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Freed from prison after 4 years, Christian woman ‘banned from leaving Iran’

Iran , , ,
Maryam Naghash Zargaran
An Iranian Christian woman, who recently completed a four-year jail sentence for “violating national security” through her work with “house churches”, says she has been banned from leaving the country for six months. Maryam Naghash Zargaran, 39, who undertook several hunger strikes in prison to protest against being denied medical . . . Read More

Nepal criminalises conversions and ‘hurting religious sentiment’

Nepal , , , , , , ,
Hindu Nepal
As Nepal prepares for its first election following the introduction of a new Constitution two years ago, its parliament has passed a Bill criminalising religious conversion and the “hurting of religious sentiment”, as Christian Solidary Worldwide (CSW) reports. Nepal’s Christian minority fears that, once presidential approval is given, the new . . . Read More

Iran’s clerics concerned by spread of Christianity among youth

Iran , , , , ,
Despite the efforts of Iran’s government to promote Islam among young people and a crackdown on newly converted Christians, many young Iranians continue to convert, saying they are willing to face the consequences. (Photo: Open Doors International)
Christianity is spreading fast among young people in some of Iran’s most religiously conservative cities, causing concern among leading Islamic clerics, who blame foreign influence, according to Mohabat News. One high profile cleric, Ayatollah Alavi Boroujerdi, said recently that “accurate reports indicate that the youth are becoming Christians in Qom . . . Read More

Iran: wife of jailed pastor next in court, then their son

Iran , , , , , ,
The Bet-Tamraz family
The wife of an Iranian pastor sentenced to 10 years in jail is due to appear before an Islamic Revolutionary Court on 21 August, where she will face charges of “participating in foreign Christian seminars” and “acting against Iranian national security”. Shamiram Isavi Khabizeh, the wife of Victor Bet-Tamraz, was . . . Read More

Mali Islamist to pay millions in compensation for damaged mausoleums, but nothing for churches

Mali , , , ,
The International Criminal Court has ordered an Islamist leader to pay 2.7m euros ($3.1m) for the destruction of mausoleums in Mali’s northern city of Timbuktu. Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi pleaded guilty to ordering the destruction of the historic shrines at the World Heritage Site during the occupation of northern Mali by . . . Read More