- Jul 27, 2009
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INDIA Evangelical group beaten by police
Please pray for a group of 20 evangelicals who were reportedly detained illegally while on a trip to northwest India and then beaten by police.
Several of the group were left with severe bruising after police in Jaipur beat them on their palms with sticks, according to a human rights group that helped secure their release.
The People's Union for Civil Liberties said the Christians were freed only after it intervened and persuaded senior officials in Rajasthan state to sanction their release. The Christians were then ordered to leave the city at once.
Pastor Stephen Raj, who led the evangelical team from the Hebron Bhakta Singh Fellowship Church in Hyderabad, said they had been in Jaipur for only a few hours when they were arrested. It had been their intention to preach and distribute Christian literature but when Hindu nationalists realised their plans, they called the police.
Last Wednesday Hindu extremists stormed into a prayer meeting at a home in Haldad in Madhya Pradesh. Two Christians, including Pastor Lal Singh, were accused of fraudulently converting poor tribal people and were arrested.
(Sources: Morning Star News, World Watch Monitor)
Ask God to give Pastor Stephen and his fellow Christians a fresh and firm resolve to share the gospel, despite severe opposition. Pray also for the two Christians arrested in Madhya Pradesh.
Continue to pray for the church in India. Christians in many areas are under increasing pressure, as Hindu nationalism gains ground politically.
NEWS UPDATE:
Thank you for praying for Iranian pastor Victor Bet-Tamarz, who has been released from Tehran's Evin prison. Pastor Victor was arrested at his home in Roudehen on Boxing Day (Prayer Alert, January 5). The Assyrian pastor was one of about 15 Christians detained in the raid, though only he and two others were taken to prison. The two others named as Amin and Kaviyan were released on bail a month ago. Pastor Victor's release is conditional; his family had to submit title deeds to property to meet bail conditions. Please pray for Pastor Victor's health: he reportedly feels weak and has breathing difficulties. Pray that charges against all three men will be dropped. (Source: MEC)
Please pray for a group of 20 evangelicals who were reportedly detained illegally while on a trip to northwest India and then beaten by police.
Several of the group were left with severe bruising after police in Jaipur beat them on their palms with sticks, according to a human rights group that helped secure their release.
The People's Union for Civil Liberties said the Christians were freed only after it intervened and persuaded senior officials in Rajasthan state to sanction their release. The Christians were then ordered to leave the city at once.
Pastor Stephen Raj, who led the evangelical team from the Hebron Bhakta Singh Fellowship Church in Hyderabad, said they had been in Jaipur for only a few hours when they were arrested. It had been their intention to preach and distribute Christian literature but when Hindu nationalists realised their plans, they called the police.
Last Wednesday Hindu extremists stormed into a prayer meeting at a home in Haldad in Madhya Pradesh. Two Christians, including Pastor Lal Singh, were accused of fraudulently converting poor tribal people and were arrested.
(Sources: Morning Star News, World Watch Monitor)
Ask God to give Pastor Stephen and his fellow Christians a fresh and firm resolve to share the gospel, despite severe opposition. Pray also for the two Christians arrested in Madhya Pradesh.
Continue to pray for the church in India. Christians in many areas are under increasing pressure, as Hindu nationalism gains ground politically.
NEWS UPDATE:
Thank you for praying for Iranian pastor Victor Bet-Tamarz, who has been released from Tehran's Evin prison. Pastor Victor was arrested at his home in Roudehen on Boxing Day (Prayer Alert, January 5). The Assyrian pastor was one of about 15 Christians detained in the raid, though only he and two others were taken to prison. The two others named as Amin and Kaviyan were released on bail a month ago. Pastor Victor's release is conditional; his family had to submit title deeds to property to meet bail conditions. Please pray for Pastor Victor's health: he reportedly feels weak and has breathing difficulties. Pray that charges against all three men will be dropped. (Source: MEC)
