Becoming a Christian in Iran is fraught with danger – as the recent arrest of many believers with a Muslim background makes clear.
Two more were detained in Shiraz and Esfahan in January. These are just the latest in a wave of arrests targeting the Christian community which began late last year. Most of those detained have a Muslim background.
Please pray for our brothers and sisters behind bars in Iran.
On January 25, 64-year-old Ismaeil Maghrebinejad was arrested in Shiraz and security agents confiscated his laptop, phone and Christian books. He was later released on bail.
Two days earlier Sina Moloudian, who is just 26, was detained in Esfahan at the family home. Intelligence agents broke down the door and arrested Sina in front of his parents. Eye witnesses reported seeing Sina with bruising on his face as he was dragged out of the house. He rang his parents later to say he was being held in Dastgerd prison.
- Pray that prisoners of faith in Iran will be released soon and restored to their families. Pray that God will sustain and strengthen them.
- Please pray that the wave of arrests will stop.
- Lift up in prayer the officials involved in arresting Christians: pray that they will be touched by the powerful witness of God’s people in Iran and by their overcoming faith.
(Source: Middle East Concern)
UPDATES
Thank God that Pakistani Christian Pervaiz Masih has been acquitted, more than three years after a business rival accused him of blasphemy. A lower-court judge ruled to acquit Pervaiz but made legal provision for the case to be reopened in the future. Pray that God will restore to Pervaiz and his family all that has been taken from them. Pervaiz’s wife, Zareena, was so badly beaten during a police interrogation that she was unable to walk; as a result she was not fully able to watch the couple’s three-year-old child who wandered away and was later found drowned. The exact cause of the tragic drowning remains a mystery. (Source: VOM Canada)
Please continue to pray for our sister Asia Bibi who is reported still to be in Pakistan, continuing to be guarded by officials. Pray that she will be able to leave the country and be reunited with her family, which the Supreme Court’s decision last month to uphold her acquittal left her free to do. (Source: Premier)