Iran: Iranian’s prison sentence reduced on appeal   Iranian Christians are encouraged that the Tehran Court of Appeal has reduced the 10-year prison sentence against Armenian Iranian Joseph Shahbazian for “acting against national security through promoting Zionist Christianity” to two years’ imprisonment, but regret that the court failed to acquit him.     Joseph was among nearly 40 arrested as … Read More

Fulani herdsmen attack two villages in Nasarawa state. By Our Nigeria Correspondent ABUJA, Nigeria, June 1, 2023 (Morning Star News) – Fulani herdsmen killed a church pastor, his wife and 41 other people in an attack last month on two predominantly Christian villages in Nasarawa state, Nigeria, sources said. The Rev. Daniel Danbeki of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in … Read More

Attorney and father shocked at verdict in case lacking evidence. By Our Pakistan Correspondent LAHORE, Pakistan, May 31, 2023 (Morning Star News) – A court in Bahawalpur, Pakistan on Tuesday (May 30) handed the death penalty to a 22-year-old Christian on an unsubstantiated conviction under the country’s blasphemy laws, sources said. Lazar Allah Rakha, attorney for Noman Masih, said that the … Read More

Muslim husband also deprived her of food, she says.   By Our East Africa Correspondent NAIROBI, Kenya, May 30, 2023 (Morning Star News) – A Muslim upset with his wife’s conversion to Christianity in western Uganda denied her food and left her in a national park with wild animals, she said. Sharifa Muhando, 27, of Kasese town, said her husband beat … Read More

Worship disrupted on Sumatra Island. By Our Indonesia Correspondent   SURABAYA, Indonesia, May 29, 2023 (Morning Star News) – Muslim mobs on May 19 stopped Christians from worship in two cities of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island, sources said. Muslims reportedly disrupted Christians as they worshipped in a café in a village in Binjai, 13 miles from Medan, capital of North Sumatra Province. In Riau, capital … Read More

Mother of five held in employer’s home for a week. By Our Pakistan Correspondent LAHORE, Pakistan, May 26, 2023 (Morning Star News) – A Christian housecleaner in Pakistan was beaten and illegally confined for a week by her Muslim employers after she tried to leave her job due to pregnancy, she said. Asma Gulfam, a 28-year-old Catholic maid in the Paka … Read More

Gunmen storm Coptic Orthodox church in Omdurman. By Our Sudan Correspondent JUBA, South Sudan, May 24, 2023 (Morning Star News) – Among attacks on church buildings and mosques in Sudan after fighting broke out within the Sudanese military last month, a priest and other Christians were reportedly shot and injured in at least one assault with apparent anti-Christian motives. Unidentified gunmen … Read More

Family devastated as youths jailed on baseless charge. By Our Pakistan Correspondent LAHORE, Pakistan, May 22, 2023 (Morning Star News) – Babar Sandhu Masih was resting after lunch on Thursday afternoon (May 18) when he heard a commotion outside his house in the Qurban Lines neighborhood of Lahore, Pakistan. Masih went outside to find his neighbor, policeman Zahid Sohail, beating his … Read More

Intruder released from jail. By Our Indonesia Correspondent SURABAYA, Indonesia, May 18, 2023 (Morning Star News) – Authorities have reduced a blasphemy charge to one of mere “intrusion” for an official on western Indonesia’s Sumatra Island who broke up a worship service, sources said. Church leaders in Indonesia said such leniency would never be granted to a Christian who broke up … Read More

Judge rules participating in religious ‘home-group’ is not illegal. By Our Middle East Correspondent May 17, 2023 (Morning Star News) – Iranian authorities released two Christian leaders from prison last week after a judge broke with common judicial practice in the country and ruled that home church participation was not illegal, sources said. Throwing out a 2020 conviction, a judge in Branch … Read More