Iran: Pastor Irani Returned to Prison
Pastor Behnam Irani, who was assaulted by his own guards and transferred to a then unknown location on June 7, has been returned to Ghezal Hesar Prison, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
Christian Persecution
Meriam Ibrahim Released from Detention; Charged with Attempting to Travel on False Documents
Meriam Ibrahim, a Sudanese woman who was formerly charged with adultery and apostasy, has been released from detention in Khartoum after being rearrested on Tuesday. However, she faces new charges of attempting to travel on false documents punishable by up to five years in prison.
Nigeria’s Boko Haram ‘Seizes Women’ in Borno
More than 60 women and children have been abducted in northern Nigeria by militant Muslims, according to the BBC.
Egyptian Christian Sentenced to Six Years for Blasphemy
A Christian in southern Egypt has been sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison and fined the equivalent of $840 on charges of blasphemy and contempt of Islam for simply “liking” a Facebook page, according to International Christian Concern.
Meriam Ibrahim Rearrested at Airport
Meriam Ibrahim, a Sudanese woman who was sentenced to death for the crimes of adultery and blasphemy, was released yesterday — only to find herself rearrested at the airport as she was trying to leave Sudan, her legal team told CNN.
ISIS Begins Imposing Poll Tax on Christians in Mosul
The High Commission for Human Rights in Iraq has confirmed that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant has begun imposing the jizya or poll tax on Christians in Mosul, according to the Assyrian International News Agency.
Meriam Ibrahim ‘Freed’ From Prison
Meriam Yahia Ibrahim, along with her 22-month-old son and 4-week-old daughter, have been released from the Omdurman Federal Women’s Prison by the Khartoum Court of Appeals, according to International Christian Concern.
Church Leaders Condemn Conditions in Eritrea
Four senior church leaders in Eritrea have published an open letter criticizing the African state as “truly shameful and unacceptable,” according to Barnabas Aid.
Mob Storms Christian Center in Vietnam Lead by Officials and Police
Last week a group of pastors and Bible students were beaten by a mob that stormed the building they were meeting in and then attacked them, according to Release International.
Egyptian Convert Sentenced to Five Years
Wednesday a judge in Egypt’s Minya Criminal Court sentenced the first Egyptian to legally challenge his official religious status to five years in prison and a fine, according to Morning Star News.
Congress Urges Kerry to Prioritize Ibrahim Case
Thirty-eight U.S. lawmakers sent an open letter to Secretary of State John Kerry Thursday urging him to expedite the case of Meriam Ibrahim, according to International Christian Concern.
Chinese Gov’t Continues Anti-Christian Campaign
Only one week after Chinese Christians in Wenzhou City fought back against Communist attempts to remove the cross from the roof of their church, government authorities returned and destroyed the cross, according to International Christian Concern.
Hindu Nationalists Attack Christians in India
On Monday, Hindu nationalists beat about 150 members of a Pentecostal community in Sirisguda, India, with sticks, according to AsiaNews.
Egypt: Over 500 Christian Girls Kidnapped and Forced to Convert since 2011
Hundreds of Coptic Christian women in Egypt have been kidnapped and forced to convert to the Islamic religion of their abductors, according to Christian Today.
Nigerian Village Attacked, 15 Killed, Boko Haram Blamed
Nearly 20 suspected Boko Haram gunmen killed 15 people Sunday in Nigeria’s Borno state, according to CNN.
Al Shabaab Kills Christians in Kenyan Coastal Town
Somalian militants of Islam’s Al Shabaab attacked a predominantly Christian town on Kenya’s coast Sunday night, selectively killing more than 50 Christian males, according to Morning Star News.
Egyptian Christian Teacher Sentenced for Blasphemy
An Egyptian appeals court has upheld the blasphemy conviction of a Coptic Christian living in exile, sentencing her to six months in prison and overturning an earlier ruling that only imposed a fine, according to Yahoo News.
Chinese Christians Try to Stop Destruction of Cross
Without warning early Wednesday morning, hundreds of government agents armed with a crane but without any legal documents forced their way into the BaiXiang GuanTou Church with the intent of removing the cross from the building’s roof, according to International Christian Concern.
Suspected Boko Haram Insurgents Attack Cameroon Village
More than 300 armed men suspected to be militants of Nigeria’s Islamist Boko Haram sect have attacked the village of Gorsi Tourou in Cameroon, burning churches and looting property, according to the Voice of America.
Bill to Grant Meriam Ibrahim Legal US Status Introduced
Congressman Tom Cotton (R-Dardanelle) Thursday introduced H.R. 4821 to give Meriam Ibrahim and her two children permanent legal status in the United States, according to International Christian Concern.