Asia/Pacific

BosNewsLife Asia Service NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- A nation-wide alliance of church leaders, denominations, mission groups and other Christian organizations in India urged all political parties Tuesday, February 2, to make defending religious minorities a key priority ahead of upcoming general elections, amid concerns over spreading anti-Christian violence in the country.

GUJRANWALA, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A medical Christian doctor was in hiding Thursday, November 13, after being acquitted on blasphemy charges and released from prison, Christians said.

By Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A high-ranking Pakistani politician, who negotiated the release of kidnapped Christians and fought against controversial blasphemy laws, says he and his family are in life danger after receiving threatening phone calls from suspected Islamic militants.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- Human rights investigators have urged India's government to tackle extremist groups and to improve protection of the country's Christian minority after "the most severe anti-Christian violence seen in post-independence India," which killed scores of people and displaced thousands, mainly in the states of Orissa and Karnataka.

By Xavier P. William, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Rawalpindi, Pakistan RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Pakistani security forces freed hostages held in a church compound by over a dozen armed men and women on Friday, April 2, and detained several suspects, police officials and Christians told BosNewsLife.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in Pakistan remained fearful Thursday, June 16, after a court in Pakistan acquitted 70 Muslims who were suspected of killing Christians in one of the country's worst sectarian clashes in recent memory.  

By BosNewsLife Asia Service NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- A pastor in India's Karimnagar district of Andhra Pradesh state remained detained Wednesday, April 15, for his alleged involvement in "conversion activities", Christians said.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- An international advocacy group urged the U.S. government Friday, June 17, to condemn Indian authorities for reportedly asking three American Christians to leave India because they allegedly participated in evangelism.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A Christian man remained behind bars Saturday, February 27, after a Pakistani court sentenced him to life imprisonment for making "blasphemous" remarks about the Koran and Islam's prophet Mohammad.

Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife with BosNewsLife Asia Service. BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- Amid mounting international pressure the frail Christian activist Shuang Shuying, 79, was released Sunday, February 8, after spending two years in prison, and went immediately to see her dying husband, Hua Zaichen, 91, in a Beijing hospital, BosNewsLife learned.