Iran Frees House Church Leader Qabitizade After 560 Days Detention
An Iranian house-church leader has been released after spending 560 days in prison “because of his Christian faith,” Iranian Christians told Worthy News.
Christian Persecution
Detained, Beaten, Iranian Pastor Irani Hospitalized
There was mounting concern Tuesday, July 17, about the health situation of jailed and mistreated Iranian Pastor Behnam Irani after he became unconscious and was hospitalized, an official assisting him with advocacy said.
Man Badly Injured in Home Invasion That Killed Wife and Daughter Forgives Attacker
Citing his Christian faith, a Las Vegas, Nevada, man nearly beaten to death in a brutal, random home invasion that also killed his beloved wife and ten year old daughter, forgave his attacker. Just three months after being left for dead after a vicious beating by a hammer wielding criminal, Arturo Martinez-Sanchez, 39, said in a recent news conference at his newly re-opened North Las Vegas boxing gym that his Christian beliefs made it possible to forgive the killer, who perpetrated what local police call one of the most heinous crimes in memory.
PCC President wants Asia Bibi Released Now
The President of the Pakistan Christian Congress demanded the immediate release of Asia Bibi Saturday.
Ahmadinejad: Judaism and Christianity don’t exist
In his opening speech at an Islamic conference in Tehran Tuesday, the President of Iran said that God didn’t create Judaism, or Christianity.
China: Police Raid House Church Sunday School in Xinjiang
Police in Xinjiang recently raided a house church Sunday School, holding 70 children and their teachers for questioning while detaining seven other teachers.
Congressman Calls for Dismissal of Ambassador
Congressman Frank Wolf has called for the immediate dismissal of America’s ambassador to Vietnam after showing little concern for the importance of human rights in that country, according to International Christian Concern.
Update: Nigeria Violence Kills Over 100 Christians
Nigerian authorities said Sunday, July 8, that at least 63 people were killed when suspected Muslim herdsmen armed with guns and machetes stormed Christian villages, while missionaries claimed over 50 pastors and missionary leaders died in separate violence.
India: Prayer Meeting in Davanagere District Attacked
About 30 Sangha Parivar activists forcibly entered Immanuel Sakineh House Church and began attacking the congregation, alleging that they were involved in the forcible and fraudulent conversion of Hindus to Christianity; after destroying all the Bibles and Christian literature they could find, the activists then phoned the Basappakatte police station who immediately took Pastor Mounesh into custody for further inquiry.
Revolutionary Guards Close Church Properties
Both the Central Assembly of God Church in Tehran and its summer campsite have been closed by the Islamic authorities, according to the Farsi Christian News Network.
Nigeria Violence Kills Scores of Christians
Nigerian authorities said Sunday, July 8 that dozens of people have been killed after suspected Muslim herdsmen armed with guns and machetes stormed Christian villages, while missionaries claimed at least 50 pastors and missionary leaders were killed in separate violence.
Condemned Iranian pastor may face new charges
It’s been almost three years since Iranian officials arrested Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani on charges of apostasy, but now Iranian judges may add crimes against national security and blasphemy, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
Islamist groups join together to further threaten African Christians
Three violent African Islamist groups are now networking together to further their attacks against that continent’s Christians.
Boko Haram terrorizes northern Nigeria
As the Islamists of Boko Haram continue to terrorize northern Nigeria, local residents are still reeling from the bombing of three of Kaduna’s churches weeks ago.
Thousands Of Christians Fleeing Syria Amid Torture Allegations
Thousands of Christians have fled their homes in Syria where news emerged Tuesday, July 3, that intelligence agencies run dozens of torture centers where detainees are beaten with batons and cables, burned with acid, sexually assaulted, and have fingernails torn out.
Egypt Christians ‘Killed’ After Election Morsi
Native Christian missionaries in Egypt remained concerned saying at least two fellow believers were killed by suspected Islamists since Mohammed Morsi was declared the country’s president.
Iranian Imams Fear Spread of House Churches
The rise of Christianity and the accompanying spread of its clandestine house churches in Iran is seen as a serious threat by the Islamic state’s senior clerics.
Vietnam Destroys New Churchs
Vietnamese officials in Dien Bien Province recently destroyed two new church buildings belonging to minority Hmong Christians.
Kenya: 17 Killed as Churches Attacked by Islamists
Suspected members of the Islamist Al-Shabaab killed 17 worshipers in coordinated attacks on churches in Garissa, Kenya, according to International Christian Concern.
Kazakhstan Acquits Pastor; Azerbaijan Church Threatened With Closure
Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court has acquitted an evangelical pastor on charges of “severe damage to health due to negligence” after praying for an ill man, but devoted Christians in another former Soviet republic, Azerbaijan, were awaiting whether a high court would ban their church.