Next Saturday is the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The annual event on the 26 June reminds us that torture is a horrific violation of human rights – and sadly, we see it all too often when religious freedom is violated.

Gao Zhisheng is a Chinese Christian human rights lawyer. He’s spent years in and out of prison for his work defending the rights of Christians and other minorities. He was tortured repeatedly: beaten with pistols and electric shock prods, and tied up with plastic bags. On one occasion he was tortured continuously for 48 hours.

This week please:

• Pray that Gao, who was released from prison last year, will continue to recover physically, mentally and emotionally;
• Thank God that he clearly felt the Lord keeping him alive when he was being severely tortured;
• Pray for his wife and children, that they would be able to support him as he recovers;
• Thank God for Gao’s courageous stand for human rights and his refusal to give up his faith;
• Thank God for organisations which campaign tirelessly against the use of torture;
• Pray that wherever torture occurs, it would be fully investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice;
• Pray that God’s presence would be felt in torture rehabilitation centres throughout the world.