The Luhansk People's Republic (Ukraine) has banned all Protestant worship, and believers try to meet in small gatherings. Uzbekistan raids worship services that have not been approved by the authorities.

Päivi Räsänen, the leader of the Christian Democrats, could be accused under Section 10 of the Criminal Code of Finland for “ethnic agitation”. A fine or prison are contemplated for this crime.

“This decision marks an end to the moral insult that the public glorification of a dictator constitutes”, said the President of Spain, Pedro Sánchez. Under Franco, evangelicals were isolated, silenced and incarcerated.

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.

Some fear Islamic groups could win seats in regional parliaments. Evangelicals do not plan to create faith-based parties but warn against the attempts to limit religious expressions in the public square.

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.

“Venezuela, your time of freedom has arrived”, the pastor said at the begining of the march. The military prosecutor ordered his arrest for “crimes of misuse of decoration and disobedience”.

“I had periods where I was suicidal, but realized God is worthy of all my pain and suffering”, Pastor Andrew Brunson said about his imprisonment in Turkey. He has released a book telling his story.

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.

Mikael Laursen leads the “FrikirkeNet”, a Danish project of free churches. He explains how they have had every third member of Parliament visiting a church.

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

After eleven days of protests and seven people killed, the Ecuadorian government and the indigenous leaders reach an agreement to withdraw Decree 883 and finish the mobilizations.

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 regional High Court rules that it is not lawful for the Madrid City Council to ask an evangelical church to meet the requirements of recreational activities. The ruling could create a legal precedent.

The European Freedom Network launches a new anti-trafficking campaign: “You have no way of knowing if the porn you are looking at is from someone who chose to be there or not”.

The university had expelled InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for requiring their leaders to agree to its statement of faith. This is the second time it loses a case regarding this issue.

After being announced as the lead character of a well-known play, Seyi Omooba (25) was attacked on social media for a post written in 2014. The actress has taken the case to court.

During the 42nd session of the UNHRC in Geneva, the World Evangelical Alliance called on the international community to protect religious freedom and peace.

“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.

In a major speech in 2016, President Xi Jinping called for the ‘sinicization of religion’. For the Chinese Communist Party, the rise of religion, especially Christianity and Islam, represents an existential threat to its political health.

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

The US President presents a plan that includes the creation of “a coalition of businesses for the protection of religious freedom”.

The WEA has launched the project AD 2020 Global Year of the Bible “to highlight the Bible as the enduring foundation for unity, freedom, development and quality of life today and for the years to come”.

It is the second visit of a group of leaders who support Israel and US President Donald Trump. In a meeting with Mohamed bin Salman, they addressed human rights, politics and religious freedom.

“Protestant communities find it practically impossible to get permission to build churches”, a lawyer says. Up to 90% of places of worship are officially recorded as residential property.