The public image of Spain is damaged by the lack of response to the discrimination of pastors without a pension, explains the secretary general of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance.

United Nations experts say Christian and Hindu girls remain particularly vulnerable to forced religious conversion, abduction, trafficking, child marriage, domestic servitude and sexual violence.

Arie de Pater of the European Evangelical Alliance in Brussels: “The fact that a majority in the Parliament calls for abortion as a human right is no doubt discomforting to many if not all Evangelicals across Europe”.

Boosted by the decision in France, a majority voted “yes” to include abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. But opposition is expected from countries such as Malta, Poland and Hungary.

A discussion on the influence of ideologies on fundamental freedoms in society opened the annual meeting of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance.

The city council in southern Spain launches a comprehensive municipal maternity and life support programme.

Open Doors publishes a new edition of the World Watch List identifying as many as 78 countries with high levels of hostility against Christianity in the world. North Korea and Nigeria stand out among those with “extreme persecution”.

Christians in Western Africa analyse the situation after nine military coups experienced in the region in only three years.

Democracy cannot simply be taken for granted. Vigilance is essential to resist unbridled self-interest and to promote the human dignity of all and human rights for all.

In its third gathering, the Alliance of Christians of Cuba urged authorities to release political prisoners and respect basic human rights.

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

Aspects of the anti-Separatism law of 2021 “undermine freedom of religion”, says the World Evangelical Alliance at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

An event on the Manipur violence in India organised by the World Evangelical Alliance at the UN in Geneva gets worldwide attention.

The European Commission now must decide whether it implements legislation. Evangelical associations are positive about the move.

Extortion and violence are on the rise, especially in Port-au-Prince, which is suffering a gang war. Christians from several churches and ministries ask for prayer and help.

A Moscow court upholds the liquidation of the SOVA Center for committing “gross and irreparable violations” of the Public Associations law.

The Assemblies of God in the capital, Niamey, say that “the population seems to have accepted” the situation, although other voices refer to an “unexpected” situation.

Christians are against desecrating holy books, says Olof Edsinger, leader of the Swedish Evangelical Alliance. But “something is terribly wrong when totalitarian regimes are trying to force us to abandon our hard-won human rights”, he adds.

The United Nations has designated August 22 each year as its International Day Commemorating Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. Like most such days, it gets minimal attention.

The Costa Rican Evangelical Alliance Federation calls on the government to defend the right to life and the sovereignty of the state.

Pastor Vyacheslav Goncharenko of New Life Church will be detained for at least 10 days, as trial begins against congregation for spreading “extremist material”.

We live in a peculiar culture – utterly different to the classical world of ancient times, different to undemocratic nations, different to theocracies as well. Why?

The church’s worship was previously disrupted in May, when at least 40 Muslims stopped the midday service at the café.

Dzmitry Dashkevich was re-arrested as he was ready to leave prison. He has not been able to meet his youngest child, born while he was awaiting trial.

An interview with Luis Rodríguez Pérez, who follows the fate of political prisoners in Cuba, two years after the pro-democracy protests. “A vast majority of Cubans have been in the opposition since they have the faculty to reason”.