On 5th October 2020, Sawan Masih, a Christian man was acquitted of all charges and released after spending more than 6 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. He was arrested in 2013 when a neighbour accused him of making derogatory remarks against a prophet.
Immediately after the acquittal, Sawan and his family had to be taken to a safehouse provided by CLAAS, an organization that advocates for persecuted Christians in Pakistan. There he lived in the one-room lodging together with his wife and their three children.
Although Sawan is legally free, he and his family remain virtual prisoners, for they still live with daily threats against them. In the two years following the acquittal, the family has not been able to resume any semblance of a “normal” life. Sawan’s father passed away on the day he was acquitted and his mother passed away in April 2022. Yet he was not able to attend both their funerals due to the ongoing threats against him.
One of Voice of the Martyr’s ministry partners, Steadfast Global, is working together with Church in Chain to provide Sawan and his family more suitable living conditions and additional financial support. They are also working diligently to assist the family to leave the country.
Pray for divine protection over Sawan and his family, and all those who are supporting and assisting them. Pray that God will strengthen and encourage Sawan and his family, and fill them with peace and joy as they wait patiently for the opportunity to be able to live freely without fear and ongoing of threats to their lives.
(Source & Photo : VOMC)
#Persecuted Church
