Iranian Pastor Tortured, Threatened for ‘Converting Muslims’
By Dan Wooding, Founder of ASSIST Ministries ISFAHAN, IRAN (ANS) – Compass Direct News (CDN) is reporting that an Assyrian pastor the Iranian government had accused of “converting Muslims” is being tortured in prison and threatened with execution, sources close to the case said. The CDN story said that State Security agents on Feb. 2 arrested the Rev. Wilson Issavi, 65, shortly after he finished a house meeting at a friend’s home in Isfahan, 208 miles (335 kilometers) south of Tehran. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Assist News Service, Compass Direct, Iran
Christian Women Pressured to recant Faith in Christ
By Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service TEHRAN, IRAN ANS — In a dramatic session before the revolutionary court in Tehran Sunday Aug.9, two Iranian Christian women on trial for ‘apostasy’ were pressured to recant their faith in Jesus Christ. Elam Ministries says that although great pressure was put on them, both women declared that they would not deny their faith. Elam Ministries reports that Maryam and Marzieh were originally arrested on March 5, 2009 and have suffered greatly while in prison, suffering ill health, solitary confinement and interrogations for many hours while blindfolded. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Assist News Service, Christian, Iran, Muslim, Persecution
Five Christian Converts from Islam Arrested by Iranian Security Officers
By Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service WASHINGTON, DC – Iranian security forces on May 21 raided an underground house church and arrested five Christian converts from Islam in the city of Karaji, Iran. According to International Christian Concern (ICC), citing the Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN), plainclothes security officers handcuffed and took the five Christians to an unknown location. The officers also confiscated several Bibles. Mr. Javad Abtahi, the leader of the church, is among the detained Christians. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Assist News Service, Christian, Iran, Muslim, Persecution
Iran Arrests Two Christian Women for Practicing Christianity
By Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service WASHINGTON, D.C. – Iranian security forces have detained two Christian women for practicing Christianity. Iranian officials allege that Marzieh Amairizadeh Esmaeilabad and Maryam Rustampoor are ‘anti-government activists.’ … Read entire article »
Filed under: Assist News Service, Christian, Iran
Converts Ordered to Stop Christian Activities
Compass Direct News reports: Declaring three Iranian Christians guilty of cooperating with “anti-government movements,” a court in Shiraz on March 10 ordered the converts to discontinue Christian activities and stop propagating their faith. An Islamic Revolutionary Court judge handed an eight-month suspended prison sentence with a five-year probation to Seyed Allaedin Hussein, Homayoon Shokouhi, and Seyed Amir Hussein Bob-Annari. The judge said he would enforce their prison sentence and try them as “apostates,” or those who leave Islam, if they violate terms of their probation – including a ban on contacting one another. A new penal code under consideration by the Iranian Parliament includes a bill that would require the death penalty for apostasy. “The warning that they will be ‘arrested and tried as apostates’ if they continue their Christian activities is quite chilling,” … Read entire article »
Filed under: Christian, Compass Direct, Iran, Islam, Persecution
