Multiple Christians arrested and charged under UP’s anti-conversion law

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According to reports from the International Christian Concern (ICC), Christians are being arrested and imprisoned in several cases after being unjustly accused of breaching Uttar Pradesh's anti-conversion law.

Nine Christians were arrested on July 18, ICC reports, indicating that there has been an increase in false anti-conversion allegations against Christians in UP in recent weeks.

A mob of 25 radical nationalists disrupted a prayer gathering in Gangapur, said Sadhu Srinivas Gautham, who was one among the Christians arrested on July 18 and charged with violating UP’s anti-conversion law.

The Christians were accused by nationalists of unlawfully enticing Hindus to convert to Christianity.

The mob “raged against me,” Gautham said. “It was as if they wanted to kill me on the spot. However, police arrived and escorted us to the police station,” he told ICC.

“The police officer and officials from the district administration demonized us saying we have deserted India’s traditional religion of Hinduism and have accepted a foreign religion,” he added

“They told us we should deny our Christian faith and go back to Hinduism.”

Despite being released on bail after three days, the Christians have been charged with violating at least six sections of the IPC.

In a separate instance, at a house prayer service in Bahraich district, a pastor and a Christian called Ghanshyam were arrested and charged with the state's anti-conversion law.

“This has been a pattern for the radical Hindu nationalist and the state administration,” Gautham told ICC.

“They always support each other in discriminating and harassing religious minorities. It is easy as anybody can falsely witness against Christians without a sign of evidence.”

On the 21st of July, three Christians were arrested in Padrauna after the state government authorities searched an orphanage. In all, 24 orphans were taken into custody following the arrest of the three Christians.

In one of ICC's recent articles, the UP's anti-conversion law has resulted in at least 18 Christians being arrested. When the newest arrests on July 18 and July 21 on the same charges are added together, the total number of arrests is 30.