Pastor Farhad Sabokroh and his co-workers Davoud Alijani and Naser Zamen-Dezfuli (pictured) from the Assemblies of God church in Ahwaz have been in custody in an unknown location since 23 December 2011.

Anti-Christian violence continues to intensify in Nigeria, with attacks by the extreme Islamist Boko Haram group killing over 96 people (including those pictured) since Christmas Day, and more than 500 people in 2011, the majority of them Christians.

Some 48 members of Shouwang church were arrested on Sunday 1 January as they tried to meet outdoors for worship in Beijing.

Police brought the church members to at least six different police stations - three police stations in Haidian district, and three police stations in Changping district. At these police stations, other church members waited outside for them to be released. Thirty were released by 10pm while others were expected to be held overnight and released on the following day.

In 2011, the southern state of Karnataka (pictured in red on map) recorded the highest number of attacks against Christians in any Indian state, with 49 cases of violence and hostility according to the Evangelical Fellowship of India's (EFI) annual report, "Battered and Bruised...".

Pastor Shi Enhao (55), a house church pastor and vice president of the Chinese House Church Alliance, was released from prison unexpectedly on Friday 20 January 2012. The legal basis for the early release is not yet known.