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China:* Mobs attacked nuns in Xi'an and priests in Tianjin during the past month as the Roman Catholics peacefully tried to settle property disputes with the government. At press time, Chinese police surrounded a group of Catholic priests and nuns who have locked themselves into the building they claim. According to Compass Direct about 30 people with steel bars, sticks and bricks on December 16 had attacked a group of priests applying for recovery of the property. AsiaNews reported that police detained the clergymen, not the attackers, and denied the severely beaten priests hospital care. On November 23 in Xi'an, a group of 40 men armed with wooden sticks attacked 200 nuns peacefully protesting the illegal demolition of their diocesan school. The nuns had started a sit-in in this northern city when the mob, widely regarded to have been sent by the government, mocked and then physically attacked the nuns, shouting 'Kill them! Kill them!"

Indonesia:* Dr. Rebekka Zakaria, one of three women imprisoned for breaching Indonesia's Child Protection Law, had secretly prayed to be home for Christmas. Zakaria conveyed this wish in October, when her lawyer was preparing an appeal to the provincial High Court seeking to overturn their conviction. The court, however, rejected the appeal in mid November. According to Compass Direct the children's parents had given verbal permission, but when Muslim radicals took the case to court in June, the parents were afraid to testify on behalf of the defendants.