Attacks on church-run refugee camps continued in the Central African Republic last week. The Unité pour la Paix en Centrafrique(UPC), a Muslim militia in CAR, has often targeted Christian populations, including churches who are helping displaced people in the country. Last week, the group attacked a small church hosting IDPs in the city of Ippy.

Despite improved relations between the U.S. and North Korea, on December 10, as the world celebrated Human Rights Day, Washington announced sanctions will be imposed on three North Korean officials as it called the regime’s human rights record among the world’s worst. Read more: International Christian Concern

A group of Islamist attacked a church in the Upper Egypt village of Kom Al-Raheb. Security forces arrived before the attack ended and closed the church, which had recently opened a new building. Read more: International Christian Concern

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reported that he had decided to designate Pakistan a “country of particular concern” over its abuse of religious minorities. This decision comes one year after Pakistan was placed on a special watch list regarding religious freedom violations. Read more: International Christian Concern

Jakarta’s former governor, known as “Ahok”, who was sentenced last year to two years in jail for blasphemy against Islam, is to be released from prison next month, four months ahead of schedule. Read more: World Watch Monitor

Amnesty International has released yet another report on the major corruption and ineptitude of the Nigerian government. The report focuses on the complete and utter failures of the Buhari administration to deal with the continuing crisis in Northeastern Nigeria created by Boko Haram activity. Read more: International Christian Concern

Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton has been sentenced for 12-year in prison accused of plotting to overthrow the government, says that prison authorities are forcing him to sit by himself, away from the other inmates as he reviews prison rules, as they are worried he may influence the others. Read more: International Christian Concern

Indian Christians foresee a tougher Christmas season this year as attacks on their community and places of worship continue to occur on a near-weekly basis. Across the country, pastors have decided to cancel rounds of caroling and other Christmas programs as a safety precaution. Read more: International Christian Concern

About 100 worshippers at an unofficial church in southwestern China were snatched from their homes or from the streets in coordinated raids which began on Sunday evening and appeared to be an effort to close down one of the country’s most prominent Protestant house churches. Read more: South China Morning Post

Ahead of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Monday, 10 December, rights group ADF International has called for “recommitment” to the founding principles, which it says are being “consistently ignored and abused … all over the world." Read more: World Watch Monitor