In a letter sent in December, three UN Human Rights Council special rapporteurs asked the government to stop the “intimidation and discriminatory treatment” of Protestants.

The father of four young children had been sentenced to five years in prison and fined 100,000 dinars. “That this story goes back three years and only now it’s resurfacing – it’s hard to digest”, says the church that supports his family.

“We thought Covid-19 was going to minimize the effect of persecution, but it has been the opposite. Persecution has increased”, says the director of Open Doors Spain. The organisation releases its annual World Watch List.

Radio and digital media platforms are particularly effective tools to reach the Amazigh community and to encourage the noteworthy Christian minority of local believers in their language.

A report of the Korea Future Initiative (KFI) presents well-documented violations in North Korea. Investigators conducted 117 interviews with survivors, witnesses, and perpetrators.

Mirela’s testimony highlights some of the extreme circumstances that Roma people often live in, but also reveals how Jesus makes a difference in their lives.

The 2020 World Press Freedom Index shows that “China censored their major coronavirus outbreaks extensively”. Norway is at the top and North Korea becomes the most dangerous country for journalists.

The 2006 law requires non-Muslim worship buildings to be licensed, but all applications to do so have remained unattended. “We all know that these laws are only there to muzzle Christians and other religious minorities”.

Growing pressure on Christians in China, Algeria, Burkina Faso, according to the 2020 Open Doors World Watch List. Christians face severe persecution in 73 countries.

Theologian José Hutter addresses the challenges evangelical churches have faced in the last decade, including same-sex marriage and the split between Western historic churches and the Christian majority in Africa and Latin America.

Under the new law, “mere criticism of gay marriage is not an offense”, authorities say. There will be a consultation before religious same-sex weddings become legal in May 2020.

“Evangelicals for Trump” will be presented in a Miami megachurch. A growing number of Christian voices warn that an uncritical attachment to the President could damage the gospel witness.

The closure of at least 12 Protestant church buildings gets international attention. Algerian Christians share their situation in videos posted online. 63,000 have already signed a petition defending religious freedom.

Video of the moment police officers enter a Protestant evangelical church near Tizi-Ouzou to close it. Church members do not stop singing, and peacefully resist later.

Surveys say a majority of society is not in favour of the changes that will be applied after March 2020. Same-sex marriage has also been legalised.

Police use force to eject Christians resisting in protest. The closures this week bring to 15 the number of worship buildings sealed since the government launched a campaign againt churches.

Peaceful demonstrations call authorities to “stop closure of worship places”. Churches re-organise themselves in houses as the government threatens to close more buildings.

Algerian Christians think the governmental campaign against Protestant churches will continue. But “the churches of Algeria have a very firm and mature leadership with a clear vision of God”.

“The government has passed laws that blatantly violate religious freedom”, Swiss Christian NGO HMK says. Christian natives and foreigners have been arrested because of their faith.

Throughout the summer, a number of attacks on graveyards, church buildings and other church properties have been reported in Europe.

The place of worship in the city of Boghni was used by two Protestant communities. Around 380 members are affected.

Demonstrators gathered in front of the parliament building in Belfast. “We werere not asked about this undemocratic change, which does not reflect public or political opinion here”.

Algerian authorities have engaged in a systematic campaign to close Christian places of worship and other Christian institutions since November 2017.

“We should have faith that even through broken and imperfect systems God can work His will”, says the Evangelical Alliance UK. “This is not an act of good faith”, the Church of Scotland points out.

Christian charity CARE reports 445 attacks since 2016. In a letter to all political parties they call for “immediate action and a fund to help churches”.