Pakistan (MNN) — As blasphemy cases increase in Pakistan, some families are crying foul. Hundreds of young people are being taken to court, charged with online blasphemy against Islam. But is there an organized group entrapping them?

A high court in Pakistan has called for an official commission to investigate the question. But what do these realities mean for accused Muslims, Christians and other minorities today?

Floyd Brobbel with Voice of the Martyrs Canada says, these realities mean much suffering. In Pakistan, “it’s not innocent until proven guilty, it’s guilty until proven innocent,” he says.

(Photo of field in Pakistan courtesy of Abdul Rehman via Unsplash)

“Their court date could take a while in coming to be, so they’re sitting in prison. Often their families are suffering because now they have a family member in prison, and that family member could be a breadwinner.” 

Prison isn’t always the worst thing that can happen. Vigilante justice before the police show up is a real danger. 

Brobbel says the blasphemy law is easily twisted against people, and it needs to be changed.

Pray for investigators. “Christians can be praying that [investigators] would move quickly, and they would see right away that there is an issue and a problem with the blasphemy law that needs to be dealt with,” Brobbel says.

“Pray that these commissioners would take this job seriously and that they would be able to communicate and connect with organizations that have been tracking blasphemy law abuses for many years, to be able to weigh in on the subject.” 

Pray for Christians to have bold gospel witness amid hostilities. Then, pray for justice. We know when Christ returns, He will bring perfect justice to every wrong thing done. Would you ask God to work justice into reality in Pakistan ahead of that day?

Header photo courtesy of man in Lahore, Pakistan courtesy of Lumensoft Technologies via Unsplash.

Nehemiah with FMI says, “The problem is not really a blasphemy law or the Constitution of Pakistan. The problem is that the people of Pakistan, the Muslims of Pakistan, they have become extremists.

“The ‘mobism’ where a mob just goes [to] burn Christian houses or kill Christians in Pakistan? This is the major problem because critics urge that the laws are frequently exploited for personal vendettas, leading to false accusations and mob violence.”

Baptism in Pakistan. (Photo courtesy of FMI)

FMI supports Pakistani church planters representing Jesus in their communities. Yet, these believers face daily dangers for their faith.

“Life for a Christian in Pakistan is walking-on-a-sword situation or sitting-on-the-gun-powder situation…. You never know when a mob or an individual is just simply [going to] approach you and try to kill you or burn down your house or persecute you for any reason.”

Legal reform is good, but true change in Pakistan will only come through transformed hearts in the Gospel.

Nehemiah asks, “Please pray for spiritual awakening in Pakistan that fosters mutual respect, understanding, and peace among all communities, breaking the cycle of fear and oppression caused by these laws.

“And I request to please pray for FMI church planters, that God would grant them discernment and guidance to navigate these complex and sensitive situations with grace and love.”

Learn more about FMI’s ministry in Pakistan.

Header photo courtesy of Asfand Yar/Unsplash.

Pakistan’s infamous blasphemy law is a source of contention for human rights advocates.

“This law says that any insulting remarks in respect of the Prophet Muhammad, Quran, or Allah, either spoken or written or by visible representation directly or indirectly, shall be punished with death,” Nehemiah says.

“I call this law a Black Law because [it] does not require any evidence [or] witnesses.”

More often than not, blasphemy accusations lead to vigilante justice. Even if there’s no proof to support accusations, angry mobs feel emboldened by the blasphemy law to right any alleged wrongs.

“Over 100 people have been murdered in relation to blasphemy allegations since 1990, and over 700 people are in different jails of Pakistan without any trial,” Nehemiah says.

Last year, hundreds of people stormed a mostly Christian neighborhood in Pakistan’s third-largest city, burning homes and churches after a Muslim extremist group accused believers of blasphemy.

As a growing religious minority, Christians frequently become the target of blasphemy violence. “While I’m talking to you right now, a Christian man is being murdered in Baluchistan, in Kota,” Nehemiah says.

“They simply pick a random Christian man and kill that person in the street of Pakistan.”

FMI-supported church planters boldly proclaim the Gospel in this context. More about that here.

“Pray for safety and wisdom,” Nehemiah requests, “and of course, we need to support them so they can continue the ministry in Pakistan.”

Header image depicts the 2016 funeral procession of a young Christian man killed by a mob after he was accused of blasphemy. (Photo courtesy of FMI)

The radical Muslim mob beat him unconscious, and his family was placed under police protection. Last week, Masih passed away from his injuries. He was a well-respected businessman in his community.

Piles of shoes and other material burn outside the Christian shop.
(Photo courtesy of FMI)

Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations says no Pakistani Christian is safe from false blasphemy charges and the vigilante mob.

“Many of them are just ginned up, false accusations. But the point of that is that the justice system is really afraid because once it gets said that an individual violated a blasphemy law, then the court systems are in a tricky spot because they’re afraid. They know what the power of the mob is [and] that vigilante justice that will kick in.”

Although there is fear, videos from Masih’s funeral showed fellow believers publicly praising Jesus.

Pray faithful Christians in Pakistan would cling to and proclaim the Gospel.

“We need to pray that truth is revealed,” Kelley says. “We need to pray that these Christian leaders would have boldness and they would have courage. If they were here, that’s what they would be asking for. They would say, ‘Pray that I have boldness. Pray that I have courage.’”

Please also pray for the attackers, that they would recognize their need for a Savior in Jesus Christ.

Header photo courtesy of Junaid Nawaz/Unsplash.

A six-year-old Christian student from Khanewal in the Punjab province of Pakistan was recently attacked by his schoolteacher and beaten within an inch of his life. The Muslim teacher accused the child of blasphemy.

FMI has been in contact with other local ministry leaders regarding the attack. Bruce Allen with FMI says, “This boy had a workbook. He was just fiddling with it, he cannot really read it, and he’s making rips or tears in the notebook. But because that notebook or the curriculum had Quranic verses printed in it, it’s considered desecration against the Quran.

“Now, this boy has no intention of committing blasphemy. He probably doesn’t even understand what blasphemy is. And yet, because he’s a Christian, the teacher who is Muslim uses that incident as an excuse to beat him severely enough — not just that he’s hospitalized, but he nearly loses his life.”

(Photo courtesy of FMI)

The boy was initially fighting for his life in the hospital after the attack. FMI now knows he has been released to his family’s care. But there is no word yet on if he was truly fit to be released from the hospital or his current physical state.

Allen says, “In this town in Punjab province, even now, the Christian families are fleeing for their lives. So when I hear that this boy is recuperating with his family, I don’t know that he’s at home. They could be on the run for their lives. I don’t know that they have the medical resources to take care of his wounds.”

Pakistan’s constitution establishes Islam as the state religion. Blasphemy laws are often used to encourage vindictive targeting of Christians.

In praying for this Christian boy and his family, Allen says, “I’m gonna get really practical. [Pray that] they can sleep well at night. We know our bodies don’t heal whether emotionally or physically very well if we’re not getting good sleep.

“Can you imagine the nightmares that a six-year-old boy could have replaying the scene in his mind? In what he expects is the safety of his classroom, and the one who’s in authority beats him brutally? So pray that the family sleeps well.”

Pray also for the family to access any additional medical resources needed for their son’s care. Pray for their protection and for justice.

Also, Allen asks, “Pray for his future because God can raise up from this boy someone who could have such a strong voice in the Christian community as a strong testimony of what forgiveness looks like [and] even a strong voice to say, ‘I’m a survivor of what society tried to do to me, and we need to change society.'”

Header photo of school desks, courtesy of Hiroyoshi Urushima/Unsplash.

“When messaging happens that doesn’t align with [the government’s] ideology, they’re going to suppress [it], and that’s exactly what we’re seeing in Pakistan right now,” World Mission’s Greg Kelley says.

“Truth is in the eye of the beholder, and the beholder is the government.”

Last month, Pakistan blocked Wikipedia for hosting “blasphemous” content. Free speech advocates say there’s a concerted effort underway to control what people see on the internet.

(Photo courtesy Voice of the Martyrs USA)

Pakistan “might consider [itself] a democracy in some fashion, but as soon as messaging comes out that doesn’t align with their Islamic-dominated mindset, [officials will] shut it down,” Kelley notes.

Censorship extends to religious messaging, too. Zealots often use Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy law to incite mob violence against Christians.

“The way they (zealots) frame it is ‘You’re trying to tear down the Prophet Mohammed or the Koran,’ or Islam in general, and that’s not the case,” Kelley says.

“The Christian leaders we know in Pakistan [are] simply sharing the truth: the message of hope found in Jesus Christ and the Word of God.”

Pray that the Lord will give believers the courage to share His truth with their neighbors. Learn more about World Mission’s work here.

Header image depicts Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan. (Photo courtesy of Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung via Flickr/CC2.0)

The employee has been suspended, and authorities have started an investigation.

Nehemiah with FMI says the whole incident was caught on security footage. “This Muslim man added while he was shouting at this woman that he will bring clerics to frame her in a false accusation. And then he said that he was mad at her and he will cut her down. The female officer can be heard calling the man out for threatening her and daring him to register a blasphemy case against her.”

Blasphemy laws

It’s an example of how blasphemy laws in Pakistan can be used against Christians, even outside of religious situations. The laws forbid saying anything against Muhammed, the Quran, or Allah. It gives Muslims a feeling of power over Christians, even in petty disputes.

Nehemiah says the law was first passed in the late 70s and early 80s. “This is one of the laws that is strictly enforced. Most of the time, people don’t go to court. Right away, they decide the situation on the street.”

“This is one of the reasons why mob culture is very common in Pakistan.”

Ask God to strengthen Pakistani Christians who live under this constant threat. Nehemiah says, “They live on the sharp edge of a sword. Many of these people who are being accused of blasphemy are part of congregations with these brothers and sisters who are serving with FMI. Pray for safety, security, and wisdom, how they can deal with such situations.”

Header photo courtesy of FMI.

Recent cases

A new report says the government recently sued music streaming service Spotify over playlists that supposedly insulted Islam. Turkish officials also threatened a popular singer after a song referred to Adam and Eve as “ignorant.”

In another incident, four students faced arrest for displaying LGBT flags near a religious site. Hearings about the case have continued since 2021.

In 2020, authorities arrested a journalist for criticizing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s pandemic response. A well-known Turkish scientist fell under investigation in 2022 for saying government officials believed in fairy tales.

You can read the full USCIRF report here.

Greg Kelley with World Mission says, “We have to look back at what the leader is doing, Erdoğan. He can impose this even upon potential people that are running against him in politics. He could pull out the blasphemy card and accuse them of blasphemy. We’re talking about an Islamic dictator who wants to be a lifetime president by winning fake elections.”

Turkey will hold presidential elections in June 2023.

Turkish Christians

Kelley says Turkish Christians often find themselves targeted by the blasphemy law. “What they think is that human-made laws can stifle the advancement of the Church. They don’t understand that the Holy Spirit pays no attention to that. The trick is that we need to come alongside these leaders that are in the midst of the fire to encourage them.”

“It is very difficult. It is challenging. It’s very different from what we face here in the U.S.”

Despite the resistance, Kelley says the Church is growing throughout Turkey. Pray they will be strengthened. And ask God to soften the heart of President Erdoğan.

(Header photo courtesy of sofiane dougheche from Pixabay)

It started when a local Imam visited the motorbike repair shop. Nehemiah with FMI says, “Once he had done his job, this Imam refused to pay him. Because in Pakistan, Christians are being treated like dogs. I’m sorry to use this word. But literally, people use Christians like animals and dogs, like outcasted people. And he refused to pay him.”

“And he said, ‘You are living in our country. That is enough for you.’”

People from the local mosque beat the mechanic and framed him by saying he blasphemed against the Prophet Muhammed. In Pakistan, people can be accused of blasphemy and sentenced to death without any real evidence. This law often gets used against Christians for financial advantage and to get rid of them.

Nehemiah says, “When his family heard the news, they were in the tears, screaming and crying. Because they know there’s no way he can come out now.”

Targeting Christians

This isn’t happening to Christians in just a few isolated places. Lahore is the capital of Pakistan’s Punjab province and is the second largest city after Karachi. Nehemiah says, “This is just one news item we’re hearing about. There are multiple incidents like this happening in Pakistan, which are being unreported due to the control of the media by the government and military authority.”

Plus, Pakistan’s new government has a history of targeting Christians, Nehemiah says. “All the Christian colonies were burned down, and Christians were being targeted and killed. This happened during their tenure when they were in the power previously. And it’s happening again. Christian girls are being kidnapped and forcefully converted to Islam.”

Ask God to strengthen FMI partners in Pakistan.

The header photo shows the Christian mechanic in chains. (Photo courtesy of FMI)

Algeria (MNN) — There may be a new Prime Minister at the helm in Algeria, but persecution isn’t likely to let up. See our full Algeria coverage here.

“The problems Christians face are largely coming from the Ministry of Interior, who looks at the Christian community — especially the Protestant community — and sees them as a political threat. That is why they are clamping down on them,” Daniel Hoffman, Executive Director of Middle East Concern, explains.

“As long as that doesn’t change, the situation for Christians is probably not going to improve.”

When Algeria’s former Prime Minister, Abdelaziz Djerad, resigned in late June, Finance Minister Ayman Benabderrahmane stepped forward to take his place. The president has tasked Benabderrahmane with forming a new government.

The Hirak movement led to Bouteflika’s ouster in 2019, and hasn’t lost any steam.
(Photo courtesy of Amine Rock Hoovr/Unsplash)

It’s only the third vote in Africa’s biggest nation since long-time President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned in April 2019. The same protest movement that called for his ouster continues today.

“Some figureheads have changed, but overall, policies towards Christians, [as well as] the wider political direction of the country, will not be affected,” Hoffman says.

Legal persecution

As described here, 98-percent of Algeria’s population follows Islam, and the constitution establishes Islam as the national religion. Believers face challenges on many levels, especially those who turn to Christ from a Muslim background.

One believer, “Hamid Soudad, is sentenced under the blasphemy law,” Hoffman says.

“He is accused of having insulted the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, [and] he has been sentenced to five years in prison…. He is now serving his sentence; even though he’s further appealing, he is in prison at the moment.”

Algerian officials commonly use Islamic laws to persecute the Christian community. See examples here. “In addition to people who have been sentenced to prison, there are court cases involving (church) buildings,” Hoffman says.

“Since late 2017, the government has been closing church buildings and ordering the leadership of the churches to seize their activities … [16 churches have been physically sealed and] another four churches have been closed. Some of them were house churches, so the government could not forcibly seal those buildings, but they have been closed.”

Support persecuted Algerian Christians through Middle East Concern.

Find your place in the story

Despite forced church closures, false accusations, and incarcerations, the Body of Christ is growing. “The Church, especially the Protestant Church, in Algeria is strong,” Hoffman says.

“One of the main reasons the government perceives them as a threat is because they are growing, and they are predominantly composed of Algerians who were born as Muslims and then came to faith [in] Jesus later in life.”

Thank God for continuing to draw people into a saving relationship with Christ despite widespread opposition. “That is continuing, regardless of the actions of the authorities,” Hoffman says.

“The most important things that Algerian Christians [ask] for is prayers; both prayer for the Church in Algeria, they will remain encouraged, that they will remain strong, and for those Christians who have been sentenced or who are currently before the court. [Pray] for them to be released or to be acquitted of the charges.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of nasro azaizia/Unsplash.