A new report on the persecution of Christians in Iran has called on Tehran to end the criminalization of house churches and membership, and for the international community to hold the Islamic regime to account for ongoing human rights abuses against believers, Christian Today (CT) reports.
US Christian ministry Heart4Iran has joined with CBN’s Superbook to conduct an outreach to thousands of desperately vulnerable children in Iran, CBN News reports. Many of these children are from families of Afghan refugees who escaped the Taliban, and many are orphans who lost their parents to COVID-19.
At least scores of Christians were arrested, and dozens endured prison in Iran last year, but many cases go unreported, faith rights groups said Wednesday.
Iran has released two Christian converts who served a one-year prison sentence linked to their membership of a house church, but one of them still faces two years’ internal exile, Christians told Worthy News.
A pastor in Iran who was released from prison while the Iranian Supreme Court reviewed his conviction for “endangering state security” and “promoting Zionism” has been taken back to prison to serve a six-year sentence, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
Iran released nine Christian converts from prison, including a pastor, after the Islamic nation’s Supreme Court said their involvement in house churches doesn’t threaten national security, well-informed Christians told Worthy News Tuesday.
Iranian authorities have temporarily released another jailed Christian convert after an order to free Christian prisoners for Christmas and the New Year, Worthy News learned Wednesday.
Iran released a pastor from prison Thursday after the Iranian Supreme Court ruled that involvement in house churches “should not be considered a crime against national security,” Worthy News learned.
Christian prisoners in Iran were treated to a rare act of mercy by the state as the country’s judiciary granted them 10 days’ leave to be with their families during the Christmas holidays, Radio Free Europe (RFE) reports.
Christians have helped to rebuild a church in the Syrian city of Raqqa that was destroyed during the 2014-2017 Islamic State reign of terror there, CBN reports. The Raqqa church was rededicated following an effort led by the Free Burma Rangers aid agency and the Grace Community Church in Fulton, Maryland.
A top Iranian court has ordered a review of five-year prison terms given to nine Christian converts who left Islam, according to sources familiar with the court’s thinking.
Christian villages in Iraqi Kurdistan have been “emptied” in the last year as Turkey’s air force continues to bomb Kurdish forces connected to the PKK movement, Asia News reports. Christians have also fled from the cities of Zakho, Dohuk, Erbil, only to return because of airstrikes on the areas they escaped to.
Following unsuccessful appeals, on November 11 two Christian converts from Islam were summoned to prison in Iran to serve one-year sentences they received in February for “promoting Christianity,” Christian Persecution reports.
A pastor from Iran’s main evangelical house church movement was behind bars Friday after he was summoned to start serving a five-year jail sentence, his supporters confirmed.
Three Iranian men who abandoned Islam to embrace faith in Christ were summoned by Iranian authorities to serve three-year jail sentences, Christians told Worthy News.
Two jailed Iranian Christians have asked Iran’s Islamic authorities to allow them to worship Christ in freedom.
A woman who left Islam for faith in Christ and her Christian husband have fled Syria after police violence and threats from Muslim family members, friends, confirmed to Worthy News.
An Iranian Christian who went missing for nearly a month after his detention by Iranian authorities has been released and found, Worthy News learned Wednesday.
Iranian Christians are “thankful” that Iran has released two jailed Christians on bail but remain concerned about the whereabouts of their friend, Worthy News established Wednesday.
Another three Christian men from a heavily persecuted believing community in Iran were arrested by Iranian intelligence authorities on September 5 and taken to an unknown location for interrogation, International Christian Concern reports.