International Justice Mission (IJM) supported 14-year-old Hana to testify against a serving army officer who sexually assaulted her. Braving a military courtroom and facing the intimidation of officers dressed in army green uniform, Hana won her case. He was jailed for 14 years. Pray that this sentence sends a strong message to the community that abusing children is a crime. Pray for Hana’s healing. Bolivia’s Global Survivor Network uses shadow theatre, songs and presentations to raise awareness about violence against women and children and the problem of victim-blaming. Pray that God can work in the hearts of the people who attended the events so that this crime decreases in Bolivia. In Guatemala, IJM trained 43 judges on trauma-informed and victim-centred approaches that ensure survivors are treated with compassion and dignity. Pray that as justice system providers learn how to interact with and serve victims better, investigations and prosecutions will be more efficient.

On 23 August citizens will vote in presidential and legislative elections. President Emerson Mnangagwa is seeking re-election; Nelson Chamisa is running for the newly created Citizens’ Coalition for Change. The presidency is decided by absolute majority; for the legislature, the National Assembly, 210 of the 270 total seats are single-member constituencies. The remaining 60 seats are reserved for women parliamentarians and are awarded proportionally. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is responsible for administering the vote. With no meaningful reforms to ensure ZEC’s independence and the uneven playing field for political parties, international rights groups are expressing concerns over whether the country is capable of holding credible and fair elections. The president misuses state resources for campaigning, and last year relatives of ruling party politicians and loyalists were appointed to the ZEC as election commissioners. Police block opposition party meetings and rallies, and public broadcasters give preferential coverage to the ruling ZANU-PF party.

Georgia prosecutors have charged Donald Trump and 18 others with attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss. Trump is facing thirteen new charges, including racketeering. Racketeering is organised crime where someone makes money through illegal activities. Penalties are prison terms - five to twenty years, or £197,000 fines - which can help persuade subordinates to cut deals with the prosecution in exchange for lesser sentences. Organised criminal activity is prosecuted under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (Rico) Act; this includes convicting mafia bosses. When the court proceedings take place, they will dominate the next presidential election - making it a campaign unlike any other.

Over 100 people were arrested in Jaranwala after thousands of Muslims burned churches and vandalised homes. The unrest was sparked by claims that two Christian men tore pages from the Quran. The historic Salvation Army Church was still smouldering on 17 August, one day after the riot. The ruins are surrounded with barbed wire, The situation remains tense. Public gatherings have been restricted for seven days. The men accused of damaging the Quran have been charged with blasphemy, punishable by death. An accusation of blasphemy can result in widespread riots, lynchings and killings. Yassir Bhatti, a 31-year-old Christian, was one of those forced to flee their homes. ‘They broke the windows, doors and took out fridges, sofas, chairs and other household items to pile them up in front of the church to be burnt. They also burnt and desecrated Bibles, they were ruthless.’ Videos on social media show protesters destroying Christian buildings while police appear to look on.