The Alliance of Christians in Cuba reports 996 repressive acts against religious leaders in 2024, in a country where 89% of families live in extreme poverty.

Pastors support the family of a 25-year-old man who was killed and another who was hospitalised after a crime that deeply affected the church in the ‘Nazaret’ neighbourhood. They lament the inaccurate information reported in the media.

“We pray for peace and stability”, evangelical leader Olof Edsinger says, “but also for tools for politicians and the police to counter these situations”.

Carolina Bueno, of the Spanish evangelical federation, says “zero tolerance” means that churches “must denounce and act” when there are signs of possible abuse. But such cases are “exceptional and not representative”, she clarifies.

The response to abuse in the context of evangelical churches “must be empathetic, firm, focused on the restoration of the damaged, not the prestige of a church institution”, says Marcos Zapata, president of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance.

A mob desecrated the grave of a recently deceased Christian. Believers are continually attacked, while the Parliament debates taking action against churches, says Middle East Concern.

A large-scale police operation in Europe has led to the arrest of 79 people and 39 minors have been placed under protection. “There are real victims here, we must act to protect our children”.

Anti-Christian acts drop by 10% in a context in which antisemitic attacks continue to be on the rise, says a territorial intelligence report.

Although the offences against Christians have significantly grown in the past two years, for the federal government, “there is no increased threat to Christians”.

A panel discussion at the EU Parliament analyses the challenges of religious freedom in Europe. The European Prayer Breakfast was held before with around 450 guests.

The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe reports at least 2,444 anti-Christian hate crimes in 35 European countries in 2023.

Apollo Quiboloy, leader of a controversial megachurch, was wanted by the Philippine and US justice for sex crimes and abuse. He has pleaded not guilty.

School handbooks now explain that all hate crimes should be reported to the police. The police are to set up reporting centres throughout Scotland where you can go and ‘clipe’ (a Scots word for snitch or tell-tale) on anyone.

A street preacher was wrongfully detained and won £15,000 in damages and legal costs, but the police logged in a 'non-crime hate incident report' against him.

An evangelical businessman was killed outside a church. Several organisations call to pray for peace and security as the government deploys the army.

The directive “adds new crimes”, which include surrogacy for the purposes of reproductive exploitation. It will now be negotiated with the European Council.

They were working in their garage when a group of Russian soldiers abducted them. Four days later, their bodies were found in a forest.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office blames unrestricted access to pornography for “highly sexualised behaviour at very early ages” and “incestuous sexual offences”.

Who knows how we might view the outcome of Putin’s ‘special operation’ when the dust finally settles? 

The Evangelical Alliance of El Salvador says the statements given to a French newspaper should be reconsidered. Pastors are registered with the state and have licenses, the evangelical body says.

The new guide states that “non-crime hate incidents should not be recorded where they are trivial or irrational”. Christians have welcome the initiative.

The 26-page complaint of the prosecutor has been accepted. The Christian parliamentarian sees it as an opportunity: “Acquittals in higher courts have broader significance”.

Our missionary task as Christians and civic leaders must include a mission to the military. Where this need is overlooked, war crimes will continue.

The speakers at the evangelical gathering stressed that criticism and offense should not be equated to hate speech, and that freedom of expression should prevail in case of doubt.

The Finnish parliamentarian to be tried on 24 January for expressing her biblical convictions about homosexuality hopes her case will encourage other Christians to openly speak about their faith.