No matter where The Voice of the Martyrs ministers, the first request of persecuted Christians is almost always the same: "Pray for us."

Answer that request by joining The Voice of the Martyrs in praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world.   Sign up today to receive specific, up-to-date prayer requests by email every Thursday through the Persecution and Prayer Alert. To subscribe, click here.

Ongoing investigation of aid workers killed in Afghanistan

Tom Little, team leader Photo from International Assistance Mission

Please pray for the protection of Christians in Afghanistan. Pray the Lord will give the small Christian community in this nation a spirit of faithfulness and confidence. Ask the Lord to use this recent tragedy to accomplish His purposes in Afghanistan (Rom. 8:28).

Please visit the Afghanistan Country Report for more information about persecution in Afghanistan.

Pastor faces criminal charges in Turkmenistan

Pentecostal pastor Ilmurad Nurliev, who was arrested at his home in Mary in south-eastern Turkmenistan on August 27, faces criminal charges of large-scale swindling that carry a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment and confiscation of property. Three women who had attended church meetings wrote statements that he took money from them. His wife and other church members vigorously deny these charges, saying police pressured the three to write the statements and that they now regret doing so. Another church member has been threatened that if she does not testify against Pastor Nurliev, her husband, who is not a church member, will be fired from his job. (Source: Forum18)

Please pray that the truth of this case may come to light. Ask the Lord to comfort and sustain Pastor Nurliev and his wife Maya. Please pray for wisdom and guidance for all of those who are involved in the case. Pray the church will be strengthened in Turkmenistan amidst the hostilities.

For more information on persecution in Turkmenistan, go to the Turkmenistan Country Report.

Christian convert falsely accused of theft in Bangladesh

A Christian convert from Islam was falsely arrested last weekend in an attempt by influential Muslims to stop his Christian activities. Day labourer Abul Hossen (41) was arrested on August 21 for alleged cattle theft in Dubachari village in Nilphamari district. Christian villagers reported that Hossen was the victim of "dirty tricks" by influential Muslims. "There is another Abul Hossen in the village who might be the thief, but his father-in-law is very powerful," a local Christian reported. "To save his son-in-law, he imputed all the blame to a different Abul Hossen who is a completely good man." Abul, who converted to Christianity from Islam in 2007, is very active in the community. Muslims are allegedly harassing him with the charge so his ministry will be discredited and villagers will denounce his faith. A former union council chairman who is Muslim, Aminur Rahman, also reported that Abul was a scapegoat. "There are two or three people named Abul Hossen in the village," Rahman said. "Anyone of them might have stolen the cattle, but I can vouch for the arrested Abul Hossen that he did not do this crime." Some 150 villagers, about 20 percent of them Christian, went to the police station to plea for Abul's freedom. (Source: Compass Direct)

Thank the Lord for the faithfulness of Abul. Pray that the Lord will greatly strengthen him and all other believers in the area during this trial. Pray he will have wisdom when dealing with those in authority. Pray God will use his imprisonment to further the gospel (Phil. 1:12-14).

Go to the Bangladesh Country Report for more information on the suffering Church in Bangladesh.

Christian community attacked by Muslims in Egypt

On August 13, Sheikh Tobah, imam of the village of Shimi, used Friday prayers to incite local Muslims to wage jihad against the local Coptic Christian community. Within hours an Islamic hard-liner named Mohamed Ali Almstaui had attacked a local Copt, Maher Amin, who was washing his taxi. That evening Mohamed led a mob of some 20 Muslims against the Amin family home. When the security forces arrived, they arrested the Christians, ignoring their injuries, so they could pressure them to accept "reconciliation." To uphold the Shariah provision that Christians may not testify against Muslims in court, the Egyptian government enforces "reconciliation" whereby Christians are forced to drop charges in exchange for Muslim assurances that the conflict has ended. However, less than 24 hours after "reconciliation" was brokered, Mohamed led a Muslim mob in another attack against Copts in their homes, on the streets and in their fields. The Copts are greatly distressed by their evident helplessness, knowing that in the absence of legal protection they are essentially without rights and are extremely vulnerable to further violence. Since the government started enforcing "reconciliation" in 2007, violent persecution has soared. (Sources: Assyrian International News Association, Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission)

Please pray Christians in Egypt will preach the gospel with boldness in areas where incidents of persecution continue to increase (Acts 4:31). Pray the Lord will soften the hearts of those who currently oppose Him and His church.

You can learn more about the plight of Christians in Egypt at our Egypt Country Report.

Update: Pray for imprisoned Uzbek Christian

Photo from International Council of Churches of Evangelical Christians/Baptists

Pray for strength for Tohar in the face of injustice and oppression. Pray that he will be released and the charges against him will be dropped. Pray that Uzbek believers will be encouraged by the Spirit of the Lord to proclaim their faith confidently, even to their persecutors.

You can encourage Tohar today by writing him a letter online, in his own language, at www.PrisonerAlert.com. You can also download VOM's letter writing guide, "Doing Time For God," which equips you to write to prisoners of faith around the world. You can download the guide for free at our Advocacy page.

For more on the persecution of Christians in Uzbekistan, go to the Uzbekistan Country Report.