Iran: Former prisoner pardoned
Iranian Christians are pleased that a two-year term of internal exile, which was part of sentences issued in 2017, has been dropped for Christian convert Zaman (Saheb) Fadaei. Saheb was arrested along with pastor Yousef Nadarkhani and three other Christian converts in...
Israel: Extremist attitudes and actions threaten Christian communities
Members of the Christian community request prayer in response to growing concerns about opposition from ultra-nationalist elements in Israel. Two weeks ago Israeli president Herzog acknowledged attacks against Christians are on the rise in Israel. Referring to these...
Algeria: Convert released from prison
Algerian Christians rejoice in the release of Hamid Soudad, a believer from a Muslim background, previously convicted of blasphemy, who received a presidential pardon on 5 July. Married with four children (ages 8, 6, 5 and 3 years-old), 45-year-old Hamid has been a...
Iran: Two pastors from the “Church of Iran” face new charges
Friends of Yousef Nadarkhani and Abdolreza (Matthias) Haghnejad request prayer after they were informed they were required to go to court on unspecified security charges. Two members of the same religious movement made a complaint about them to the Iranian...
Iran: Prison sentence reduced on appeal
Iranian Christians are encouraged that the Tehran Court of Appeal has reduced the 10-year prison sentence against Armenian Iranian Joseph Shahbazian for "acting against national security through promoting Zionist Christianity" to two years’ imprisonment, but regret...
Iran: Christian convert couple acquitted
Iranian Christians are delighted that Homayoun Zhaveh and his wife Sara Ahmadi have been acquitted following a review of their sentences. On 9 May the Appeal Court in Tehran reviewed their prison sentences handed down in November 2020 and ordered their release....
North Cyprus: Settlement in defamation case
At Lefkoşa (North Nicosia) Administrative Court on 5 May, 2023, the judge called both lawyers into his chambers. He explained that having examined the case, his decision would probably be the same as the original demand from Ryan Keating; that the newspaper Kıbrıs...
North Cyprus: Defamation trial to start soon
A defamation trial initiated by Ryan Keating against the Kıbrıs Postası newspaper will start on 5 May at Lefkoşa (North Nicosia) Administrative Court. Four more days have been scheduled for the following week if needed. At issue is a defamatory article published...
Iraq: Court of Appeal confirms Christian’s conviction
On 16 April 2023, the appeal court in Duhok confirmed the sentence of Jagarkhuin Abdulrahman Ismael, known as “Jagar,” issued by the lower court on 29 March 2023. Christians in Iraq ask for continued prayer for him, his family and his church. On 29 March, a court in...
Iraq: Christian convicted for misuse of a telecommunication device
Christians in Iraq request prayer for a convert from Islam serving a six months prison sentence for blasphemy. Jagarkhuin Abdulrahman Ismael, known as "Jagar," was found guilty on 29 March of misusing a telecommunication device, according to a Kurdistan Region (KRI)...
North Cyprus: Some charges withdrawn
On 23 March the prosecutor in Iskele District Court withdrew charges against Ryan Keating of illegally importing literature which had followed a joint police and customs raid on his home in January 2021 where personal Bibles and Christian books were seized. However,...
Annual Report: Rights Violations Against Christians in Iran
Middle East Concern, in collaboration with Open Doors International, Article 18 and CSW has released the 2023 annual report on violations of the rights of Christians in Iran. Iranian Christians, along with other religious minorities, continued to suffer multiple...