More Than 50 Christians Arrested in Mexico, Pressured to Renounce Faith

Evangelicals arrested in Mexico, pressured to renounce their faith
ICC Note:
In mid-December 52 Christians in Mexico were arrested and kept for three days without food, water or “access to sanitary facilities.” The Pastor’s in this area have reported being “roughed up” after being accused of “disrupting the harmony with their new religion”. While the 52 Christians were in jail, they were pressured to renounce their faith in writing, and the Pastor was “kept bound to a chair”. In fear of what might happen to them, 250 Christians from that area evacuated, leaving everything behind.
By Mark Ellis
01/21/2013 Mexico (ANS) – There had been strained relations in the community of Pahuatlan, Hidalgo, about 175 miles northeast of Mexico City. “Mostly it had taken the form of pressure on the evangelical pastors, who would be called in, roughed up a bit, and possibly spend the night in jail,” Kietzman notes.
On December 17 the conflict escalated. At a community meeting to appoint delegates to the fiesta for the coming year, all the evangelicals in attendance were arrested.
“Not only were 52 of them carted off to the very small jail, but also guards were sent to all the exits from the town, so that word of this illegal action could not get out to state officials,” Kietzman notes.
“Those in jail were kept without food and water (and access to sanitary facilities), the pastor was kept bound to a chair, and the group was repeatedly told they could not leave until they signed a renunciation of their new religion.”
…
[Full Story]