warnings, sources said. The attacks on Sept. 22-23 by mobs that swelled to more than 3,000 […]

Hindus, Ex­-Church Members Attack Christian Family in India

Assailants threaten to kill Christians if they do not leave village.

HYDERABAD, India (Morning Star News) – Punita Kumari was caring for her family in eastern India the morning of Sept. 14 when leaders of about 25 hard-line Hindu assailants armed with bamboo sticks forced their way into their one-room home. Saying Christians could not live in their village of Jhikatia, Bihar state, the assailants dragged her […]

Christians in Northern India Forced to Stop Worship, Pastor Says

Officers, Hindu extremists coerce church leader after police detain his son, he says.

HYDERABAD, India (Morning Star News) – Harassment of Christians by hard-line Hindus in northern India ended in police coercing a pastor to agree to stop holding worship in his home after an officer threatened to make false charges against his son, he said. The pastor said the coercion by police in Uttar Pradesh state came […]

Another Christian Sentenced to Death in Pakistan on Weak Blasphemy Charges

Father of four accused of sending text messages defaming Muhammad.

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A court in Lahore, Pakistan today (Sept. 8) sentenced a Christian to death over charges that he allegedly sent “blasphemous” text messages to a Muslim colleague seven years ago, his lawyer said. Asif Pervaiz, a 37-year-old father of four, has been in jail for seven years since he was charged […]

Attacked Christians in India Risk Arrest if Worship Draws more Assaults

Police issue warning not to ‘disturb the peace.’

NEW DELHI (Morning Star News) – Police in eastern India have threatened to arrest Christians for “disturbing the peace” if their worship draws more opposition after recent attacks, including one that has nearly cost an elderly woman her sight, sources said. Complaining that Christian prayers have driven away their nature-based gods, tribal animists in Badaguda, Odisha […]