Middle East

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos TEHRAN, IRAN (BosNewsLife)— A member of one of Iran’s largest evangelical house church movements has been released from prison, 14 months earlier than expected, but many other believers remain behind bars, Iranian and other activists told BosNewsLife.

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos Three Iranian Christians were due to appear before Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Court Sunday, February 4, to appeal against lengthy prison terms on charges of "conducting evangelism" and carrying out "illegal church activities."

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service TEHRAN, IRAN (BosNewsLife)-- The detained Assyrian pastor of an evangelical church in Iran has been tortured and told he may be executed for converting Muslims to Christianity and related charges, his wife and Christians with close knowledge about his situation said.

By BosNewsLife Chief International Correspondent Stefan J. Bos with additional reporting by BosNewsLife Chief Middle East Correspondent George Whitten in Israel JERUSALEM/GAZA CITY (BosNewsLife)-- More than half of the United States' Lutheran bishops were on their way to Israel Monday, January 5, amid international concerns that an Israeli offensive against the militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip would lead to more suffering of civilians, including the territory's Christian minority.

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service with reporting by BosNewsLife Special Correspondent Joseph DeCaro AMMAN, JORDAN (BosNewsLife)– Christians in Jordan on Monday, September 10, were mourning am American missionary after police confirmed over the weekend she was stabbed to death by a teenager.

By George Whitten, BosNewsLife Senior Special Correspondent KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Fighters of the militant group Taliban have killed an international team of eye medics, including eight Christian aid workers, in a remote mountainous area of Afghanistan, officials confirmed Monday, August 9.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife TEHRAN, IRAN (BosNewsLife)-- Iranian pastor Behnam Irani has been released from prison after serving some six years behind bars for charges linked to his Christian activities, friends with close knowledge about the situation told BosNewsLife Tuesday, October 18.

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos TEHRAN, IRAN (BosNewsLife)-- An Iranian Christian songwriter and member of the evangelical Church of Iran has been released from prison after serving three years, six months and ten days in prison, friends said. Alireza Seyyedian was released from Tehran's notorious Evin Prison, late last month but Christians only confirmed his release this week.