Algeria: Court orders church closure to remain in effect
Christians in Algeria ask for prayer for the church of Makouda, as an administrative court rejected a request to cancel the governor’s order to close the church. The Spring of Life church, is the second largest Protestant church in Algeria with about 700 members. It...
Iran: Christian converts in Rasht sentenced
Iranian Christians request prayer for four Christian converts in Rasht who have been given heavy prison sentences for ‘actions against national security,’ ‘attending home churches’ and ‘spreading Zionist Christianity.’ On 1 August Ramin Hassanpour was sentenced to...
Iran: Excessive bail demanded for Christians
Iranian Christians request prayer as authorities are demanding exorbitant amounts for bail for the leader and members of a church group recently targeted by Iranian security. Joseph Shahbazian, 56, an Iranian-Armenian church group leader, was arrested on 30 June. He...
Iran: Christian convert – prison sentences appealed
Prayer is requested for Christian convert Ismaeil Maghrebinejad (65) after, on appeal, one prison sentence was overturned, one was reduced and one was upheld. Ismaeil received three prison sentences following his violent arrest at home in Shiraz in January 2019. In...
Iraq: Displaced Christians in need of prayer
Christians in Iraq request prayer for Christian and Kurdish families impacted by Turkish bombardments of and incursions into Northern Iraq. About 80 families from the Zakho district fled the area bordering Turkey to the center of the district. Ten churches are...
Iran: Coordinated arrests of Christians
Iranian Christians request prayer after Revolutionary Guard agents arrested at least twelve Christians in three different cities. It is believed an informant gained Christians’ trust, infiltrated their network and helped Iranian security identify particular...
Iran: Christian converts sentenced
Iranian Christians request prayer, after seven converts in Bushehr were given prison sentences or fined. They plan to appeal. Brothers Sam and Sasan Khosravi, their wives Maryam and Marjan Falahi, Habib Heydari, Pooriya Peyma and his wife Fatemeh Talebi were arrested...
Iran: Reduction in sentences for Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani and associates
Iranian Christians ask for prayer after an appeal verdict for three Christian converts from Rasht who were serving ten-year sentences. On 22 June it was learned the sentences against Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, and Zaman (Saheb) Fadaie had been reduced to six years....
Iran: Four Christian converts begin serving five-year prison sentences
Iranian Christians request prayer for four Christian converts and their families after the men presented themselves at Evin Prison on 2 June to begin serving five-year sentences. Hossein Kadivar, Khalil Dehghanpour, Kamal Naamanian and Mohammed Vafadar obeyed a...
Iran: Hearing for Pastor Victor and others cancelled again
An appeal hearing to review the cases of Pastor Victor Bet Tamraz, his wife Shamiram Issavi Khabizeh and three Christian converts was cancelled with no reason given. Three long standing cases were combined in a ruling by presiding judge Ahmed Zargar in February 2019,...
Iran: Upcoming appeal hearing for Pastor Victor and others
Iranian Christians request prayer for an appeal hearing on 1 June to review prison sentences given to Assyrian pastor Victor Bet Tamraz, his wife Shamiram Issavi Khabizeh, and three Christian converts. The hearing combines three long-standing cases. The first involves...
Iran: Update on four Christian converts in Rasht
Iranian Christians are thankful that four Christian converts have been released after bail demands were reduced. In February, Ramin Hassanpour, his wife Kathrin Sajadpour, Moslem Rahimi and another convert who does not wish to be named, were arrested for being part of...