Iran: Vahik Abrahamian Released
According to an unconfirmed report from the Farsi News Network, after almost one year in prison, Pastor Vahik Abrahamian was released Aug. 29 and has rejoined his family.
Media
Nigerian Army Helps Slaughter Christians
Muslim extremists with the alleged aid of Nigerian soldiers killed 24 Christians this month in Nigeria’s central Plateau.
India State Halts Church Construction After Hindu Pressure
Authorities backed by Hindu militants have halted the reconstruction of a Baptist church that was destroyed in deadly anti-Christian violence in India’s volatile state of Orissa, local Christians said.
Chinese House Church Leaders Criminally Detained
Fifteen house church leaders from remote regions of China are being detained while local police attempt to extort money from their families for their release.
Posters declare ‘Sharia zone’ in east London
Islamists have put up posters proclaiming that visitors to their east London borough are entering a “shar’ia controlled zone”: smoking, alcohol and music are now unofficially “banned” in the borough of Tower Hamlets, as well as in the boroughs of Waltham Forest and Newham.
The “Christian” Terrorist Who Wasn’t Very Christian
Anders Behring Breivik’s 1,500-page manifesto shows that the Norwegian terrorist’s depiction as a “right-wing, Christian fundamentalist” by many in the mass media may be as inaccurate as that of their so-called “Christian” bomber, Oklahoma City terrorist Tim McVeigh.
Armenia Evangelicals Under Pressure Amid New Legislation
Rights activists and religious groups in Armenia say new legislation will increase intolerance towards the country’s evangelical Christians and other minorities, some of whom already face prosecution for their church activities.
Iran Court ‘Overturns’ Death Sentence for Pastor Amid Pressure
Iran’s secretive supreme court has reportedly overturned a death sentence handed down to an evangelical pastor for leaving Islam, surprising trial observers who were earlier informed about an execution ruling.
Israel Group Campaigns Against Messianic Jews, Missionaries
A hard-line Jewish ultra-Orthodox group in Israel has launched a campaign against Christian missionaries and Jewish Christians, known as Messianic Jews, who they view as a security threat.
Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani’s Death Sentence Upheld by Iranian Supreme Court
An Iranian pastor, convicted of apostasy and sentenced to death, may have only hours or days to live, according to a US-based Christian ministry acquainted with the facts of his case.
Franklin Graham’s ‘Festival de Esperanza’ Draws Thousands in Los Angeles
Franklin Graham this past weekend held Spanish speaking meetings (Festival De Esperanza) – Festival of Hope – at The Home Depot Center, in Carson, California, where the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Trevor Freeze says hundreds of Hispanic hearts were warmed and changed forever by the saving power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Uzbek Christians Suffer as Regime Tightens Noose
At least four incidents of Christian persecution were reported from the former Soviet country of Uzbekistan this week. According to an analysis and report researched and written by Fernando Perez for the World Evangelical Alliance – Religious Liberty Commission, a Christian woman was beaten into concussion, another woman was fined $1,465 by a court for giving the New Testament to a child, a Christian man was threatened with axe attack by a police official and another man was assaulted by police.
Iran Official Claims House Churches receive annual donations of $50K
The general director of comparative religious studies in Iran claimed the enemies of Islam donate approximately $50,000 a year to Iranian house churches that often have memberships of only 15-20 members.
Poland Rescues Christian Refugees
Poland has granted asylum to 16 Christian refugees who accompanied Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski on a flight back from Tunisia.The Foreign Ministry said Friday, June 17, that the six adults and 10 children were “political refugees” from Eritrea and Nigeria, whose lives have been upturned by recent turmoil in North Africa.
Pakistan Court Acquits Suspects Of Christian Massacre
Christians in Pakistan remained fearful Thursday, June 16, after a court in Pakistan acquitted 70 Muslims who were suspected of killing Christians in one of the country’s worst sectarian clashes in recent memory.
Father Kidnapped Pakistan Christian Fears Son Will Be Killed
The father of a Christian executive kidnapped in Pakistan’s Punjab province said Sunday, November 28, he fears his son will be killed on orders of senior Muslim managers.
Israel Probes Church Fire In Jerusalem
Israeli authorities continue to investigate an arson attack on a Jerusalem church building that church officials say has long been a focal point for anti-Christian sentiment in a Jewish ultra-Orthodox-leaning neighborhood.
Cuba Detains Church Leader For “Offensive Bahavior”
A respected church leader in Cuba was unexpectedly arrested on Monday on trumped up charges of “offensive behavior” and “threats” according to a Christian human rights organization.
200,000 Christians In Pakistan Impacted By Deadly Flooding
Up to 200,000 Christians are among the millions impacted by deadly flooding in Pakistan Worthy News learned Tuesday, August 17, but the United Nations warned that only a fraction of flood victims have received any help.
BREAKING NEWS: Pentecostal Pastor Shot Dead In Dagestan
The pastor of the largest Pentecostal church in Russia’s violent, mainly Muslim republic of Dagestan, has died after being shot in the head, in an apparent bid to intimidate converts from Islam, Christian rights activists and police said Friday, July 16.