Wife of American Pastor Imprisoned in Iran to Plead for Husband Before United Nations Council

Wife of American Pastor Imprisoned in Iran to Plead for Husband Before United Nations Council

GENEVA — The wife of an American pastor imprisoned in Iran for planting house churches in the country over a decade ago is scheduled to speak before the Human Rights Council of the United Nations on Monday. Naghmeh Abedini and the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) have been meeting with various countries and […]

Congress Urges U.S. Justice Department to Grant Asylum to Christian Homeschooling Family

Congress Urges U.S. Justice Department to Grant Asylum to Christian Homeschooling Family

WASHINGTON — Members of Congress are urging the U.S. Justice Department and Attorney General Eric Holder to grant asylum to a Christian family who came to America to homeschool their children. Representative Marlin Stutzman of Indiana is leading an effort with 26 other U.S. Congressmen to request that Holder use his authority to stop efforts […]

Iranian Pastor Arrested as Crackdown on Churches Intensifies

Iranian Pastor Arrested as Crackdown on Churches Intensifies

ISTANBUL (Morning Star News) – Security forces arrested an Iranian pastor in Tehran after raiding his house and pressuring his church to close as a crackdown on Christians intensified ahead of June elections. Robert Asserian was arrested Tuesday during a prayer meeting at his Central Assemblies of God Church after authorities entered his house and […]

Uzbekistan Woman Sentenced to ‘Corrective Labor’ for Illegally Possessing Bible

Uzbekistan Woman Sentenced to ‘Corrective Labor’ for Illegally Possessing Bible

Sharofat Allamova, a Protestant from north-western Khorezm Region, has been given one and half years of corrective labor after being convicted under criminal charges of the “illegal production, storage, import or distribution of religious literature.” Fines have also been imposed on people for meeting in a private home and having Christian literature, as well as […]

U.S. Department of State Releases Grim Outlook for Global Religious Freedom

U.S. Department of State Releases Grim Outlook for Global Religious Freedom

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of State released the 2012 International Religious Freedom Report on Monday, which summarizes the most concerning instances of religious oppression around the globe. The 23-page document is the 14th annual report of its kind, and is a fulfillment of the October 1998 International Religious Freedom Act. While the report touches […]

Federal Court Denies Asylum to Christian Homeschooling Family, Sides With Obama Administration

Federal Court Denies Asylum to Christian Homeschooling Family, Sides With Obama Administration

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has denied asylum to a Christian family that came to America to homeschool their children. As previously reported, Uwe and Hannelore Romeike fled to the United States in 2008 after German authorities demanded that they stop homeschooling their six children. Homeschooling was made illegal in the country in 1938 under […]

Congress Calls Upon Secretary of State John Kerry to Protect Persecuted Family of Chinese Activist

Congress Calls Upon Secretary of State John Kerry to Protect Persecuted Family of Chinese Activist

Washington, D.C. — Eight members of Congress are calling upon Secretary of State John Kerry to take action on behalf of the persecuted family of a blind Chinese activist who has taken refuge in America. In April 2012, Chen Guangcheng fled to the U.S. embassy in Beijing after being placed on house arrest years prior […]

American Pastor Returned to General Iranian Prison After Spending Birthday in Solitary Confinement

American Pastor Returned to General Iranian Prison After Spending Birthday in Solitary Confinement

An American pastor that is imprisoned in his homeland of Iran for planting house churches in the country a decade ago has been sent back to general prison after spending a number of days, including his birthday, in solitary confinement. The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which has been fighting for the release […]

Muslim Nations Dominate U.S. Commission’s List of Worst Violators of Religious Freedom in World

Muslim Nations Dominate U.S. Commission’s List of Worst Violators of Religious Freedom in World

Washington, D.C. — Muslim nations dominated a new report released by a federal religious freedom commission, which outlines the worst violators of religious freedom around the globe. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created under the International Religious Freedom Act, and reports to the President, Secretary of State and Congress regarding the state of […]