Eleven evangelical Protestant pastors in Nicaragua have been sentenced to 12 to 15 years in prison on money laundering charges. Each pastor was ordered to pay an $80-million fine.
“No one is safe from religious persecution in Nicaragua, and it is devastating to see the sham charges, trial, and conviction of these pastors and ministry leaders who were simply sharing their faith with and serving the citizens of Nicaragua,” said Kristina Hjelkrem, legal counsel for ADF International.
The Nicaraguan pastors are associated with Mountain Gateway, an American evangelical Protestant organization; its founder discussed its aims and history in an interview earlier this year.