Jailed Iranian Christian Pressured to Return to Islam
Eleven months after Iranian police arrested Hamid Pourmand for converting to Christianity, authorities at Tehran’s Evin Prison continue to pressure the former Muslim to return to Islam.
Christian Persecution – Middle East
Iraq Evangelical Churches Grow between Death and Destruction, report
Evangelical churches are experiencing an unprecedented revival between death and destruction in Iraq, a Christian news agency reported following an investigation in the area. Compass Direct, which was monitored by BosNewsLife Monday, July 11, said especially Iraqi Kurdistan is becoming increasingly a haven for Christian activity as the two rival Kurdish governments grow in their toleration of Muslims becoming Christians. In the south, the evangelical church is growing rapidly.
Missionary Tortured and Sentenced in Saudi Arabia amid Crack Down
A young Indian missionary has been sentenced to one year in prison and beaten hundreds of times in Saudi Arabia, where up to 100 foreign Christians have been detained in recent weeks, a mission organization said Thursday, June 30.
Egyptian Convert Released from Mental Hospital
Five months after he was forcibly committed to a mental hospital for converting from Islam to Christianity, Gasir Mohammed Mahmoud has been discharged from his locked psychiatric ward in Cairo and set free.
Saudi Arabia Releases Five Christian Prisoners
Five East Africans arrested and detained for a month for leading a private Christian worship service in Riyadh have been released and allowed to return to their jobs in the Saudi Arabian capital.
Russia Jails Three Pentecostals Amid Crackdown Against Christian Activities
Three Pentecostals have been jailed and nine fined for “illegally” demonstrating against Moscow’s refusal to allow them to acquire a building, amid fears of a new crackdown on religious groups in Russia, church sources said Monday, June 13.
Massive Arrests of Foreign Christians in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s security forces have arrested at least almost 100 foreign Christians, including Indians, in an apparent violent crackdown against non Muslims, BosNewsLife learned Wednesday, June 1.
Iran Islamic Court Spares Life Of Protestant Pastor
Amid mounting international pressure, an Islamic court in southern Iran acquitted Christian lay pastor Hamid Pourmand on apostasy and proselytizing charges which carried the death penalty, BosNewsLife learned Tuesday, May 31.
Iranian Christian Transferred from Tehran Prison
Iranian Christian Hamid Pourmand left Tehran’s Evin Prison by armored car yesterday, en route to his home city of Bandar-i Bushehr to stand trial for his life before a sharia (Islamic ) court.
Saudi Arabia Denies Access to Jailed Christians
Five East African Christians arrested at a private Christian worship service three weeks ago are being refused any access to visitors at the interrogation center where they are jailed in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh.
Saudi Police Raid Another House Church
One week after arresting 40 Pakistani Christians, Saudi Arabia’s vigilante religious police broke up another private worship service of expatriate Christians in the capital last Friday.
40 Pakistani Christians “Released” In Saudi Arabia After Church Raid
40 Pakistani Christians who were detained over the weekend in Saudi Arabia for holding a joint Catholic-Protestant prayer service have been released, news reports said Monday, April 25.
Iranian Pastor Faces Death Penalty
Iranian Christian Hamid Pourmand must appear before the Islamic (sharia) court of Iran within nine days. An exact court date has not been released. Arrested last September when security police raided a church conference he was attending, the Assemblies of God lay pastor will be brought up before the Islamic court between April 11 and 14 to face charges of apostasy from Islam and proselytizing Muslims to the Christian belief. Both “crimes” are punishable by death.
Iran Christian Colonel Jailed With Known Dissidents, report says
An Iranian Colonel who, despite Western protests, was jailed last month for his alleged “illegal” conversion to Christianity is held at Tehran’s notorious maximum-security prison with well-known political and religious dissidents, a Christian news agency reported late Friday, March 11.
Egyptian Christian Fights ‘Contrived’ Criminal Charges
The criminal trial of Egyptian Christian Shafik Saleh Shafik, begun in mid January, has been ordered postponed until February 20 by the presiding judge, who accepted defense petitions to summon key witnesses and police reports related to the case.
Detained American Missionaries To Be Released From Dubai, Officials say
Two American Southern Baptist missionaries held under house arrest in Dubai for distributing Bibles and Christian literature are expected to be released this weekend, BosNewsLife learned Thursday, March 3.
Egypt Puts Christian Director of Girls’ Home on Trial
The Egyptian Christian director of a home for troubled Coptic girls goes on trial January 16 on criminal charges before Cairo’s Abbassiya Criminal Court No. 15.
Iranian Pastor Moved to Military Prison
Iranian authorities moved Christian prisoner Hamid Pourmand to a military prison last week, deepening fears throughout the evangelical community for the safety of the Protestant pastor jailed nine weeks ago.
Saudi Court Sidesteps Religious Accusations
In an arbitrary verdict handed down last week by a Saudi Arabian court, Christian prisoner Brian O’Connor was convicted of the alleged possession and sale of alcohol in the strictly Muslim kingdom.
Iraq Blasts Target Five Christian Churches in Baghdad
A series of blasts before dawn on Saturday, October 16, targeted five Christian churches across Baghdad, Iraq, over the course of an hour have shocked Iraq’s Christian minority and marred the start of the holy month of Ramadan.