Syria: Church leaders escape assassination attempt
Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II and other senior leaders of the Syriac Orthodox Church survived an assassination attempt on June 19.
Christian Persecution – Middle East
Iran: Christian prisoner has health issues
A Christian prisoner remains ill while Iranian officials refuse to transfer her to a hospital to receive the required medical care.
Iranian agents detain Christian leaders
Earlier this month, agents from Iran’s Ministry of Security raided the homes of Christian leaders in the city of Rasht.
IS crucifies man collaborating with “Crusaders”
A Syrian has been crucified by the Islamic State for collaborating with what it called a “Crusader coalition.”
Mosul: IS destroys iconic clock church
Last week, Islamic State jihadists employed explosives to destroy Iraq’s iconic Clock Church.
Syria: Damage, destruction to churches
After the April liberation of an ancient Syrian town from the Islamic State’s control, many of its churches and Christian buildings were found to have been destroyed, or badly damaged.
Iran: Christian prisoner encourages fellow believers
During an official crackdown on Iran’s house-church leadership, a Christian convert from Islam serving a sentence in Rajai Shahr Prison has secretly sent a message of encouragement to the Islamic Republic’s persecuted Christians.
Christian translators killed in Wycliffe office raid
Four Christian Bible translators were killed when Muslim gunmen raided the Wycliffe Associates office in the Middle East last week.
Iraq: IS burns Christian books
Last week the Islamic State posted an online video showing its jihadists throwing books bearing crosses on their covers into a bonfire in the city of Mosul, in northern Iraq.
Yemen: 16 Victims Shot Execution-Style
Gunmen who stormed a Catholic-run retirement home in Aden, Yemen, went from room to room handcuffing their victims before fatally shooting 16 staff members, including four nuns.
Only two Syrian Christian refugees admitted into U.S.
Out of a total of 281 refugees, the U.S. State Department has admitted only two Syrian Christians into the U.S. in the first two months of 2016.
Genocide waged on religious minorities in Syria, Iraq
The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee has unanimously passed HR 75, a resolution declaring that those who commit or support mass murder against religious minorities are guilty of “genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.”
Saeed Abedini’s release hailed; Iranian-American Christian pastor had been tortured
News of Saturday’s release of Iranian-American Christian pastor Saeed Abedini was hailed, especially at an event in honor of religious liberty.
Iran: Christian prisoner faces new charges
In lieu of his medical treatments, an Iranian Christian in Rajai Shahr Prison, north-west of Tehran, Iran, was instead given five more years in prison.
Assyrian Christians targeted for Christmas
A coordinated attack on three restaurants owned by Assyrian Christians in Syria killed 16 and injured dozens more during Christmas celebrations.
Iran arrests Christians on Christmas
Iran’s Islamist republic arrested a group of Christians on Christmas Day at a house church in the southern city of Shiraz.
Iran: Pastor Released from Prison
Pastor Farshid Fatih was released from prison in Iran last week after his arrest almost five years ago.
Iranian Christian flees country
An Iranian convert to Christianity who was arrested during a raid of a fellowship gathering in the city of Karaj on Aug. 7 has decided to take the ‘advice’ of his Revolutionary Guard interrogators and leave Iran.
Iran: Christian convert sent back to prison
A convert to Christianity was forced to stop her medical treatments and return to an Iranian prison.
Iraqi Parliament passes discriminatory law
Late last month, the Iraqi Parliament passed a law mandating that the Christian children of fathers who convert to Islam and those of mothers who marry Muslims will all automatically become Muslims themselves, whether they want to, or not!