Iranian pastor ends hunger strike
Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani – currently serving a 10 year prison sentence in Tehran for “acting against the national interest” – has ended a three week hunger strike held to protest bars on his children’s education. Nadarkhani began the strike on 23rd September after his 15 year-old son Yoel was informed he could not return to school […]
Imprisoned Iranian pastor on hunger strike over bar on children’s education
Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, currently serving a 10 year prison sentence in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison for “acting against the national interest”, has gone on a hunger strike in protest at his children being prevented from continuing their education. UK-based religious freedom advocacy CSW report that Nadarkhani started the strike on 23rd September, the day his […]
Iran continues to arrest Christians on eve of 40th anniversary of revolution
World Watch Monitor Iran’s security officials have arrested three Christians who were leading a house church in the absence of their pastor who is serving a ten-year jail sentence, reports Article 18. In the latest raid on a non-Trinitarian “Church of Iran” on Sunday, 10th February, in the northern city of Rasht, officers of the Ministry of […]
Iranian Christians sentenced to prison, verdict says “claiming Jesus is Lord is attack against Islam”
World Watch Monitor Saheb Fadaie, Youcef Nadarkhani, Yasser Mossayebzadeh and Mohammad Reza Omidi. Two Iranian Christians have been given prison sentences for “spreading propaganda against the regime”, reports Middle East Concern. Saheb Fadaei and Fatimeh Bakhteri, who belong to the non-Trinitarian “Church of Iran”, were sentenced to 18 and 12 months, respectively. Middle East Concern noted […]
US commission calls for Iranian Christians’ release after “new miscarriage of justice”
World Watch Monitor From left: Saheb Fadaie, Youcef Nadarkhani, Yasser Mossayebzadeh and Mohammad Reza Omidi. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom has called for the “immediate and unconditional” release of an Iranian pastor and three of his church members, after they were taken to prison last week to serve 10 year sentences for “acting against national […]
Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani taken to Evin Prison after violent raid on home
World Watch Monitor Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has been taken to Evin Prison in the capital, Tehran, after a violent raid on his home in the northern city of Rasht on Sunday. The pastor was sentenced to 10 years in prison in July of last year, alongside three members of his congregation, and had been expecting a summons […]
Iranian Christian released by ‘courageous’ judge
World Watch Monitor An Iranian Christian has been released from prison after being arrested in April for “propaganda against the [Iranian] establishment”, Middle East Concern has reported. Mohammad Ali Yassaghi was kept in Babol Prison in the capital of Mazandaran Province in northern Iran. He is a member of the self-styled Church of Iran, which has a […]
Iranian Christians’ jail terms upheld
World Watch Monitor An appeal court in Iran has upheld the 10 year prison sentences handed down to four Christians for “promoting Zionist Christianity” and running house churches. Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, Yasser Mossayebzadeh, Saheb Fadaie and Mohammad Reza Omidi received notification from the court through their lawyer on 2nd May, said Middle East Concern. From left: […]
Harsh sentences for Christians in Iran show fear of Christianity’s growth, says human rights expert
The rash of harsh sentences handed down to Christians in Iran in recent weeks shows the authorities’ fear at the growth of Christianity, according to a Christian human rights activist. World Watch Monitor quotes Mansour Borji, of Christian human-rights advocacy Article 18, saying that the recent sentences “could be interpreted as a sign that they want to […]