Iranian-American Pastor Imprisoned in Iran
In Iran, an Iranian-born American pastor with dual citizenship remains behind bars in Evin prison for the holidays.
Month: December 2012
Iran Returns Pastor Nadarkhani To Prison
Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who was recently acquitted of apostasy, has been returned to prison on an earlier charge, rights activists told Worthy News.
Gunmen attack Nigerian Christians at Christmas
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the state, not a Christian was stirring, because those who dared attend services in Nigeria that night risked their very lives.
At least twelve Christians were killed by gunmen in separate attacks; the assailants are suspected to be militant members of Boko Haram, an Islamist group that has already killed nearly 100 Christians around Christmas in Nigeria over the past three years.
Iran Churches Warn Of Christmas Raids, Detentions
Iranian Church leaders have urged prayers for Christians in Iran amid concerns authorities will raid more house churches and detain believers over the Christmas and Western New Year period.
UZBEKISTAN: Holiday Singing, Bible Reading officially prohibited
This month in Uzbekistan, a dozen Bostanlyk policemen raided a gathering of 80 Protestants on holiday together at the Phoenix resort near the capital.
Fatwa threatens Iraqi Christians
A Muslim cleric has issued a fatwa threatening Iraqi Christians unless they convert to Islam, but the country’s prime minister urged them to stay.
Will Boko Haram rate an FTO designation?
Christian groups have petitioned the U.S. government to designate the African Islamist group Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, but that designation is opposed by Nigeria’s own government.
Coptic Christian Convicted by Cairo Court
A Cairo court sentenced a Coptic Christian to three years in prison Wednesday for posting portions of an American-made film about Islam that was blamed for widespread unrest in the Middle East.
Turkey: Prosecutor pulled from murder trial
A prosecutor probing a possible link between the assassination of a Christian newspaper editor and the Malatya murders of Turkish Christians was abruptly transferred last week to another court.
Kazakhstan: Unregistered Churches, Mosques Forced to Close
Churches and mosques in Kazakhstan are being forced to close as that nation’s deadline for mandatory re-registration expires, but many religious communities have complained that the procedures for their closures were both arbitrary and flawed.
Indonesia: Protestants send Postcards in Protest to President
Protestants from two officially restricted churches in West Java gave 6,000 postcards to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, asking him for permission to worship in their own buildings for Christmas.
Pakistani-American Author charged with Blasphemy in Islamabad
In Islamabad Sunday, a man accused his own uncle of disrespecting the Prophet Muhammad, prompting local authorities to register the case under Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws as determined by the legal personnel at Police Station I-9.
Eritrea, Africa’s ‘North Korea’
Because of its repressive policies, Eritrea has been dubbed the “North Korea of Africa”: currently more than 2,000 Christians are believed to be imprisoned there for their faith.
Syrian Christians Face Starvation, Deadly Attacks
Minority Christians in Syria’s largest city Aleppo said they face starvation after dozens of believers already died in targeted attacks rocking Christian areas of the war-torn country.
Detained Uzbek Pastor Freed, Flown To Safety
A Protestant pastor who faced deportation from Kazakhstan to his native Uzbekistan and up to 15 years imprisonment for leading an unregistered house church has been flown to safety, his supporters confirmed.
Belarus Not To Evict Massive Evangelical Church
One of the largest evangelical congregations in Belarus confirmed that authorities at the last moment decided not to evict them from their building, following years of judicial wrangling.
62-year-old Missionary Shot in Pakistan
A Protestant missionary remains in critical condition in Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, after she was shot by gunmen multiple times Tuesday.
New mayor vows to implement Shari’a
The new mayor of Tasikmalaya in West Java, Indonesia, has vowed to implement Shari’a in order to repay Muslim leaders who backed his successful election campaign.
Nigeria Militants Kill 10 Christians, Burn Churches
Suspected Islamic militants have killed at least ten Christians, including a pastor, and torched several churches in the latest anti-Christian violence to hit Nigeria, a well-informed human rights group confirmed.
Indonesian Pastors Battle Discrimination
In Bekasi, Indonesia, just a few miles south of Jakarta, unrestrained Muslims mobs are shutting down Christian services, threatening pastors and pressuring local officials to move congregations out of their churches.