Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a human rights organisation which specialises in religious freedom, severely condemned persecution against Christians in India, as two Christian women were gang-raped in the village of Madhya Pradesh, India.

CSW’s National Director, Stuart Windsor, said: “We strongly condemn this appalling attack against vulnerable Christian women, and our deepest sympathy goes to the victims. The pattern of violent attacks against Christians in Madhya Pradesh is a matter of grave concern. We call on the authorities to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice and that the Christian minority across the state is protected from further assaults.”

The attacks followed the council of a neighbouring village attempted to force Gokharya Barela, the husband of one of the victims, to renounce his faith, and warned him to leave the village. According to a report by Compass Direct, the head of the Sirvil village council, Pandya Patel, then told villagers that they could rape the Christian women in the village, claiming that nobody would save them.