Saudi Mufti again calls for destruction of all churches in Arabia
The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia has once again called for the destruction of all churches on the Arabian Peninsula.
Christian Persecution – Middle East
Iran: Christian Women Among Political Prisoners Freed
Two Christian women were among the nearly 100 political prisoners released from Iranian jails before that nation’s newly elected president addressed the UN General Assembly in New York City Tuesday, according to Barnabas Aid.
Syria: Christian village now a ‘ghost town’
Homes have been vandalized and plundered while the bodies of Christians lie along the roads of a small Christian village north of Damascus after it was invaded by Islamist insurgents last Thursday.
Jihadist rebels, Assad loyalists fight for control of Syrian countryside
In the battle for Syria between forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and rebel jihadist factions, violent contests for the control of small Christian villages are often under-reported by the mainstream media.
Iran: Convert from Islam jailed for 10 years
A convert from Islam has been sentenced to ten years in jail for distributing 12,000 pocket-sized Gospels in the Islamic Republic of Iran, according to BarnabasAid.
More Christian Clergy Missing in Syria
Last week’s disappearance of an Italian Jesuit priest in Syria suggested foul play following the kidnappings of two other clergy in April, according to Morning Star News.
Syrian Rebels to Assyrian Christian refugees: ‘If you want to come back, convert to Islam, or you will be killed’
According to the Assyrian International News Agency, Assyrian Christians who have fled from an area of Syria called al-Thawrah (also known as al-Tabqah), have been told by rebels, “If you want to come back, convert to Islam, or you will be killed.”
Another Christian Convert Tried in Iran
A Christian convert was tried in July by Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court in Robat Karim.
Eight converts sentenced in Iran for ‘National Security’ violations
Eight Iranian Christians received long sentences Tuesday after being convicted of “action against the national security,” a bogus charge often used against Muslim converts to Christianity, according to Morning Star News.
Iran Releases Pastor Of Largest Pentecostal Church; Congregation Remains Closed
The pastor of Iran’s largest Persian speaking Pentecostal church has been “conditionally released” from prison but his congregation in the capital Tehran remains closed, Iranian Christians told Worthy News.
Free Syrian Army Massacre Christian Village
Another massacre reportedly carried out by Free Syrian Army militants has targeted the residents of al-Duwayr/Douar, a Christian village close to the city of Homs and near Syria’s border with Lebanon, according to Syria Report.
Syria Militants Behead Catholic Priest And Two Others
A Catholic priest has been publicly beheaded by suspected Islamic militants in northern Syria after accusations of collaborating with President Bashar Assad’s government, Worthy News established Tuesday, July 2.
Iraq Christians Fear More Violence After Church Attacks, Killings
Minority Christians in Iraq feared more violence Saturday, June 29, after several Assyrian Christian shops and one church were attacked, killing two people and injuring a dozen others, church representatives said.
Four Iranian Converts Convicted of Christianity
While the world’s attention was focused on Iran’s presidential election, four converts to Christianity were found guilty by an Iranian court of no longer being Muslims.
Iran Pastor Irani Facing Death Penalty; Health Deteriorating
Iranian Pastor Behnam Irani, who may face the death penalty for “apostasy”, is facing serious health problems after two years imprisonment, a close friend has told Worthy News.
Iran arrests Pastor, then closes his Church
Iranian agents closed Iran’s largest Persian-language Pentecostal church Monday, one week after arresting its pastor during worship services, according to Fox News.
Iran Detains Pastor As Church Faces Closure In Wider Crackdown
A pastor of the Central Assemblies of God (AoG) Church in Tehran was detained Tuesday, May 21, as part of Iran’s wider crackdown on evangelical believers, Christian rights activists confirmed. The arrest of Reverend Robert Asserian came as his church prepared for possible closure by the end of June due to pressure from the feared Iranian Intelligence Ministry, said advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW).
Iranian Christian Prisoner Denied Surgery
A Christian prisoner suffering internal bleeding has been denied proper medical attention in Iran, according to Barnabas Aid.
Senior Christian Clerics Kidnapped in Syria
In April, two senior clerics caught in the Syrian civil war were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen and remain in captivity, their whereabouts unknown.
Report: Iran criminalizes Christian faith
A new report by the International Campaign for Human Rights shows that many Christian customs in Iran are criminalized by the authorities, according to Barnabas Aid.