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A Pakistani Christian has been sentenced to life in prison and fined 50,000 rupees (US$865) for committing blasphemy after being accused of damaging a Muslim signboard during a bishop's funeral procession five years ago. An estimated 100 onlookers jammed the Faisalabad Additional District and Sessions Court on April 26 to hear the lower-court verdict against Ranjha Masih, read out by Judge Mohammed Shahid Rafique. Although the final defense arguments for Masih had been completed before the court in the last week of March, Rafique had postponed the verdict several times. When the judgment was finally announced, the courtroom was filled with local Muslim activists and journalists. Masih, 55, has been jailed without bail since his arrest nearly five years ago. He was arrested on May 8, 1998, while taking part in a demonstration to commemorate the suicide (in protest against the blasphemy law) of Catholic bishop John Joseph of Faisalabad. Masih's lawyer said he would file his client's appeal before the Lahore High Court which could take another 18 months. In addition to Ranjha Masih, seven other Christians are in jail on blasphemy charges in Pakistan, including 26-year-old Ashiq "Kingri" Masih, who is on death row in Faisalabad. Three Pakistani Christians have been acquitted of false blasphemy charges in the past year, but all served long years in prison before their release. (Compass/Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

DESPITE TENSIONS, EVANGELIST HOLDS SERIES OF MEETINGS IN PAKISTAN

Despite anti-American sentiment and the call for jihad by Islamic hard-liners in Pakistan, U.S. evangelist Sammy Tippit decided to follow through with his earlier commitment to teach in Pakistan. "It was such a blessed time to be able to share the gospel of Jesus Christ," he said. "In Faisalabad (April 22-23) we had hundreds who responded -- close to 1,000 people in two nights. And then we had a wonderful meeting in Lahore (April 24). In one evening about 400 people made commitments to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The final meetings were held in Karachi (April 25-26) where we saw God move and work in a mighty way. Literally hundreds of people prayed to receive Christ." The ministry also held a leadership conference in Karachi attended by 2,000 church leaders. Team members are continuing to conduct follow-up ministries in Pakistan and recording Tippit's messages in 16 languages. (MNN/Sammy Tippit Ministries)

POLICE IN EASTERN MOLDOVA MOVE TO CRUSH BAPTIST STREET LIBRARIES

Authorities in Bendery (Tighina) in eastern Moldova's unrecognized Transdniester republic have moved in to crush a street library run by local Baptists. On April 20 police confiscated all the library's books for a second time. "This activity is illegal in Transdniester," said the city's police chief, Valeri Smyk. The first police action against the street library came on March 30 when police Lt. N. Stolyarchuk seized the 50 books on the stall and detained the three Baptists running it. The Baptists -- who reject registration on principle -- have long complained about harassment from local authorities who continue to insist that unregistered churches should not be allowed to function. (Forum 18 News Service)

CHINESE CHURCHES FACE OPPOSITION, CORRUPTION, RED TAPE TO REGISTER

About 50,000 Protestant churches and meeting points have been officially registered with the Chinese government, reported Compass Direct. However, opposition, corruption and bureaucratic regulations are all hurdles which Christians must overcome if they desire to open a legally recognized place of worship. In a recent letter from Hebei province, a young church worker recounted his difficulty in acquiring official permission. "To date, I have approached the government more than 20 times, but they have still not agreed to issue a registration certificate. I now have more than 50 believers here ready to form a church. We want to reopen an old building here, but the government does not respond. So I have given 10 rooms of my own home and the courtyard to be the definite venue for our church meetings." (Religion Today)

CHURCHES PRAISE HUNGARIAN COURT'S DECISION TO BAN EUTHANASIA

Referring to the "suffering of Jesus Christ" at the cross, Hungarian church leaders praised the Hungarian Constitutional Court's decision Monday, April 28, to reject a lawsuit to legalize euthanasia. Court President Janos Nemeth said that euthanasia has been made legal only recently in Belgium, the Netherlands and one U.S. state and that Hungary's laws should not be changed. He added that terminally ill patients can already refuse medical care if they wish as the country has allowed a "passive" form of euthanasia since 1997. "The current state of affairs is not unconstitutional," Nemeth said in a statement. Tamas Szabo, Catholic bishop of the Hungarian Armed Forces, called the ruling "revolutionary." The court's decision followed a decade-long debate in Hungary that began in 1993 when Gyorgyi Binder drowned her 11-year-old daughter in a bathtub to end the child's suffering of an incurable disease. She was initially handed a two-year suspended sentence, but the Supreme Court overturned the decision, saying that Binder had to go to jail for two years for manslaughter. Former President Arpad Goncz used his powers to accord mercy to Binder and suspended the sentence. Following that case, constitutional jurist Albert Takacs and lawyer Ildiko Kmetty sued the Constitutional Court to rule that such cases should not be treated as manslaughter. Monday's ruling however re-enforced the opinion that euthanasia should be punished. Szabo say he hopes this case will "set a precedent for other laws we want to see changed, such as abortion." (Assist News Service)

* HCJB World Radio's partner station in Oradea, Romania, airs three hours of Hungarian programming to Hungary each week. The ministry also recently signed a partnership agreement with Yes Radio in Budapest to broadcast Christian programs via the Internet. The partner ministry is applying for a local FM license.

57,000 ATTEND 3-DAY FRANKLIN GRAHAM FESTIVAL IN MEXICO

A total of more than 57,000 people attended a three-day evangelistic festival held by Franklin Graham in Veracruz, Mexico, April 10-12. More than 9,000 people responded to Graham's call to faith in Jesus Christ. The event brought together more than 450 local churches in the city of 1.2 million. More than 6,000 Christians in the city are being trained to counsel those who came forward. Each night of the event, crowds heard Graham's straightforward message of hope, along with inspirational music by leading Hispanic musicians. In addition to the evening events, more than 14,000 children from the metro area also gathered for a special children's festival called "Festinińos." Graham and teams from Samaritan's Purse also handed out 90,000 gift-filled shoeboxes for needy children in the area. as part of the ministry's Operation Christmas Child project. Graham visited and distributed these to children living in one of the city's garbage dumps. Following the festival, Veracruz Mayor José Ramón Gutiérrez de Velasco invited Graham to the municipal palace to thank him for his relief efforts in the Mexico and for bringing the message of hope to the people. Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, is planning similar festivals for Roanoke, Va., May 2-4; Tulsa, Okla., Sept. 19-21; and Rosario, Argentina, in November. (Assist News Service)

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