North Korea (MNN) — A rumor is circulating about North
Korea's public execution of a Christian woman last month for distributing
Bibles.
Voice of the Martyrs Canada's Glenn Penner says, "It's an unusual report and of course, it
cannot be confirmed or denied at this point. Almost anything out of North Korea
is difficult, if not impossible to confirm."
What IS known is that,
"There are more than 30-thousand North Koreans who are believed to
practice Christianity secretly in North Korea today. For them to be discovered
even owning a Bible, to say nothing of distributing a Bible, would mean
probably imprisonment and execution."
Religious prisoners are often sentenced to hard labor, given
the most dangerous tasks, and deprived.
This appears to be in an effort to force them to renounce their faith.
When they refuse, Voice of the Martyrs says they are often tortured to death.
Those caught praying are beaten and tortured.
North Korea has consistently topped the world's human rights
watch lists as being the most repressive and closed nation on earth. Open Doors' World Watch List has ranked North
Korea as the Number One persecutor of Christians for seven years in a row. North Korea was also re-designated by the U.S.
State Department as one of eight "Countries of Particular Concern"
for their severe religious freedom violations.
Worse, earlier reports suggest the government is trying to
entrap Christians. Penner urges you to, "Pray
for discernment for our brothers and sisters. Pray for courage for them as they
seek ways of being able to share their faith with others. Pray for those who
are leading these small groups that the Lord would enable them to lead their
churches wisely."
