Persecution News: 13th Indian State Adds Anti-Conversion Law

INDIA: New Anti-Conversion Law Already Under Protest

On August 28, 2026, Maharashtra became the 13th state in India to enforce a “freedom of religion” law, which prohibits evangelism and conversion. The new law is already being challenged. The first challenge came from a 70-year-old Islamic scholar, who filed a public interest petition in the Bombay High Court. India’s constitution promises citizens freedom to “practice, profess and propagate” the religion of their choice. Additionally, a challenge to state anti-conversion laws in general has already been working its way toward India’s Supreme Court.

CHINA: Imprisoned Pastor Suffering from Cancer?

Pastor Wang Yi may be suffering from advanced liver cancer, according to reports. Wang has been under severe restrictions during his imprisonment, and his family has had limited access to information about his circumstances or physical condition. Five years have passed since Wang’s wife, Jiang Rong, has been allowed a prison visit. Wang, founder and senior pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, has been imprisoned since December 2018. He was sentenced in December 2019 on charges of “inciting subversion of state power” and “illegal business operations.”

TURKIYE: 200+ Foreign Christians Expelled

The Turkish government has deported around 200 missionaries plus their families from the country in recent years, leaving many local churches to survive with limited leadership experience. “In the long term, it is going to be good because now we are utilizing many more local people,” said a senior Turkish pastor. “But in the short term, it has really impacted Turkish churches.” Pastor Ramazan Arkan, head of the Association of Protestant Churches in Turkey, recently shared with VOM Radio about the challenges of being a Christian in Turkiye.