Source: www.persecution.org
Date: August 8, 2024
8/8/2024 (International Christian Concern) — Many nations claim to uphold religious tolerance, yet they imprison Christians who proclaim their faith to non-believers. Anti-proselytizing laws in these countries produce little more than governments that profess religious freedom and civil liberties in name only.
Algeria, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Yemen, among others, allege certain levels of religious freedom in their legal frameworks. However, Christians are punished for pursuing the fullness of their faith.
In Algeria, for instance, the law allows everyone to freely practice their religion as long as “they respect public order and regulations.” Despite these allowances, a non-Muslim can’t assist or advocate for a Muslim to convert to Christianity. Christians who promote the truth of Jesus Christ to a Muslim or give a Muslim a Bible may be charged with a criminal offense.
Rachid Seighir, an Algerian pastor, was sentenced in 2021 to two years in prison and fined about $3,500 after authorities found Bibles and Christian publications in a bookstore he ran. Authorities claimed the materials could subvert a Muslim’s beliefs.
According to the U.S. Department of State, Algeria prohibits “proselytizing to Muslims by non-Muslims.” Additionally, “making, storing, or distributing printed documents or audiovisual materials with the intent of ‘shaking the faith’ of a Muslim is also illegal.”
Yemen’s constitution doesn’t address religious freedom, but it does allow “freedom of thought and expression.” Cambodia’s legal framework “provides for freedom of belief and religious worship, provided such freedom neither interferes with others’ beliefs and religions nor violates public order and security.” However, in Yemen, “proselytizing directed at Muslims” is illegal, and Cambodia has outlawed the public preaching of any religion except Buddhism.
Similarly, the legal framework of Malaysia states that an individual may practice their religion while simultaneously allowing Malaysian authorities to control or outright ban the act of attempting to influence Muslims to embrace a different faith.
Malaysian pastor Raymond Koh went missing seven years ago after Malaysian authorities allegedly abducted him. Before his disappearance, authorities had reportedly investigated Koh for trying to convert Muslims to Christianity by preaching the Bible to them.
Anti-proselytizing laws like these act as a muzzle, silencing Christians and preventing them from truly practicing their faith.