Iraq: Church leader faces blasphemy charges and threats

Iraq: Church leader faces blasphemy charges and threats

Christians in Iraq request prayer for a church leader, facing blasphemy charges and societal pressure, after social media comments deemed insulting to Islam. Bishop Bahzad Mziri of the Anabaptist church, who many years ago converted from Islam to Christianity, made a...

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North Cyprus: Prayer for upcoming hearing 

North Cyprus: Prayer for upcoming hearing 

On 23 March Ryan Keating is scheduled to appear in Iskele District Court on charges of illegally importing literature – the result of a joint police and customs raid on his home in January 2021 in which personal Bibles and Christian books were seized. Customs...

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Israel: Court hearing for Messianic ministry 

Israel: Court hearing for Messianic ministry 

On 9 March an initial court hearing took place in Ashkelon after the Sderot Municipality opened a case against City of Life Ministries (CLM) and pastor Michael Beener for alleged zoning regulation violations. The judge recognised this case is the only example of...

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Israel: Ongoing pressure on migrant churches 

Israel: Ongoing pressure on migrant churches 

The Evangelical Alliance in Israel requests prayer after the city of Tel Aviv broke its promise to relocate churches and pressured landlords to evict the congregations they claimed violated zoning requirements as “houses of prayer.” In November 2020, Tel Aviv...

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Iran: Another Christian convert pardoned and released 

Iran: Another Christian convert pardoned and released 

On 4 March Milad Goodarzi was released from Karaj Central Prison. He is the seventh Christian convert known to have benefited from the general amnesty granted to prisoners for the 44th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. In June 2021, Milad and two other converts...

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Iran: Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani released 

Iran: Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani released 

On 26 February Yousef Nadarkhani was released from prison, as part of a general amnesty in honour of the 44th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. This follows the release of Zaman (Saheb) Fadaei and Hadi (Moslem) Rahimi earlier this month. Yousef received...

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Israel: Opposition to Messianic ministry

Israel: Opposition to Messianic ministry

Messianic Jewish believers request prayer after Channel 14 TV, World Israel News (both media with a right-wing audience) and anti-missionary organisation Yad L’Achim targeted the HaTikva (Hope) Project, claiming the work is a cover for missionary activity. The...

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Iran: Another Christian convert released from prison

Iran: Another Christian convert released from prison

On 15 February Christian convert Hadi (Moslem) Rahimi (33) was released from Evin Prison. This follows the release of Zaman (Saheb) Fadaei on 8 February. Both converts were pardoned as part of an amnesty for the 44th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution on 11...

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Iran: Christian convert released from prison

Iran: Christian convert released from prison

On 8 February Zaman (Saheb) Fadaei was released from Evin Prison as part of a general pardon approved by Supreme Leader Khamenei in honour of the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. IRNA, the state news agency, announced that “tens of thousands” of prisoners...

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Iran: Christian convert released on bail still faces charges 

Iran: Christian convert released on bail still faces charges 

On 28 January Anahita (Anna) Khademi, the wife of pastor Abdolreza (Matthias) Haghnejad was released on bail of 180 million tomans (approximately  US $4,000). She still faces charges, including  “propaganda against the system” and “disturbing public opinion.” On 3...

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Israel: Christians targeted by extremists

Israel: Christians targeted by extremists

Prayer is requested after a number of attacks against the Armenian community in Jerusalem. On 11 January extremists graffitied hate speech on the exterior of buildings in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City. Slogans included “Revenge,” “Death to Christians,” “Death...

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