Iraq Christians Kidnapped Amid Heightened Security Concerns
Security forces on Wednesday, September 28, still searched for three Iraqi Christians, a week after they were reportedly kidnapped by suspected militants in Iraq’s northern city of Kirkuk.
Security
Christian accused of Blasphemy dies in Pakistani Jail
A Christian accused of blasphemy died in a Pakistan prison from a treatable disease after he was denied medical care.
Freedom for two Christians in Iran @ $20,000 each
Two Azeri converts from Islam were both released temporarily on $40,000 bail after appearing before two separate court hearings.
Iran: Christian Pastor freed from prison to face trial
Arrested on charges of blasphemy against Islam, Pastor Matthias Haghnejad is now free on bail, according to ASSIST News Service.
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.
Iran Detains Evangelical Pastor; Whereabouts Unknown
The whereabouts of an evangelical pastor in Iran remained unknown Saturday, August 27, some 10 days after he was detained by Iranian security forces as part of a reported government crackdown on Christian converts, Worthy News established.
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.
Church Attack in Northern Iraq Wounds 23
Although security forces found and disabled two cars packed with explosives in northern Iraq Tuesday, a third exploded outside a Christian church, wounding 23 people.
House Church Pastor In China Detained
Pastor Shi Enhao, deputy chairman of the Chinese House Church Alliance, has been sentenced to two years of “re-education through labor,” an extra-judicial punishment handed out by police that requires no trial or conviction of a crime, Worthy News has learned.
Iran Releases Christian After Huge Bail Payment
An Iranian house church Christian was spending another day in brief freedom Thursday, July 21, after he was temporarily released from jail following the payment of a bail amount of some $101,000 in local currency, Iranian Christians said.
Israelis Talk of Fears as Rockets Force Them into Bomb Shelters
Residents of southern Israel were sent back into bomb shelters this weekend as Gaza’s terrorists stepped up their rocket launchings. Close to 20 were fired at Israeli civilians from Gaza over the past week – totaling 348 this year alone.
Iraq’s first new church opens under US occupation
Iraq’s first new church under the US occupation opened its doors in the northern city of Kirkuk, the region’s Chaldean archbishop told AFP.
Kazakhstan: Pastors Charged with Praying
Pastor Yerzhan Ushanov of New Life Protestant Church in Taraz is looking at two years’ imprisonment if criminal charges for injuring an individual’s health ever come to court, Christian rights investigators said.
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.
Chinese Expel Shouwang Church Member from Beijing
Chinese authorities recently expelled yet another member of Beijing’s largest unregistered house churches.
Chuan Liang was the second member of the Shouwang “keeping watch” Church to be expelled from the city since authorities compelled the congregation to meet outdoors; the first expulsion came after Shouwang Church held its fifth consecutive outdoor Sunday worship service when 15 members were taken to 10 police stations across Beijing, but most were released within 24 hours.
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.
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.
Uzbekistan: Police beatings, axe death threat, and more
Uzbekistan continues to persecute Christians exercising their religious rights. Recently a Christian in eastern Uzbekistan was beaten by police, another was threatened with death by an axe while a Baptist congregation was promised prison for failure to co-operate in a pre-trial investigation of their pastor.
Egypt Detains Hundreds Of Eritrean Christians, Others Kidnapped
Hundreds of mainly Christian refugees from Eritrea are jailed or or held by kidnappers in Egypt, where they face torture, beatings and sexual assault, according to Christian aid workers who contacted Worthy News.