Uzbek Pastor Dmitry Shestakov released from prison!

(Source: VOM) We received a report this week that Uzbek Pastor Dmitry Shestakov was released from prison last Friday. Praise God! VOM sources report that Pastor Shestakov was released at 3 p.m. local time on January 21. No official church representatives went to meet him--only two courageous elders from the Andijan Church.

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Shestakov is the pastor of the officially registered Full Gospel Church. He was taken into custody by secret service officials on January 21, 2007, and accused of "incitement of national, racial and religious enmity" under Article 156 of Uzbekistan's penal code. He had been serving a four-year, work camp sentence. Praise the Lord for Pastor Shestakov's release! Pray he will be reunited with his family, friends and church members. Pray the Holy Spirit will use Shestakov's faithful witness to bring many of his neighbours, friends and even persecutors to Christ (Romans 12:14, 21). Find out more about the persecution of Christians in Uzbekistan at the Uzbekistan Country Report. To listen to a video testimony from the Shestakov family filmed during his imprisonment, go to our multimedia site.

Christian murdered, believers threatened in Pakistan

(Source: Compass Direct) Christians in the city of Karachi, Sindh province, Pakistan, are facing threats from local police after filing charges in the murder of an 18-year-old Christian man. On January 6, Waqas Gill was abducted from his home by four police officers. His body was found in a sewer two days later. The Christians who found his remains protested against local police, claiming they covered up Waqas' brutal murder and accused them of delaying an autopsy. Head officials reluctantly filed charges against the four accused officers. An autopsy revealed that Waqas had been raped, tortured and shot with police-revolver bullets. Waqas' father said that police have since threatened to kill him and other local believers or charge them with false crimes if they do not withdraw the charges against the officers. At least six Christian youth in that area have reportedly been killed in a manner similar to Waqas. A local Christian legislator, Tahir Naveed Chaudhary, condemned the Waqas murder and lamented the police discrimination against Christians: "Day by day, crimes against Christians are increasing, and rape or abuse of Christian women and girls has become a commonplace thing. Life of any of the Christians at any place in Pakistan is not safe." Pray those who mourn for Waqas will feel God's comfort and trust that He is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). Pray those involved in his murder will repent and come to receive Jesus as Lord, just as the Apostle Paul did. Pray Christians in Pakistan will continue to trust in God's sovereign justice and compassion, even in the face of tragedy and oppression. You can find out more about the persecution of Christians in Pakistan at the Pakistan Country Report.

Cover-up suspected in death of Indian pastor

(Source: Compass Direct, Global Council of Indian Christians) A pastor whose house was targeted by Hindu militants during anti-Christian mob violence in 2008 (read the story) was recently found dead in Kandhamal, Orissa state, India. Originally, police officials claimed Pastor Saul Pradhan, 45, froze to death, but his relatives suspected murder. Officials have since detained Marda Pradhan and Baiju Mallick, members of a radical Hindu group. On the evening of January 10, two Hindu men came to Pastor Pradhan's house and asked him to come with them. When he failed to return the next day, his wife and a few villagers went to the house of one of the Hindu men. The man took them into the jungle but ran away after 30 minutes. Pradhan's wife and the other villagers found Pastor Pradhan's body lying near a pond. His pants were torn, his mouth was bloody, and his arms and legs looked twisted. Despite the battered state of Pradhan's body, police claimed they had little reason to suspect foul play. The officials also claimed that there were no injury marks on Pastor Pradhan's body. They have refused to file a report of suspected murder and accused the pastor's family members of "spreading rumours about murder in hopes of receiving compensation from the government" for the August 2008 attacks in the region. At last report, an autopsy was performed, but its results have not been made public. Thank the Lord for the life and faith of Pastor Pradhan. Ask God to fill his loved ones with a peace that surpasses understanding in the midst of their grief (Philippians 4:7). Pray the truth will come out in this situation and that true justice will reign. Pray those responsible for these heinous killings will be brought to justice and that they will come to faith in Christ. To find out more about the suffering of Christians in India, visit the India Country Report.

Raise a voice for imprisoned Iranian Christians

(Source: Middle East Concern) Since January 2010, more than 100 Christians have reportedly been detained for their faith in Iran. Six of these detained believers have requested that people around the world advocate to Iranian authorities for their release. In June 2010, Ali Shahvari was arrested in Zahedan. He spent the first three months of his detention in solitary confinement. In September 2010, two married couples were arrested in Hamedan. Pastor Vahik Abramian, Sonia Keshish Avanessian, Arash Kermajani and Arezo Teymouri spent the first 40 days of their detention in solitary confinement and continue to be held in a local prison. That same month, Mojtaba Keshavarz-Ahmadi was arrested in the city of Arak. He was detained in the central prison at last report. The Voice of the Martyrs encourages you to petition for the release of these six believers by writing a letter on their behalf to Iranian authorities. Click here to download an example letter that you can use or adapt. You can petition Iranian authorities by writing letters to the following addresses: Leader of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei The Office of the Supreme Leader Islamic Republic Street - End of Shahid Keshvar Doust Street Tehran Islamic Republic of Iran Email: info_leader@leader.ir Via website: [url=http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter]http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter[/url] (English) Salutation: Your Excellency Head of the Judiciary Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani Public Relations Office Number 4, 2 Azizi Street Vali Asr Ave., south of Pasteur Street intersection Tehran Islamic Republic of Iran Email: bia.judi@yahoo.com (In subject line: FAO Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani) Salutation: Your Excellency For links to government websites that provide up-to-date addresses for representatives of Iran in Canada, visit our Advocacy Links. Pray for the release of Iranian Christians detained for their faith. Pray the Lord will bring verses of Scripture and hymns of praise to their minds as they suffer for His sake (Acts 16:25, Col. 3:16). Pray that the Body of Christ around the world will continue to stand with their suffering brothers and sisters in Iran through prayer and advocate on their behalf. To learn more about Iranian Christians serving the Lord at great cost, visit the Iran Country Report.

Update: South Sudan secession nearly certain; continue to pray

(Sources: Zenit, Christianity Today) The peaceful voting process of a historic referendum on Southern Sudan's secession from the North (click here for more details) came to an end on January 15. Early numbers of the vote indicate that the country may soon be divided, and Christians around the world continue to call for prayer for the nation and its people. Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio, in the southern region of Sudan, says his people have strong "expectations of change for the better" and urged continued prayers worldwide for "permanent peace in Sudan." Many Christians have reportedly left the North and capital city of Khartoum for the South out of fear that President Bashir's regime will shift toward "radical Islamization" in the wake of the referendum. Thank the Lord for a peaceful voting process. Pray for the shalom of God to reign throughout Sudan. Pray Sudanese Christians will continue to courageously proclaim Christ's way of compassion and love, even to those who seek to oppress them. For more information on the opposition facing Christians in Sudan, visit the Sudan Country Report.

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