Rwanda shut down 8,000 churches alleged to be in violation of new government laws. Christians condemned the forceful closing of the churches, saying the government used petty red tape violations to justify its actions, reports Pulse Nigeria.
The new laws demanded that establishments adhere to the basic requirements in terms of “safety, hygiene, infrastructure, and legality.” No less than 8,000 churches were closed recently and the Christian community fears that more will be considered illegal churches in the near future.
In one district, authorities banned all meetings of a closed church, and congregants are not even allowed to meet in home groups. —Anonymous source
An anonymous source told World Watch Monitor that all churches in Rwanda were affected by the government’s crackdown, including “churches considered luxurious for local standards have had to close.”
Church services, meetings, and other religious activities are prohibited, too. “In one district authorities banned all meetings of a closed church, and congregants are not even allowed to meet in home groups