Report Warns Christian Persecution Rising In Turkey
Persecution against Christians in Muslim-majority Turkey has intensified, with attacks on churches, threats against believers, and the deportation of missionaries, according to a new rights report.
Christian Persecution – Europe
Wave of Anti-Christian Attacks Alarms Church Leaders Across Europe
Church leaders are raising alarm as thefts, arson, and vandalism against Christian sites surge across Europe, with France at the center of a disturbing trend. Violence against Christians has also increased across the continent, Worthy News learned.
London Council Reverses Street Preaching Ban After Legal Challenge by Pentecostal Church
A Pentecostal church is celebrating what it calls a major victory for Christian freedoms after Hillingdon Council backed down from enforcing a ban on street preaching, leaflet distribution, and the public display of Bible verses in Uxbridge town centre.
U.K. Supreme Court Upholds Christian Mother’s Right to Express Biblical Beliefs in Landmark Ruling
The U.K. Supreme Court has delivered a final and resounding victory to Christian mother Kristie Higgs, refusing to hear an appeal from a secondary school that dismissed her over social media posts expressing concerns about LGBTQ+ materials taught to children.
Revival in the Rubble: Ukrainian Evangelicals Lead a Gospel Awakening Amid War
As Ukraine continues to reel under the pressure of war, a spiritual revival is taking root that is capturing the attention of believers across Europe. Speaking at the European Congress on Evangelism in Berlin, Ukrainian evangelist David Karcha declared that “in a time of war, the Gospel is unstoppable,” sharing powerful testimonies of hope, healing, and salvation emerging from the chaos.
Scotland’s First Arrest Under Abortion Buffer Zone Law Sparks Outcry Over Free Speech
A 74-year-old grandmother arrested under Scotland’s newly enacted abortion “buffer zone” law is pushing back against proposed expansions, warning the legislation is being used to “crack down harshly and unfairly” on peaceful pro-life voices.
Belarus Bans Christian Group In Broader Crackdown
Authorities in autocratically-ruled Belarus have banned an organization that united leaders of several denominations to highlight reported persecution of devoted Christians in the country, sources confirmed Friday.
England Council Threatens Banning Street Peachers With Prison Terms
A Labour Party-run council in England wants to ban Christian street preachers with “an injunction,” or judicial order, that could result in lengthy prison sentences for violators.
UK Court: Christian Can’t Be Prosecuted For Criticizing Koran
A British court has thrown out the prosecution of a Christian preacher who was surrounded by an angry Muslim mob for criticizing the Koran, deemed a holy book by Muslims.
Christians Fear Britain Could Introduce Blasphemy Legislation
British Christian leaders and politicians fear a new working group advising the government on “anti-Muslim hatred /Islamophobia” will lead to blasphemy legislation that would further limit freedom of expression.
Britain’s Police Targeting Silent Prayers Near Abortion Clinic (Worthy News In-Depth)
There was concern Thursday that Christians publicly expressing their faith in Britain could face a ‘thought police’ after a Christian woman was forced to leave an area near an abortion clinic for silently praying there.
Europe Saw Over 2,400 “Hate Crimes” Against Christians in 2023, Report
An annual report by the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC) shows there were “2,444 anti-Christian hate crimes” across 35 European countries in 2023, Christianity Today (CT) reports.
Turkey Detains Suspects Over Church Shooting (Worthy News Investigation)
Turkish police have detained several suspects over their alleged involvement in the New Year’s Eve shooting of a Protestant church in Istanbul, Turkish officials announced Friday.
German Christians in Mourning Over Christmas Market Attack
Christian churches in Germany are mourning with the loved ones of those who lost their lives or suffered injuries during the terrorist attack on a Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg on Friday, Christian Daily International (CDI) reports.
Turkey Has Seen a Rise in Anti-Christian Hate Crimes
Turkey has seen a surge in anti-Christian hate crimes since 2020, International Christian Concern (ICC) warns in a new report. Muslim-majority Turkey ranks 50 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.
More than 2,400 Anti-Christian Hate Crimes Reported Across Europe in 2023
A newly published study by the Austria-based Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC) shows there were over 2,400 reported hate crimes targeting Christians in Europe last year.
Britain Convicts Christian For Praying Near Abortion Clinic (Worthy News Focus)
A Christian man is considering appealing his conviction in Britain for silently praying near an abortion clinic.
Hungary condemns Ukraine’s Church Ban (Worthy News Focus)
Hungary has condemned Ukraine for banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church over its alleged complicity in Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country.
Ukraine: Christians in “Dire” Situation Amid Russian Invasion
Religious communities in Ukraine are in an increasingly “dire” situation as invading Russian forces, and authorities harass, blackmail, and threaten violence against ministers and churchgoers, raid, loot, and destroy worship centers, and gather personal data on believers to put them under surveillance, Mission Eurasia reports.
‘Russia Destroys Hundreds Of Churches, Religious Buildings in Ukraine’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia turned hundreds of churches and other religious sites into rubble since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.