A Protestant pastor was arrested and detained on March 3 2005 in Lima, Peru on false charges of terrorism.

Pastor Jose Garcia Pena, who pastors an evangelical church in Cuzco, was visiting Lima with his wife. But when Pastor Garcia presented himself for security clearance, he was informed there was a warrant for his arrest and was promptly arrested and imprisoned. His name apparently appeared on wanted lists for crimes of terrorism issued by courts in the northern cities of Piura and Lambayeque-despite the fact he had never visited the area, which is hundreds of kilometres northwest of Cuzco.

The warrants involved in these cases carry only a name and no other identifying information such as marital status or date of birth. In Peru, there are many similar cases where people have been detained, sometimes for many years, with very little evidence against them. (CSW)

The Sri Lankan government may adopt anti-conversion legislation in April when the decisive vote is taken on the "Act for the Protection of Religious Freedom."

Approved in principle by the cabinet in June 2004, the Act stipulates that no person should "attempt to convert or aid or abet acts of conversion of a person to a different religion." Despite a Supreme Court ruling last year that declared a similar bill unconstitutional, many believe the Act could pass.

"Parliament will only vote against this bill if it is held under a secret ballot," a Methodist minister said. "Nobody will raise their hands in public to vote against it."

India's top Christian leaders presented an unofficial "white paper" to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Friday, March 11. The document listed over 200 violent incidents against Christians occurring in the first 10 weeks of this year and called on the government to protect the Christian minority.

There is some hope for Christians in Madhya Pradesh, who will have their day in court on May 9 following a violent attack on a prayer meeting in Seoni district on February 23. Members of a radical Hindu group broke up the meeting and left several Christians badly injured -- while policemen who were assigned to guard the Christians failed to protect them. Local Hindus have since pressured the Christians to drop their complaint, threatening them with "death and burning down of their houses."

In other news, Hindu extremists have violently assaulted several Christians in Rajasthan, India. Bajrang Dal volunteers attacked eight members of the Friends Missionary Prayer Band on March 13, and falsely accused Pastor Arthur Joel, a Christian orphanage director, of child abuse in early March. Two other Emmanuel Mission workers, Pastor Vaalu and his eight-month-pregnant wife, were brutally assaulted on a public bus in late February. Demonstrators have also called for the closure of many Christian institutions across the state. Locals say the attacks are a strategy to push forward the enactment of anti-conversion laws, an intention announced by the state government on February 23. (Compass)

Iranian Christian Colonel Hamid Pourmand has been incarcerated in a group cell at Tehran's maximum-security Evin Prison with several internationally known political dissidents. An Assemblies of God lay pastor, Pourmand has reportedly explained to his fellow prisoners the circumstances of his arrest and sentencing, based solely on his religious conversion to Christianity 25 years ago. "Actually, the government is very angry about this, because now he is very popular there in the jail!" a source commented. Friends remain fearful for Pourmand's life.

Pourmand, 47, has lost 18 kilos (nearly 40 pounds) during his six months of imprisonment, most of which was spent in solitary confinement.

The military court verdict is currently under appeal to the Supreme Court. But if the judiciary's threat is carried out to try Pourmand before a sharia court of Islamic law, he could face the death penalty under charges of apostasy and proselytizing.

One Tehran source close to Pourmand's case said he was hopeful that this judicial proof of religious intolerance in Iran would be highlighted during the annual six-week session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, due to begin next week in Geneva.

The European Union (EU) lodged a formal protest with Iranian authorities last November over the arrests of Christians, and in particular Christian pastors, as an "infringement of the freedom of religion or belief." (Compass)

In a landmark move for human rights, Pakistani women protested peacefully on the streets of Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar against the victimization of Christian women on International Women's Day (March 8). According to Christian human rights activist Shahbaz Bhatti, "Subjugation of Christian and minority women is common in the Muslim social strata; they are harassed, tortured, raped and forcefully converted to Islam.

In a landmark move for human rights, Pakistani women protested peacefully on the streets of Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar against the victimization of Christian women on International Women's Day (March 8). According to Christian human rights activist Shahbaz Bhatti, "Subjugation of Christian and minority women is common in the Muslim social strata; they are harassed, tortured, raped and forcefully converted to Islam.

"Since the enforcement of sharia laws, thousands of women have been unjustly involved with the criminal justice system and subjected to sexual assault, torture and illegal confinement. Social attitudes, cultural practices and religious precepts in Pakistan have allowed violence against women, and the law has failed to provide safeguard against violence or to promote attitude conducive to the women's enjoyment of their fundamental rights.

"Minority women are victimized, harassed, tortured, raped, abducted and forcefully converted to Islam, due to their Christian faith. Those who commit these crimes (extremist elements and perpetrators) consider it to be part of jihad (Holy War) and give a cover of religion to their crimes."

Nguyen Thanh Phuong, a Vietnamese Mennonite evangelist and one of the "Mennonite Six", was released from prison on March 3, after serving out his 12-month sentence. His wife, Phuong Trang and their one-year-old son were among family and friends who met him at Bo La Prison, 80km north of Ho Chi Minh city.

There is continued concern for the remaining prisoners, Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang, Pham Ngoc Thach and Miss Le Thi Hong Lien, who were also arrested in response to an incident which took place in March last year.

Nguyen Hong Quang and his five colleagues were charged with "resisting officers of the law while doing their duty" after confronting two undercover government operatives who were harassing people outside Rev. Quang's home last year. An appeal was due to take place on February 2 but has been postponed indefinitely.

Mr Nguyen Quang Du, the father of Le Thi Hong Lien, 21, visited her in Tong Le Chan Prison, 170km norther of Ho Chi Minh city on February 23. He reported that her health was poor, she was unable to care for her personal hygiene, and was suffering from fluid build-up in her body. At the time, she had not eaten for several days. Lien's 12-month sentence is due to be completed in June 2005. (Compass)