UK: Landmark victory in legal battle
A Christian woman has won a court case concerning her right to visibly wear a cross in the workplace.
Christian
Islam Dominates List of Top Persecutors
Eight of the top 10 persecutors of Christians worldwide are Islamic states, according to the Open Doors’ 2013 World Watch List.
Syrian rebels rob religious sites
In their battle to topple the Assad regime, rebel jihadists of the Free Syrian Army have also looted religious sites in Northern Syria, according to Human Rights Watch.
Wolves in sheep’s clothing foiled in plot to kill Shepherd
Two wolves who infiltrated a Turkish congregation were among more than a dozen suspects arrested as police foiled a plot to assassinate the pastor.
Wife Jailed Iranian-US Pastor Denies Bail Claims
The wife of a jailed Iranian-American pastor has denied Iran’s claims that her husband will be released on bail as an attempt to “silence the international media.”
Iran Launching “Systematic Prosecution” Of Protestants, Former Muslims
Iran has launched the “systematic persecution and prosecution” of “Protestants and Christian converts” with a Muslim background, closing churches, detaining believers and threatening some with execution, a new report claims.
Pakistan Throws Out Blasphemy Case Against Christian Girl
Pakistan’s Supreme Court has dismissed a final attempt to reopen a blasphemy case against a mentally challenged Christian teenager, Christian rights activists confirmed.
Iran Pastor Nadarkhani Freed From Jail; Others Remain Detained
Iran on Monday, January 7, released Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who was jailed on Christmas Day to serve the remainder of a sentence for evangelism among Muslims, his evangelical house church movement confirmed.
Syria Christians Attacked Ahead Of Presidential Speech
Beleaguered Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was to deliver a speech on Sunday, January 6, a day after rights activists said a shell hit a Christian area of Damascus and a car bomb exploded elsewhere in the Syrian capital.
13 Crushed To Death At Evangelism Vigil In Angola
Up to 13 people were crushed to death and some 120 injured as they tried to enter an overcrowded stadium for an evangelism gathering of a Pentecostal church in Angola’s capital Luanda, officials confirmed late Tuesday, January 1.
Iranian-American Pastor Imprisoned in Iran
In Iran, an Iranian-born American pastor with dual citizenship remains behind bars in Evin prison for the holidays.
Iran Returns Pastor Nadarkhani To Prison
Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who was recently acquitted of apostasy, has been returned to prison on an earlier charge, rights activists told Worthy News.
Iran Churches Warn Of Christmas Raids, Detentions
Iranian Church leaders have urged prayers for Christians in Iran amid concerns authorities will raid more house churches and detain believers over the Christmas and Western New Year period.
UZBEKISTAN: Holiday Singing, Bible Reading officially prohibited
This month in Uzbekistan, a dozen Bostanlyk policemen raided a gathering of 80 Protestants on holiday together at the Phoenix resort near the capital.
Fatwa threatens Iraqi Christians
A Muslim cleric has issued a fatwa threatening Iraqi Christians unless they convert to Islam, but the country’s prime minister urged them to stay.
Pakistani-American Author charged with Blasphemy in Islamabad
In Islamabad Sunday, a man accused his own uncle of disrespecting the Prophet Muhammad, prompting local authorities to register the case under Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws as determined by the legal personnel at Police Station I-9.
Eritrea, Africa’s ‘North Korea’
Because of its repressive policies, Eritrea has been dubbed the “North Korea of Africa”: currently more than 2,000 Christians are believed to be imprisoned there for their faith.
Syrian Christians Face Starvation, Deadly Attacks
Minority Christians in Syria’s largest city Aleppo said they face starvation after dozens of believers already died in targeted attacks rocking Christian areas of the war-torn country.
Detained Uzbek Pastor Freed, Flown To Safety
A Protestant pastor who faced deportation from Kazakhstan to his native Uzbekistan and up to 15 years imprisonment for leading an unregistered house church has been flown to safety, his supporters confirmed.
Belarus Not To Evict Massive Evangelical Church
One of the largest evangelical congregations in Belarus confirmed that authorities at the last moment decided not to evict them from their building, following years of judicial wrangling.