The Persecution Podcast for this week is now up at http://www.persecutionpodcast.com .

Nepal--Criminal Code May Prohibit EvangelismVOM Canada, Compass Direct News1 Timothy 2:1–2Five years after it abolished Hinduism as the state religion, Nepal is considering a new criminal code that would make it illegal to "convert a person or abet him to change his religion." Article 160 of the proposed code would prohibit any action or behavior that could cause someone from a caste, community or creed to lose faith in his or her traditional religion or convert to a different religion. Offenders could be imprisoned for up to five years and fined as much as $685. Protracted political battles have caused delays in the first complete draft of the new constitution, and the Nepali Congress was recently forced to extend the tenure of the Constituent Assembly responsible for the draft. Pray for the church in Nepal as well as for those in power. Pray that Nepal's new criminal code will allow Christians to share their faith.Nigeria--Pastor Killed in Borno StateRelease International, Compass DirectPhilippians 4:7A Nigerian pastor and his secretary were murdered by Islamic militants recently in the northeastern town of Maiduguri. Pastor David Usman, 45, and his church secretary, Hamman Andrew, were shot to death on June 7 by members of the Islamist group Boko Haram. Boko Haram has been blamed for several recent attacks, including a series of bombings on June 7 that killed three people and the bombing of an army barracks in Maiduguri on May 29 that killed 15 people. Pastor David, described as a gentle and jovial man, and Hamman Andrew were killed in an area of Maiduguri called the Railway Quarters. Boko Haram had previously targeted Pastor David's church, which belongs to the Church of Christ in Nigeria. In July 2009, militants killed several church members and set fire to the church building. Another pastor in Maiduguri, Rev. Titus Dama Pona, told Compass Direct News that the recent violence has increased fear among Christians. "We no longer feel free moving around the city," Rev. Titus said, "and most churches no longer carry out worship services for fear of becoming targets of these unprovoked attacks." Pray that Christians in Borno state will experience the peace of God, and pray that Boko Haram members will come to know the peace of God in their hearts.Uzbekistan--Christian Fined and Threatened by PoliceForum 18 News ServiceIsaiah 40:31A Protestant Christian, Anvar Rajapov, was threatened by police after challenging a large fine that he received for his religious activities in Tashkent. Police raided Anvar's home on April 14 and confiscated 250 Christian books, including Bibles. The state's Religious Affairs Committee then ordered the books destroyed, and Anvar was fined 80 times the minimum monthly wage. Anvar appealed the fine in court, but a judge upheld the fine. Court officials warned Anvar that he would be further penalized if he did not pay the fine by June 15. On May 25, police summoned Anvar to the police station. Three police majors and an inspector spoke with Anvar and threatened him. One of the police majors, Zufar Rashidov, reportedly said, "I have prepared an axe for you, which will be flying after you, observing you, and if need be get you." Pray that God will protect Anvar and give him strength and wisdom.

LOS ANGELES, June 22 (CDN) — Increased public statements against Christianity in Iran have intensified pressures on Christians, sources said, but at their core they reflect Islamic leaders’ dismay with the growth of house churches and may signal dissension within Iran’s leadership. “The reality is most of the house churches are so hidden that the government can’t do anything, and they know it,” said a regional expert who requested anonymity. “They just see how the house churches are still growing.” The source said that since mass arrests at the beginning of this year, Christians have been more cautious. Another Iranian Christian, a pastor, said the comments likely foretell more arrests. “I believe that a new wave of persecution is underway,” he said. “The authorities are in the process of evaluating the situation.”

Eritrean Christians fleeing persecution often face appalling conditions in Egypt, according to a report on the Christian Today website. The report cites The Barnabas Fund as saying that Egypt is the most common destination for Christians escaping from Eritrea, one of the most hostile countries in the world for believers. The Eritrean government sees Christians and evangelicals as a threat to national security because of their allegiance to God over the state.

In all of my years of writing about Christian persecution, the one thing that I have learned above all else, is that PRAYER is the most vital thing we can do as brothers and sisters in our faith. But if you're like me, then sometimes you have no clue how to pray for our persecuted family, which is why I am so excited to let you know about these PRAYER CARDS that The Voice of the Martyrs has developed.

This morning as I was considering what to share with you, Gao Zhisheng came to my mind for the first time in a few weeks. So as I was looking up the latest information on Gao, on the http://www.freegao.com website, I was reading about Ai Weiwei, a "dissident" accused of tax evasion, who reportedly confessed to tax evasion, after seeing a video of Gao showing how he was tortured.

A few days ago, The Voice of the Martyrs Canada spokesman, Greg Musselman talked to Mission Network News about the latest going on in Syria. Syria is one of VOM's restricted nations and shows that the Christian population of Syria is around 5 percent. Greg Musselman explains the danger of Christians and why we need to pray.

Three American women who entered India on tourist visas were asked to leave last week following complaints by Hindu organizations that they were part of a religious conversion drive in the city of Kochi, Kerala state.