October 2025 – January 2026
CSW Nigeria board meeting, 2023
Inside this issue
Pastor Lorenzo:
‘I saw the love of Christ reflected.’
Guest article: Ju Il-Lyong
Something remarkable has been happening within North Korea.
The ‘forgotten war’ How can we respond to the conflict in Sudan?
Our manifesto #3
We believe that as Christians we must stand with everyone
Last September, as I sat on the floor of a small apartment in the backstreets of Bangkok, I found myself reflecting on CSW’s commitment to stand with everyone facing injustice because of their religion or belief.
This one-bedroomed flat was home to three generations of an Ahmadiyya family who had escaped persecution in Pakistan. One brave young mother told me that in Pakistan they ‘could have been killed any day.’ Yet in Bangkok they still lived under fear of arrest – forced to hide and live an unseen life that caused her to reflect: ‘here in Bangkok we die a little but every day’.
How could I possibly expect them to understand that God loves them, if I was to turn my back on them in their darkest hours?
We heard their stories of violence and discrimination. We documented their cases. We promised to help, and we assured them they were
not alone, they were not forgotten, and that as Christians we are compelled by a God who loves them.
Similarly, I remember sitting with leaders from the Yazidi community in Northern Iraq not long after the liberation of Mosul from Daesh (ISIS).
We assured them that we stood in solidarity with them in the face of the genocidal atrocities that had been committed against the Yazidi people. I would like to think that we carried the hope of Christ that day.
We understand from Genesis that all people are created in the image of God, and the freedom to believe is known as the ‘first freedom’ given to humankind. For me, speaking up for all people – not just fellow Christians – is not only the right thing to do. It’s an integral part of the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.
Jesus teaches us to love our neighbour and, in the Good Samaritan story (Luke 10), we are told quite clearly that our neighbour includes those who are not like us. I believe it also contributes to our Great Commission to go into all the world with the good news by actively demonstrating the love of God. How could I possibly expect my Ahmadi friends, or those Yazidi elders, to understand that God loves them, if I was to turn my back on them when they were facing their darkest hours?
The love of Jesus compels me to ‘speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.’
(Proverbs 31:8-9)
Scot Bower, CEO
‘Today I can testify: “Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.”’
Message of thanks from Pastor Lorenzo
We were blessed to receive several letters from Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo while he was unjustly imprisoned in Cuba. Now writing after his release in January 2025, he sends his heartfelt thanks once again. When human hope dwindled, you helped sustain him.
9 July 2025
To the dear CSW family, Please accept my cordial greetings in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I address you once again with a heartfelt and profound gratitude, not only as a pastor but as a brother in the faith, to express my most sincere appreciation for the tireless support, constant prayers, and spiritual encouragement you offered me during my time in prison.
During the darkest moments, when the walls seemed to close in and human hope dwindled, your supportive voice and Christian witness reminded me of the words of the great apostle Paul:
‘We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.’ (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)
You were living evidence that the body of Christ transcends walls, governments and geography.
Thank you for every word you sent me. In every action taken for my cause, I saw the love of Christ reflected, who is not silent in the face of injustice. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said:
‘Silence in the face of evil is itself evil… Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.’
You chose to speak and to act.
The words of Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr. also resonated in my mind and spirit:
‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’
CSW’s commitment to religious freedom, human rights, and the dignity of every human being reminded me that we are not alone, and that there are those, like you, who courageously walk the narrow path that leads to life.
Your accompaniment sustained not only me, but also my family and my congregation, which remained steadfast, knowing that our brothers and sisters in the faith were interceding and working for us. Today, by the grace of God, I can testify like the Psalmist: ‘Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.’ (Psalm 126:5)
And part of that harvest is being able to be in my home and church... I now use my time to continue preaching the Gospel and speaking out for those who still suffer.
Thank you, CSW, for being a light in the darkness and salt in the midst of a hurting world. My prayer is that the Lord will strengthen you, open even greater doors for you, and use you to continue being defenders of God’s Kingdom on earth. With brotherly love and profound gratitude, Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo, Former political prisoner for Jesus Christ
Ju Il-Lyong was born in 1996 in Chongjin, in the northern part of North Korea, as the youngest of three children. For nearly ten years, his parents secretly listened to banned South Korean radio broadcasts.
The North Korean people, through their own quiet resilience, have created spaces of resistance – building grassroots markets within a planned economy, shifting the economic balance from state to citizen. In some instances, the state has even been forced to apologise for failing these very people.
Now, they are beginning to tap – gently but persistently – on the shell that surrounds them, seeking to reach the outside world. The flow of information into North Korea – truth, freedom and the gospel – has become a vital response. It encourages, empowers and enlivens this inner awakening.
defectors collectively remitted between 10 to 15 million USD into North Korea. Given that one US dollar can sustain a family of four for a day in North Korea, the impact is both tangible and life-giving.
These courageous defectors are not merely sending money.
Through the same clandestine routes, they are also passing on news of the outside world, the gospel, and the values of freedom, human rights and democracy.
North Koreans are calling out to us:
‘I am alive.’
‘I have not given up – I am running toward life.’
‘I need your help to reach a free world.’
And the path to respond already exists. Through international pressure on the regime, and through sustained support from defectors, we can continue to deliver truth, hope and help directly to the people of North Korea.
In places too dark for the world to see, North Koreans have begun to sprout seeds of freedom in their own quiet ways. Inspired by what they heard, they made the difficult decision to defect. His father escaped first, working in South Korea for a year to save enough money to bring the rest of the family out. They were reunited in 2012.
In 2022, Il-Lyong earned his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from Korea University, where he is now pursuing his Master’s degree in the same field. He is the chair of Tong-il Majoong (TIMJ), a non-profit organisation dedicated to North Korean human rights and evangelisation.
Have you ever considered how a fragile chick comes into the world? When a fertilised egg is kept at the right temperature, it begins to develop quietly under the hen’s warmth. After about three weeks, the moment of hatching arrives. From inside the shell, the tiny creature starts to gently tap with its beak. But for the chick to break free and be born into life, something more is needed: the mother hen must hear that subtle sound and respond from the outside, pecking the shell in unison. Only through this simultaneous action – inside and out – can life emerge.
In many ways, this mirrors the journey of the North Korean people in their pursuit of freedom – freedom that is their inherent right.
‘Something remarkable has been happening within...’
For nearly 80 years, they have lived under the iron grip of the Kim dynasty, isolated from the world by a regime-built shell of fear, deception and control. To the outside world, their voices have been muted, heard only faintly through the distorted lens of state propaganda. And yet, while the world has not always seen it, something remarkable has been happening within.
Now, more than ever, the world must respond. Freedom partners on the outside North Korean defectors have become catalysts for freedom – external allies responding to the quiet taps from within. Today, an estimated 300,000 North Korean defectors are living around the world. That’s roughly one for every 80 people still inside the country, and a number greater than the population of Chuncheon, a mid-sized city in South Korea with around 280,000 residents. Many of these defectors maintain covert contact with their families back home, providing not only emotional support but also financial lifelines. According to some estimates, in 2015 alone,
In the past, families of defectors were often punished, even sent to prison camps. But in recent years, the regime has begun to reframe them not as political liabilities, but as channels of hard currency, with some local officials even seeking to stay close to such families.
From remote farming villages to elite urban districts, defectors – who now live beyond the reach of the regime – continue to stand with those they left behind, quietly assisting friends and family who are pressing for change on the inside.
In places too dark for the world to see, North Koreans have begun to sprout seeds of freedom in their own quiet ways. They have pioneered underground markets, reshaped the economy, and raised a new generation ready for change. Now, it is the defectors – those who fled first – who are delivering vital momentum from the outside.
As long as they have not given up on themselves, we must not give up on them. We must respond – not with indifference, but with love, with urgency, and with the heart of a mother hen answering the chick’s call from within the shell.
This is a shortened version of an article published on 26 August 2025. Read it in full at forbinfull.org
As the current crisis continues to rage, our six-episode podcast series dives deep into these questions.
It’s the first in our new Free to Believe Spotlight Series – where we examine religious freedom issues across the globe, focusing on one nation at a time, giving space for nuanced conversations with featured experts about the history, challenges and real human stories at their heart.
Our Free to Believe podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and elsewhere. You can also visit csw.org.uk/ podcast or scan the QR code below to find all available episodes.
We are deeply grateful to the Sudanese survivors and civil society who have entrusted us with their stories. We are working tirelessly to honour that trust and amplify their voices.
Mohamed Chande Othman (Chair of the UN Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan)
This is a war between two generals. This isn’t a political movement that has the support of 20 million Sudanese that rose up and tried to change the system… these are two powerful men who hold all the guns… And the civilians, the Sudanese people are the ones who are suffering.
Sarah, CSW’s Sudan officer
It is unconscionable that this devastating war is entering its third year with no sign of resolution. We all know, but it is worth repeating, civilians continue to bear the brunt of escalating violence…
Mona Rishmawi (UN Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan)
Sunday 19 October
Spend a moment in silent reflection before praying for the silencing of guns in Sudan. We continue to call for full, immediate and comprehensive ceasefire; for the restoration of peace with justice.
Monday 20 October
Both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have attacked places of worship since the war began in April 2023. This is especially concerning since they often double as places of refuge for displaced civilians. Pray urgently against any further attacks on churches, mosques and all places of worship or refuge.
Tuesday 21 October
On 8 July, dozens of extremists demolished buildings belonging to a Pentecostal church in Khartoum. They were accompanied by members of the SAF and police officers. This is just one example of the intentional attacks on vulnerable religious communities, which both sides of the war continue to commit. Pray for the community impacted by this recent attack in Khartoum, and for the protection of religious and ethnic minorities across Sudan.
Wednesday 22 October
Ask God to guard and sustain all who have been displaced in Sudan or fled the country. May the scattered Church find strength, knowing that no one can take away their identity as the people of God. ‘And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests.’ (1 Peter 2:5a NLT)
Thursday 23 October
There has been a sharp rise in sexual and gender-based violence during the conflict, reported by the UN Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan. Ask God to bring physical and emotional healing, and to ensure that justice is served for the abuses suffered predominantly by women and girls.
Friday 24 October
On United Nations Day today, we pray that this organisation would work towards a peaceful future for Sudan and continue to expose human rights violations in this ‘forgotten war’. Give thanks for the work of the Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan and pray that the vital evidence they have gathered will lead to the perpetrators of war crimes being held to account.
Today marks four years since Burhan and Hemedti (leaders of the SAF and RSF) committed their coup, which derailed Sudan’s civilian-led transition to democracy. Pray that these two warring generals will be stopped and held to account for their crimes.
Find out more at csw.org.uk/sudan
This week we give thanks for the right to freedom of religion or belief. Yet we cannot do so without remembering those who are denied the full enjoyment of this human right. Here is a prayer you can use by yourself or with your church, inspired by Luke 4:18 and Psalm 103:6.
Lord, thank you that you work righteousness and justice for all the oppressed (Psalm 103:6).
This is our prayer for those who suffer because of their religion or belief, all over the world.
For North Koreans held in notorious prison camps. For Colombian pastors under threat from criminal groups – fearful of gathering to pray.
Lord, set the oppressed free.
For the Eritrean church leaders who have been imprisoned for 21 years and counting – without charge or trial or contact with the outside world.
For Hindu, Christian and Sikh girls in Pakistan who have been abducted, forced to convert and forced into marriage with their abductor.
Lord, set the oppressed free.
For human rights defenders in China who stand up for others, at great cost.
For those fleeing war in Sudan, made more vulnerable by their faith.
Lord, set the oppressed free.
For all who endure harassment, imprisonment or surveillance; who suffer violence, disappearance or death; who face all manner of injustice because of their beliefs, together we pray:
Lord, set the oppressed free.
And teach us, Lord, to be your hands and feet. To go, like the Good Samaritan, towards the oppressed and the hurting; to play our part and to trust that you will set the oppressed free.
Amen.
Sunday 2 November is this year’s International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. While we won’t be hosting an online prayer event this year, we’ll still be praying with and for those facing persecution around the world. We’re preparing a resource which will be available at csw.org.uk/IDOP
Most Afghans are Sunni Muslims, while Shi’as are approximately 1015% of the population. Other religious groups (including Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and Baha’is) officially account for only 0.3% of the population.
Sunday 2 November
Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Let’s join in prayer with Christians in Afghanistan and around the world, uniting our voices for freedom and peace and justice.
Monday 3 November
Christians and Ahmadi Muslims report that they worship primarily in private or ‘nondescript’ places of worship to avoid discrimination and harassment in Afghanistan. Ask God to protect them from targeting and make a way for everyone’s fundamental rights and dignity to be respected.
Tuesday 4 November
Pray for the safety of the Hazara people; one of the largest ethnic minorities in Afghanistan. Predominantly Shi’a Muslims, they face systematic discrimination and recurring periods of targeted violence and enforced displacement. Those who flee to Pakistan are likely to face discrimination for belonging to the Shi’a branch of Islam.
Wednesday 5 November
Did you know we have an online shop? You can order a copy of ‘Standing Up, Speaking Out’ – an inspiring book by our Founder President, Mervyn Thomas. Or wear your support with one of our brightly-coloured T-shirts!
All proceeds go towards our vital work seeking justice and freedom for those facing harassment and persecution.
Visit csw.org.uk/shop or scan the code below.
The de facto Taliban regime has introduced harsh measures which hamper the daily lives of women and girls. Women and girls are banned from working, from getting an education, and from visiting most public spaces. Pray that the world would speak up and pressure the Taliban to lift restrictions that UN experts have described as ‘gender apartheid’.
Thursday 6 November
Pray for the many Afghan refugees who have been repatriated from Pakistan and Iran. Christians especially are at extreme risk of persecution by the Taliban, who do not recognise the nation’s religious diversity. Under their strict Sharia interpretation, they believe these Christian converts to be apostates and therefore liable to be killed.
Friday 7 November
With many countries discouraging asylum seekers, we pray that people would realise the desperation that drives Afghan refugees to flee their homeland and seek safety abroad. Ask the Lord to guide leaders with wisdom and compassion, opening hearts and borders to those in urgent need.
Saturday 8 November
Today we remember all who were affected by the devastating earthquake of 31 August, in which more than 2,000 people lost their lives. Pray for vulnerable minority communities who may continue to face discrimination at the hands of the Taliban in the aftermath of this tragedy. Find out more at csw.org.uk/afghanistan
Over 1 million Afghan refugees and asylum seekers have been repatriated or forced to return from Pakistan since October 2023, as part of Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan.
Source: UN International Organisation for Migration (IOM)
In January 2025 the head of the Norwegian Refugee Council announced that Iran had repatriated over 3,000 Afghan refugees in a single day.
‘The sheer volume of returns – many abrupt, many involuntary – should be setting off alarm bells across the global community.’
Roza Otunbayeva (Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral for Afghanistan and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan)
Of Sudan’s nearly 50 million people, it’s estimated:
91% Sunni Muslims
5.4% Christian
2.8% follow Indigenous religions
Source: Pew Research Center, 2020
Over 11 million people have been forcibly displaced since the war began in April 2023.
Of that number, more than 4 million have fled to neighbouring countries, including to Chad, Egypt and South Sudan.
Source: UNHCR
Over 29,500 people have been arrested since the 2021 coup, with over 22,000 still imprisoned today (August 2025).
Source: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
At least 32 religious leaders have been killed since the coup. This includes monks, nuns, pastors and imams.
Source: UN OHCHR, May 2024
According to news sources from February 2021-April 2023, 190 religious or sacred sites were ransacked, destroyed or damaged by arson, artillery fires and airstrikes.
Source: International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) report, June 2023
2025 marked 10 years since the ‘709 Crackdown’ – an extensive crackdown on China’s activists, lawyers, human rights defenders and their friends and family members. Over 300 people were detained, interrogated or imprisoned.
Sunday 9 November
Religious intolerance in Myanmar is closely linked to the rise of militant Buddhist nationalism. This movement primarily targets Muslims but has also extended its reach to Christians and other non-Buddhists, especially since the military coup. Pray for peace and understanding.
Find out more at csw.org.uk/myanmar
Monday 10 November
Religious minorities, especially Christian and Muslim communities, have grown more vulnerable following the devastating earthquake of April 2025. Pray that the regime will stop striking these earthquake-affected communities and address their urgent needs instead.
Tuesday 11 November
Many religious buildings were structurally unsafe even before the earthquake. This is because discriminatory laws and measures prevented them from being properly maintained. This led to some avoidable deaths, particularly in mosques where Muslims were meeting for Friday prayers. Cry out against this injustice and pray for these discriminatory rules to be lifted.
Wednesday 12 November
Myanmar’s military announced plans for the first general election since they seized power in 2021. This is considered both illegal and illegitimate. Pray that Myanmar will be transformed into a true representational democracy where the rights of all are upheld.
Thursday 13 November
Despite an exemption for religious leaders under Myanmar’s conscription law, there is a growing threat of forced conscription, especially for Christian and Muslim community leaders. Ask God to protect them and ensure that the exemption of religious leaders is honoured.
Friday 14 November
Pray today for a dramatic improvement in the treatment of religious prisoners. For example, a Rohingya Muslim woman was forced to sleep next to a toilet, despite her religious need for a clean environment to pray in daily. Christian clergy are often denied group prayers, while Buddhist monks are prevented from fundamental practices, such as shaving their heads. Pray that no one would be denied the right to practice their faith.
Saturday
Acts 13 tells of persecution being ‘stirred up’ against Paul and Barnabas. Yet the chapter ends by saying: ‘And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.’ Ask the Lord to fill Christians in Myanmar with unexplainable joy and peace, whatever they are facing today.
Sadly, on 1 July it was confirmed that the bodies of eight people were discovered in a mass grave in Colombia, nearly three months after they went missing. They were each summoned by an illegal armed group in the first week of April and never returned.
All were from the hamlet of Agua Bonita in Calamar and were involved in social initiatives in the community, while seven of them played a part in church leadership.
James Caicedo was the former pastor of a church within the Protestant denomination Foursquare Gospel Church (ICCG). He continued to play a leadership role, alongside fellow ICCG members Oscar García and Jesús Valero. Married couple Isaid Gómez and Maribel Silva were both church leaders who frequently preached within the Evangelical Alliance of Colombia Denomination (DEAC). They leave behind two children, aged 4 and 11.
Carlos Valero was Jesús Valero’s brother and the uncle of Isaíd Gómez.
Nixon Peñalosa was married for 46 years. He was president of the Community Action Board of Agua Bonita, and treasurer within the DEAC.
Maryuri Hernández assisted the current DEAC pastor in different ways. She leaves behind a husband and five-year-old daughter.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to comfort their families and all who mourn.
• Pray that the Colombian government will make every effort to uncover the truth about countless others who have been forcibly disappeared by criminal groups.
We remember them.
Sunday 16 November
‘How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!’ (Psalm 133:1). Pray that a spirit of unity would prevail among Nepali citizens of all religions and beliefs today.
Monday 17 November
Prominent voices have been demanding the reinstatement of the Hindu state of Nepal and its monarchy for months, sparking increased hostility towards religious minorities. Ask God to raise up leaders who would counter sectarian narratives and champion freedom of religion or belief for all.
Tuesday 18 November
In March this year, six Christians were taken into police custody for four days – reportedly for their own safety – during violent protests organised by Hindu extremists and pro-monarchy groups in Kathmandu. Pray that the authorities would find fairer means of protecting religious minorities in the country.
Wednesday 19 November
Because of their inter-caste marriage, Satyendra Ram and Neha Rauniyar were subjected to repeated police harassment in February this year. Ask God to protect them, and to change the hearts and minds of those who discriminate on the basis of caste.
Thursday 20 November
Pray today for human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists in Nepal who have faced increasing threats and harassment in recent years. Ask God to encourage and fortify them, and to bring to justice those who would seek to harm them.
Friday 21 November
Over 6,500 Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees continue to live in legal limbo. Ask God to provide for them, and ultimately to move the obstacles that currently stand in the way of them finding shelter and refuge.
Saturday 22 November
King Jesus, we lift the nation of Nepal to you at this politically tumultuous time. May voices of reason and peaceful coexistence prevail over those of nationalism and discrimination. Amen. Find out more at csw.org.uk/nepal
An estate agent in North London and a restaurant in Glasgow. Two ordinary sites that in 2022 were discovered to be playing host to an illicit secondary function: the ‘secret Chinese police station’.
These were exposed in a report published by the human rights NGO Safeguard Defenders which found 102 such stations in action across Europe.
While these centres often offered administrative functions such as renewing Chinese driving licences, they were also found to be routinely practicing harassment and intimidation of Chinese nationals living abroad – constituting what is formally known as ‘transnational repression’.
What is transnational repression?
The United Nation’s human rights office (OHCHR) defines transnational repression as ‘acts conducted or directed by a State, or its proxy, to deter, silence or punish dissent, criticism or human rights advocacy towards it, expressed from outside its territory’.
Smear campaigns, blackmail and death threats
One of the most frequently used tactics is to threaten the families of the individual who still live in the home country, as a means of blackmail. In other cases, we see the use of force, such as in the
case of Trinh Xuan Thanh. In July 2017, he was meeting his partner in a Berlin park when they were kidnapped by Vietnamese secret service and forcibly returned to Vietnam to face trial. In 2023 the Berlin high court sentenced one of the perpetrators to five years in prison, after he pleaded guilty to ‘working for Vietnam intelligence agency’ and to ‘participating in the kidnapping’.
Transnational repression can also take the form of coordinated online smear campaigns, incitement to violence, and death threats – an issue we see repeatedly, for example, against those advocating on violations in Eritrea. One of CSW’s own board members, Helene Berhane, has experienced this herself. Helen is an Eritrean gospel singer, human rights advocate and former prisoner of conscience.
A foreign state coercing individuals in a foreign country is, of course, illegal
under international law, as it violates territorial integrity. What is surprising is how feeble the state’s response can be – both diplomatically and in terms of how seriously the cases are sometimes taken by domestic enforcement agencies, such as the police.
One victim based in an EU country has told CSW that he experiences incidents of harassment at his home every second day on average, and despite having informed law enforcement, has received next to zero response or support.
Perhaps, sometimes, this weakness comes in part from a kind of nationalistic insouciance, given that the victims are rarely nationals of the country in question. Perhaps it comes about partly also from diplomatic miscalculations; the prioritisation of other interests such as economic ties, and for that reason a reluctance to ‘rock the boat’ by being too vocal.
In our view, neither of these reasonings are excusable.
‘Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?’
(Psalm 139:7)
Sunday 23 November
Read Psalm 139 as you pray for the people of Syria. May they be keenly aware of God’s closeness and presence today.
Monday 24 November
Tragically, a suicide bomber targeted an Orthodox church in Damasus on 22 June, claiming 25 lives and injuring over 70 people. A statement by the Ministry of Interior Affairs blamed Islamic State (IS) for the attack. Please pray for the Christian community as they continue to grieve and rebuild, and for an end to terrorist attacks.
CSW works to ensure that addressing transnational repression is firmly on the international agenda. Ahead of the EU-China Summit, for example, we co-authored a letter to the Presidents of the EU, calling for the inclusion of transnational repression as a topic in their discussions. Together with our partner Human Rights Concern Eritrea, we also submitted a report on violations targeting the Eritrean diaspora in the UK to the parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights. You can support a stronger response to transnational repression by raising your voice when it takes place, looking out for related campaigns. And as always, please keep in your prayers the victims, intelligence services, other law enforcement agencies, and all decision makers involved in responding to incidents.
Tuesday 25 November
There has been a marked increase in the targeting of members of the Al-Murshidiyyah religious community since the fall of the Assad regime (December 2024). Ask God to protect this vulnerable group today.
‘We just want to be left alone and live peacefully… Over 60 Murshidis have been assassinated since the fall of Assad. This should stop.’
A prominent Murshidi community leader
Wednesday 26 November
In July, clashes between Druze militia and pro-government forces in As-Suwayda Governorate resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 people in just eight days. Pray that the ceasefire would continue to hold, and that God would raise up peacemakers and diffuse sectarian tensions in the region and country.
Thursday 27 November
Pray for members of the international community and media as they address Syria at this critical time. Ask God to grant them the wisdom to see and understand developments clearly, and crucially, to avoid amplifying false, misleading or harmful narratives.
Friday 28 November
Please continue to pray for a swift and peaceful transition to true democracy. Pray that the transitional government would rule with integrity and impartiality, and that Syrians of all walks of life, religions and beliefs would work together to build a peaceful and inclusive future.
Saturday 29 November
Father God, thank you that ultimately you are the only one who holds authority over Syria. We pray that you would lead the nation to a peaceful and prosperous future, both through the transitional government and through the people of Syria as a whole. Amen.
For someone who is experiencing discrimination, harassment, violence or imprisonment because of their religion or belief, a letter from you can be a lifeline of hope. Find out more at csw.org.uk/connectencourage
Father Castor Álvarez Deveza is a priest in Camagüey who is a target of the government. He was beaten and briefly detained in 2021 during the 11 July protests.
Since then, some of his parishioners have been harassed and warned by State Security to stop attending his church.
Father Castor Álvarez Deveza
Calle Padre Valencia #269 esq. Bembeta y Damas Camagüey Cp 70100, Cuba
Marta Perdomo Benítez
Marta Perdomo Benítez’s two sons are political prisoners whose religious freedom has been routinely violated in prison. The Cuban authorities have used tactics to try to stop her speaking out for her sons. For example, she was barred from attending the Baptist church she has attended all her life after the pastor was threatened by the government.
Marta Perdomo Benítez
Pastor Tanka Subedi
Calle 54 número 2914 entre 29 y31
San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque Cp 32700, Cuba
Please don’t mention CSW or make any political comment in your cards to Cuban people – this could endanger them.
Please don’t mention CSW or China Aid in your cards to Chinese people, and do not make any comment about the government or the political system. This could endanger the person you are writing to.
Elder Zhang Chunlei
Below is a new address for Elder Zhang Chunlei, an elder of the Love (Ren’ai) Reformed Church in Guizhou Province. He has been unjustly detained for over four years now on charges that have changed multiple times. In July 2024, Elder Zhang was eventually sentenced to five years in prison on false charges of ‘fraud’ and ‘inciting subversion’, to be served until March 2026. 贵州省黔西南州兴义市
Pastor Tanka Subedi is a church leader and human rights defender in Nepal. He has worked with CSW on several religious freedom cases, including eight Nepalese Christians who were accused in 2016 of attempting to convert children to Christianity through the distribution of a comic book; they were subsequently acquitted. He is also a founding member and chair of religious freedom organisation Dharmik Chautari Nepal, and the Religious Liberty Forum Nepal.
Pastor Tanka Subedi ITEEN PO Box 8975 EPC 647 Kathmandu 45600 Nepal
The Nicaraguan government has forcibly shut down more than 5,000 independent civil society organisations since April 2018, including over 1,300 religious organisations. Find out more at csw.org.uk/nicaragua
Sunday 30 November
Give thanks and pray for the brave individuals both in Nicaragua and in exile who, despite great risk, carry out vital first-hand documentation of violations of freedom of religion or belief. Without them, CSW’s work would not be possible.
Monday 1 December
Pastor Rudy Palacios Vargas is a prominent Protestant pastor and an outspoken critic of the Nicaraguan government. In July, the pastor and several family and friends were unjustly arrested and transferred to maximum-security prison. Pray that the charges of treason and conspiracy would be dropped, and everyone would be set free. Tragically, one of them – political activist Mauricio Alonso Petri Sr – died in custody in August.
Tuesday 2 December
Pastor Palacios Vargas’s church (La Roca de Nicaragua Association) was arbitrarily stripped of its legal status in 2019. Pray that this would be reinstated and ask God to protect the congregation from further targeting.
Wednesday 3 December
Pray today for the religious leaders across Nicaragua who have been subjected to what the government refers to as ‘precautionary measures’, requiring them to submit all their activities to police for approval on a weekly basis. Pray that they would be able to work freely and effectively.
Thursday 4 December
We continue to pray for the immediate and unconditional release of Pastor Efrén Antonio Vílchez López. The Protestant pastor is serving 23 years on trumped-up charges due to his history of criticising the government’s repression.
Two Roman Catholic lay leaders, Carmen and Lesbia, have been arbitrarily detained for over a year now, with no confirmation of their wellbeing or whereabouts. Neither woman has committed any crime. Please pray once again for proof of life, and ultimately for their unconditional release.
Lord Jesus, we ask you to bring miraculous change to Nicaragua today. May political prisoners be released; may churches and civil society organisations be permitted to operate freely; and may every Nicaraguan enjoy the fundamental right to freedom of religion or belief. Amen.
This summer saw yet more relentless violence in central and northwest Nigeria, with communities being targeted on the basis of religion, belief and ethnicity, amid the emergence of new terrorist organisations, Lakurawa and Mahmuda, in Niger and Kwara states respectively.
In a particularly disturbing incident, at least 150 people were initially confirmed to have been killed on 13 June in an attack on Yelewata (Benue State) by militia of Fulani ethnicity.
Subsequent reports asserted the final death toll was over 200.
Witnesses reported that the attackers chanted ‘Allahu Akbar’ and suggested that the operation bore the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing.
This devastating attack targeted displaced people and followed several days of terrorist violence. Earlier, farmers were shot dead while working their fields. Other villagers were ambushed and killed the next day as they searched for them.
Attacks have continued unabated. In a particularly tragic incident, a desperately hungry displaced person was killed when he risked returning to his farm on 24 July to find food.
Growing food is now a life-threatening business, not only in Benue State, but across central and northwestern Nigeria.
Our holistic approach to advocacy includes providing emergency aid, legal assistance, journalism training, skills workshops and psychosocial support. Someone who took part in one of the psychosocial workshops for survivors and human rights defenders who assist them said:
‘My life has changed for good since after the training. I am a whole lot better now and I am able to cope with the issues I have been battling with.’
Pray for peace and security in Nigeria.
Benue,
once touted as the food basket of the nation, is grappling with hunger due to the inability of its people to till their farms.
It is estimated that over 5,700 lives have been lost to terrorist violence in Benue State since 2011, with more than 150,000 people displaced.
Sunday 7 December
Give thanks for CSW’s team in Nigeria, who continue to visit, support and document attacks on vulnerable communities in the country’s northern and central states, despite the risks. Ask God to grant them rest, joy, peace and protection this coming Christmas.
Monday 8 December
Did you know you can write to your MP about what you’ve read?
Ask them to raise these issues with UK Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper, requesting they urge the Nigerian government to address the relentless rise in insecurity decisively.
Visit csw.org.uk/ writetoyourmp for tips.
We continue to call on the international community to urge the government of Nigeria to do more to bring terrorist violence in the country to an end. In June, CSW UK and CSW Nigeria held several encouraging meetings with UN officials and country delegations at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, and we continue to brief the EU and Members of UK Parliament on the situation, assisting them to make accurate interventions.
In June well over 150 people are reported to have been killed in an attack by militia of Fulani ethnicity on the Yelewata community in Benue State. Ask God to comfort all who are mourning today, to bring healing and restoration to those who need it, and an end to the violence.
Tuesday 9 December
Pray today for Reverend Davou Musa, a Protestant pastor who lost nine family members in an attack on the Bindi community in Plateau State in July. Ask God to meet him in his grief, to ensure that justice is served for this atrocity, and to bring an end to the violence.
Wednesday 10 December
‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand’ (Isaiah 41:10). Pray that Christians in Nigeria would take comfort from this verse today.
Thursday 11 December
Ask God to provide for Lydia Emmanuel, a 32-year-old mother of four, whose husband, Reverend Emmanuel Nahala, was shot dead in a targeted attack on the predominantly Christian village of Yaribori in Katsina State on 8 July. Ask God to protect clergy and their families, who are particularly targeted for kidnapping and murder.
Friday 12 December
Converts to Christianity in Nigeria’s shari’a states typically face severe ostracism and threats – even from their own families. This was the experience of Yahaya Dauda, who is now living in hiding with his wife and their five children. Ask God to protect them and meet their needs.
Saturday 13 December
Almighty God, we continue to contend for miraculous breakthrough in Nigeria. Deliver the nation from violence, terrorism and impunity, and elevate it instead to become the major champion of peace, justice, democracy and human rights on the African continent. Amen.
We are relieved that eight of the 16 children who were seized from the Du Merci centres for vulnerable children in 2019 were released in August. However, this came after one of the girls began experiencing mental health challenges which the orphanage staff could no longer address.
CSW was informed that the girl exhibited odd behaviour, began speaking to herself, and had persistently challenged officials at the orphanage – constantly demanding to return ‘home’ and attempting to leave with her belongings. On 12 August, she managed to leave the premises and reach the Du Merci office in Kano, but was obliged to return.
The eight older children were released the next day, and on 14 August they joined the Tarfas in their home in Plateau State. At the time of writing, the eight younger children remain in the custody of the Kano State government, pending a court ruling on their fate.
• Professor Solomon and Mrs Mercy Tarfa are the co-founders of the Du Merci Centres in Kano and Kaduna for vulnerable Christian children.
• On Christmas Day 2019, armed police stormed the Du Merci centre in Kano. Professor Tarfa was detained on false accusations of illegally operating the orphanage and abducting children. A similar raid on the centre in Kaduna took place on 31 December.
• 27 children were seized from the Du Merci centres. They were forcibly relocated to a government-run home in Kano City, where reports soon emerged of their maltreatment. The older children were later released, leaving 16 in the orphanage.
• Professor Tarfa was acquitted of the abduction charges in 2021, but the children were still not returned.
It is deeply disturbing that the Kano State authorities continue to defy the High Court order for their release. The absence of their elder siblings leaves them incredibly vulnerable.
Professor Solomon and Mrs Mercy Tarfa said:
‘We are grateful that some of the children have now been released, and we appreciate the efforts of our lawyer in securing their freedom. However, we still have concerns about the welfare and safety of the remaining children, and we will continue to advocate for their rights and well-being.’
Sunday 14 December
‘The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it…’ (Psalm 24: 1) Pray that the authorities in China – including President Xi Jinping – would be convicted by the truth that God holds ultimate dominion over the country.
Monday 15 December
Last week marked seven years since police in Chengdu arrested over 100 members of Early Rain Covenant Church. The church’s Pastor Wang Yi remains imprisoned today, serving a nine-year sentence on trumped-up charges. Please continue to pray for his release.
Wednesday 17 December
Pray today for the release of Pastor Huang Yizi. He is a Protestant church leader from Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. In July, Pastor Huang was formally arrested on charges of ‘illegal business operations’ for selling recordings of his sermons.
Thursday 18 December
• In June 2021, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that the professor and the 16 children were being held arbitrarily.
• In 2022 the professor was unjustly convicted of forgery, and jailed for two years.
• Professor Tarfa was finally released from prison in January 2023, acquitted of the unfounded forgery charge.
• In 2025 the Kano State High ruled that all of the children should be formally returned to the Tarfas on or before 19 March 2025. Having previously agreed to it, the Kano State authorities are now challenging this ruling.
‘We urge the Kano State government to end their trauma by returning them to the Tarfas without further delay.’
Scot Bower, CEO
Tuesday 16 December
In June, Pastor Li Jie and Elder Han Xiaodong (both of Linfen Covenant Home Church) were each sentenced to three years and eight months in prison. This came nearly three years after they were detained on unfounded fraud charges. Please pray for their immediate and unconditional release.
‘Throughout the day, we kept receiving news of other lawyers being arrested. We even joked about whether we might be arrested too. Unexpectedly, at around 1am that night, shortly after we had fallen asleep, we were awakened by loud noises of someone violently forcing open the door. 'Soon, more than a dozen plainclothes individuals with unknown identities broke in. They blindfolded
Due to the authorities’ continued repression, sadly there are only a few Chinese lawyers who will dare to take on freedom of religion or belief cases. Ask God to give them courage and strength to continue their work.
Friday 19 December
Pray for Christian lawyer Xiangui Fang who was detained in July 2015 as part of the infamous 709 Crackdown. He has since fled China after being threatened with further imprisonment for continuing to defend human rights cases. Ask God to comfort him and establish the work of his hands.
Saturday 20 December
Lord Jesus, as Christians across China look forward to celebrating your birth in just a few days’ time, we ask you particularly to comfort families who are unable to share this special time with loved ones who have been unjustly or arbitrarily imprisoned. Amen.
Find out more at csw.org.uk/china
us, twisted our arms behind our backs, and dragged us downstairs in a humiliating manner—by the back of our collars and belts...'
Visit www.forbinfull.org to read a guest blog by lawyer Xiangui Fang.
‘Although my freedom was gone, my spirit remained vibrant. […] I felt that even if they dragged me out and executed me, I could face death joyfully. On the journey to meet the Lord, I wasn’t alone—I had brothers and the Lord with me.’
‘Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison...’
This week we joyfully remember the birth of the Lord Jesus – our saviour who sets the captives free! This is a freedom we share with countless Christians around the world. It’s a joy that unites us as one, global Church. Yet we must not forget those who are unable to celebrate in freedom and safety.
Please join us in praying for those who cannot be with their loved ones this Christmas, because they are unjustly detained.
After peacefully protesting on 11 July 2021, Jorge and Nadir were given eight- and six-year prison sentences respectively. Both have been consistently denied the right to receive religious visits in prison, and are not allowed any religious materials. You can write to encourage their mother, Marta, using the address on p.16.
37-year-old Dennis was arrested in April 2024 while working as a rickshaw driver. He was falsely accused of blasphemy, with one of the charges carrying a punishment of life imprisonment if convicted. His bail application was rejected, and although his lawyer plans to file an appeal, Dennis will likely spend Christmas in jail, away from his loved ones. He is a devout Catholic with a strong faith.
Tuesday 23 December: Zhang Zhan, China
Inspired by her faith, citizen journalist Zhang Zhan bravely reported on the COVID-19 pandemic in China. She paid with her freedom – serving a four-year sentence, during which she staged a hunger strike and became critically ill.
Just months after her release, Zhang Zhan was unjustly detained once again in August 2024, seemingly for continuing to advocate for human rights. Having awaited trial for over a year, a date was set for 19 September. At time of writing, it is unclear whether it took place.
Wednesday 24 December: North Korea
Three South Korean missionaries are serving life sentences in North Korea:
Pastor Kim Jung-wook, Pastor Kim Kook-kie, Pastor Choi Chun-gil. All three were charged with spying for South Korea and have been held incommunicado for more than a decade.
Thursday 25 December: Eritrea
Seven Eritrean church leaders have been detained arbitrarily for over two decades now. They are imprisoned without charge or trial – held incommunicado and indefinitely in a maximum-security facility simply on account of their faith. Some have lost loved ones while in prison, including wives and parents.
Rev Haile Naizge, Dr Kuflu Gebremeskel, Rev Million Gebreselassie, Dr Futsum Gebrenegus, Rev Dr Tekleab Menghisteab, Rev Gebremedhin Gebregiorgis, and Rev Kidane Weldou.
Friday 26 December: Hakob
‘I am Hakob, a citizen of Armenia. Since 15 August 2023, I have been in an Iranian prison for my faith for the unfounded reason of preaching and teaching Christianity.’ Hakob has two young children and a wife, Elisa. She was arrested alongside him during a family visit to Iran, while having dinner at a friend’s house. They were placed in solitary confinement in the notorious Evin Prison and interrogated. Hakob told us of the ominous threats that were made, and that he was denied a lawyer and translator. While Elisa was later released on bail, Hakob remains serving a 10-year sentence.
Now 22 years old, Leah is still held captive by terrorists who abducted her from school in February 2018. She was the sole Christian among 110 girls who were taken by members of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The surviving girls were returned home a month later, but Leah was not among them because she had refused to renounce her faith.
Thank you for remembering Leah, her mother Rebecca, her father Nathan and younger brother Donald, and all who love and miss her.
Lord Jesus, Emmanuel, we remember and their loved ones today. May they know you are with them this Christmas time and always.
As we rejoice that you came to set captives free, we pray that the chains of the unjustly imprisoned will be broken. Lord, lead them out of captivity for good!
Amen.
Sunday 28 December
Praise the Lord for his marvellous deeds in 2025. We may not be able to report every piece of good news publicly, but we are very grateful for everything we have been able to do and achieve, by God’s grace and through your ongoing support. Thank you!
Monday 29 December
So many of you prayed and campaigned tirelessly for Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo in Cuba following his unjust arrest on 11 July 2021. Let’s continue giving thanks for his release in January 2025, keeping him and his family in our prayers.
Tuesday 30 December
Give thanks for a long-awaited answer to prayer: eight of the Du Merci children were released and reunited with the Tarfa family in August 2025. This week marks six years since 27 children were seized from the Du Merci Centres in Nigeria, and the orphanages’ co-founder Professor Tarfa was unjustly arrested. Please continue to pray for the eight youngest children who remain (at time of writing) in a government-run orphanage where they are extremely vulnerable.
Wednesday 31 December
In June, Tom Andrews (UN Special Rapporteur on the situation in Myanmar) highlighted that the flow of weapons into the hands of Myanmar’s military had been reduced by a third. Give thanks for this rare piece of good news and pray for even more effective action from the international community.
Thursday 1 January
Happy New Year! Give thanks that the Lord goes before us and will be with us each day of 2026. Let’s renew our commitment to serve him this year, asking ourselves: how can I be his hands and feet for justice?
Friday 2 January
We continue to be grateful for CSW’s ECOSOC status. Since gaining this official UN accreditation eight years ago, we have been able to advocate with greater agility and even more effectively in the international arena. We praise God for every opportunity to include our expert analysis in UN meetings, reports and dialogues.
Saturday 3 January
In July, the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea was renewed for another year, despite a strong challenge by Eritrea. We give thanks because this role is vital for monitoring and reporting on human rights violations in Eritrea, with the aim of eventual accountability.
Sunday 4 January
Said Mansour Rizk Abdelrazek, a Christian convert, was arrested and charged with terrorism in July. But he has committed no crime. In reality, Said is being punished for changing his religion – which is not illegal – and for asking for this change to be recorded in his official identity documents. Please pray for his immediate and unconditional release.
Monday 5 January
When Said converted to Christianity in 2016, his family rejected him. He endured societal hostility and police intimidation whenever he shared his new faith publicly. Ask God to comfort and strengthen Said and others who have similar experiences. Pray for their protection and for family relationships to be restored.
Tuesday 6 January
Give thanks for the Egyptian government’s continued efforts to legalise the construction and restoration of churches across the country. Pray that those whose applications are still pending would be approved, and that the legislation would be extended to cover every religious community.
Wednesday 7 January
Today is Christmas for Egypt’s Orthodox Christians, the largest Christian community in the Middle East. Ask God to bless and protect their celebrations, and to grant them abundant joy in the year ahead.
Thursday 8 January
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Egypt are subjected to severe restrictions. Any activities deemed to be ‘political’ or ‘religious’ are prohibited. As a result, the number of NGOs has fallen significantly in recent years. Pray today for a strengthening of independent voices in the country.
Friday 9 January
Article 98(f) of the Egyptian Penal Code is essentially a blasphemy law that allows charges to be brought for ambiguously worded offences. It has been increasingly used to target and prosecute members of the atheist community in particular. Please pray for its repeal.
Saturday 10 January
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the positive developments in the situation of freedom of religion or belief in Egypt over the past decade. We humbly ask for more – for prisoners to be released, NGOs to operate freely, and an end to sectarian violence in the country. Amen. Find out more at csw.org.uk/egypt
Sunday 11 January
Give thanks today for everyone working for freedom and justice in Vietnam. Pray that God would protect CSW’s advocates and contacts in the country, bringing breakthroughs in the year ahead.
Monday 12 January
Philippians 2:3-4 says: ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.’ Pray that God would miraculously grow these qualities of good and selfless leadership in the hearts of Vietnam’s government.
Tuesday 13 January
Venerable Kim Som Rinh (a KhmerKrom monk) is a respected leader known for advocating for religious and cultural rights. He was arrested in March 2025 alongside two activists: Thach Nga and Thach Xuan Dong. Pray that the unjust charges of ‘abusing democratic freedoms’ would be dropped.
Wednesday 14 January
Ask God to draw near to a Catholic house church in Thái Nguyên province (northern Vietnam). For unknown reasons, the police raided the home during Mass on 11 August 2025. Three people were taken to the police station but were thankfully released.
Thursday 15 January
Call on the Lord to protect those who are still being harassed and intimidated by police, even after fleeing Vietnam. We think especially of Hmong and Montagnard Christians seeking asylum in Thailand. Many refugees in Bangkok have reported being visited at their homes by Vietnamese plain-clothed police.
Friday 16 January
A year ago today, police in Ho Chi Minh City arrested a 71- year-old Protestant pastor for ‘spreading anti-state propaganda’ on social media. Pastor Nguyen Manh Hung is an activist and advocate for freedom of religion or belief. Surround him and his congregation in prayer.
Saturday 17 January
Dear God, we pray today that the Vietnamese authorities would investigate cases of wrongful imprisonment. Lord, bring freedom for everyone detained because of their religion or belief, or for peacefully defending the rights of others. Amen.
‘If God exists, tell him to get
‘The only God here is me.’
‘Here, whatever I say happens. Here, I am God.’
‘Keep on believing in your faith, you'll rot here.’
‘You're a religious scab.’
‘If you were religious, you wouldn't be here.’
On the streets of Cuba, in schools, universities and places of work, freedom of expression is tightly controlled. Speaking openly of one’s faith is at best frowned upon. At worst, sharing one’s faith or attempting to practice it publicly can be met with punishment. Imagine, then, what it’s like behind the fortified walls of the country’s maximum-security prisons.
‘You're a parasite of this society.’
‘If I hear you praying or preaching, I'll throw you in the punishment cell.’
‘If God is as great as you say, why hasn't he taken you out of this place?’
‘Lying Christian.’
The prisoners pray…
‘May justice be done.’
‘May he perform a miracle to get me out of this place, so I can be with my family.’
‘God is merciful, and I trust in every step He allows me to take.’
93%
168 participants said they are never able to practice their faith in prison. Many prisoners said that they and others are regularly threatened with losing benefits (including the right to telephone calls and visits) or being placed in solitary confinement if they are caught praying or singing.
84%
Here, prison officers hold total control over the lives of inmates, whose ability to communicate with the outside world is extremely restricted and can even be taken away altogether.
A CSW survey of 180 Cuban prisoners found that the religious rights of inmates (those in prison for both political and non-political crimes) are routinely and severely violated. Participants in the study shared the daily humiliations they endure, as prison officers ridicule and demean them because of what they believe. Despite all this, those who responded also stated that they continue to hold on to their faith –entrusting their hope to a power higher than the government officers who run the penitentiary system.
‘May he put his hand in and help me get out of this place because I know he is the greatest.’
‘May things improve in Cuba and the people no longer be repressed.’
‘May this whole nightmare end and may we be completely free.’
‘If I could ask God for anything, it would be freedom; that he change those who govern; and that I have a healthy, peaceful life. I will ask him to take care of my family and that they never go hungry.’
‘May he give me strength to endure the remaining years and take care of my family.’
‘God is our savior.’
‘May he protect my mother so I can see her when I get out.’
‘May he take good care of my children.’
‘I have faith that this will end soon.’
Sunday 18 January
This time last year, we celebrated as Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo was released as part of a mass amnesty. Please continue to pray for his safety, freedom and encouragement, as well as for his family and church. He said they were all sustained, knowing you were holding them in prayer.
Monday 19 January
Sadly, some political prisoners who were freed in January 2025 have since been returned to maximum-security prisons. Among them is Donaida Pérez Paseiro, an Afro-Cuban religious leader who was arrested in July 2021. She is now expected to serve her eight-year sentence in full.
Tuesday 20 January
Donaida’s husband, Loreto Hernández García, is also unjustly imprisoned. He has been humiliated by prison officials and repeatedly ridiculed because of his religion. He has also reported being beaten. Pray that both Loreto and Donaida would be treated with dignity, and ultimately freed without condition.
Wednesday 21 January
Pray for Kevin Laureido Rojas, the son of two Assemblies of God pastors. He has been sent to a maximum-security prison far from home on charges of desertion – despite the fact that he has a medical exemption from Cuba’s obligatory military service. His parents faced unjust criminal charges after they mentioned ‘God’s justice’ in a military tribunal, but their trial was indefinitely postponed in June.
152 prisoners (half political, half common) said that they were not allowed a Bible or religious literature of any type.
79% of prisoners surveyed said they have never been permitted to meet with a religious leader. One said he had made over ten requests and all were denied.
Thursday 22 January
Ask God to help Pastor Maikel Pupo Velázquez, who leads a church in Camagüey. He was detained incommunicado for around 14 hours in July after trying to deliver medicine to Marta Perdomo Benites, the mother of two political prisoners. Pastor Maikel has had difficulties recovering from the trauma he experienced while detained.
Henry Constantín Ferreiro is the director of an independent media outlet called La Hora de Cuba. He spent ‘four difficult, uncomfortable days’ detained last summer – simply for accompanying a colleague to a police summons. Pray that the Cuban government would not succeed in their efforts to intimidate independent voices and crush fundamental freedoms.
Let’s echo Pastor Lorenzo’s words today, giving thanks and praying for CSW’s work in Cuba. Remember that this includes you! You are part of the team, bringing light to the darkness, through every act of solidarity.
‘Thank you, CSW, for being a light in the darkness and salt in the midst of a hurting world. My prayer is that the Lord will strengthen you, open even greater doors for you, and use you to continue being defenders of God’s Kingdom on earth.’ Amen.
Find out more at csw.org.uk/cuba
