[Today’s Prayer] Mauritania Arrests 15 Christian Leaders and their Families

It has been reported that 15 Christian leaders have been arrested in Mauritania, a northwestern African country, since late November.

The International Christian Coalition (ICC), a persecution monitoring group, reported the news, saying, “Following Muslims’ demands for punishment, 15 Mauritanian Christian leaders and their families were arrested.”

The ICC said, “There is no law banning proselytizing in Mauritania, but according to the U.S. State Department’s 2022 International Religious Freedom Report, officials in the country prohibit ‘conversion’ of Muslims and public expression of all faiths except Islam.”

In Mauritania, 98% of the population is Sunni Muslim and 1% is Shia Muslim, and the constitution designates Islam as the only religion of citizens and the state. Apostasy, or leaving Islam, is punishable by death.

Spanish local media outlet ‘EFE’ reported, “At least three of these Christians were arrested in Celibacy, more than 600km south of the capital Nouakchott, on or just before November 30 (local time).”

According to the ICC and local Christian leaders, the arrests follow protests calling for their murder after a video of their baptism was released on social media.

(Omitted)

Mauritania’s 2018 amendment to Article 306 of its criminal code states that “any person who explicitly apostates from Islam, calls for apostasy or makes words or actions containing apostasy, or renounces the requirements of religion shall be imprisoned for three years.”

During that time, he is asked to repent. If he does not repent, he will be sentenced to death for blasphemy and his property will be transferred to the Muslim treasury.”

Mauritania's laws and legal procedures are derived from a blend of French civil law and Sharia (Islamic law), but there have been public calls for increased application of Sharia-based criminal law in the country, according to a 2022 U.S. State Department report.

According to the report, Mauritania is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which provides everyone with the freedom to have or adopt a religion or belief of their choice, but the government continued to prohibit public expression of religion. Mauritania ranked 20th on Open Doors' 2023 list of countries persecuting Christians.

Source: Christian Today

After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God…”(Revelation 19:1)

Heavenly Father, who wants all nations to be saved and to know the truth, we have heard that 15 Christian leaders in Mauritania have been arrested since the end of November.

It is tragic that Mauritania bans all public expressions of faith except for Islam and puts those who leave Islam to death, even though there is no law banning proselytizing.

On the other hand, we see that the Mauritani government is in fear as they hear the news of half of a village becoming Christians.

Even in Mauritania, where it is very difficult to believe in God due to harsh persecutions and sufferings, we declare that salvation and glory and power only belong to our God.

May you sanctify the people of Mauritania in the midst of persecutions and sufferings through your word of truth, and may they long after the Word and follow only the Lord.

May Mauritani church rise up to brings all nations back to God of salvation, glory, and power!