Sudanese Authorities Close Christian Offices in South Darfur

Sudanese Authorities Close Christian Offices in South Darfur: "Sudan Council of Churches, Sudan Aid in South Darfur state shuttered without explanation.

JUBA, South Sudan, May 14 (CDN) — Security agents in Sudan’s South Darfur state have closed down the Nyala offices of the Sudan Council of Churches (SCC) and relief group Sudan Aid, sources said.


Agents from the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) arrived at the organizations’ compound in Nyala at 8 a.m. on April 22, ordered SCC staff members to hand over keys of offices and vehicles and, without explanation, ordered them to leave immediately, an SCC staff worker said."

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Iran tightens the screws on church leaders

(Tehran images courtesy Wikipedia)

Mission Network News: "ran (MNN) ― The Iranian government is tightening control on a Farsi-speaking Church, says a report from Compass Direct News.

Todd Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs USA says he's met with members of the Assemblies of God (AOG) Central Church of Tehran before. He notes that the AOG church holds two Sunday services, both conducted in Farsi. In fact, since 2009, it has been the only church remaining in Tehran that offers Farsi-language worship on Sundays in a dedicated building."

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13-year-old Christian girl allegedly raped by three men in Pakistan

13-year-old Christian girl allegedly raped by three men in Pakistan: "ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- A Pakistani Muslim man, along with two accomplices, allegedly abducted and raped a 13-year-old Christian girl on Thursday, March 29, 2012, according to her uncle, Asher.

The Rev. Gul Irfan Khan of the Local Church, Pakistan, spoke about this sad event on telephone.

He alleged that he had been told that the Muslim man, along with the others, abducted Anisha Moris, 13, the daughter of Moris Masih, a resident of Dhomala Narowal city of Sialkot region of Punjab province, and took her to their place and forcibly raped her."

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Syria in Disarray

(Photos by Douma Revolution)

Mission Network News: "Syria (ODM/MNN) ― Syria was wracked with protests beginning Friday--another manifestation of the upheaval since  the anti-government movement began 14 months ago.

Jerry Dykstra, spokesman with Open Doors USA, says despite an April ceasefire, "Things are breaking apart. We've seen that with the twin car blasts in Damascus that killed 55 outside of the Syrian Intelligence Compound on Thursday, and other bombings also.""

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Pakistan Minorities’ Minister’s Murder Charge Thrown out of Court

Pakistan Minorities’ Minister’s Murder Charge Thrown out of Court: "By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- A man booked for being allegedly involved in the murder of former Pakistan minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti more than a year ago, was acquitted by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) last week."

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U.K. wants Nadarkhani and his lawyer’s sentences turned down

U.K. wants Nadarkhani and his lawyer’s sentences turned down: "By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
LONDON, UK (ANS) -- The British Foreign Office has called on Islamic Republic of Iran to turn down the sentences issued against Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani and his lawyer, Mohammad-Ali Dadkhah.

Mohabat News www.mohabatnews.com  reports that in a statement, Alistair Burt, British Foreign Office Minister, expressed his concern over the issuance of a nine-year sentence against the lawyer Mohammad Ali Dadkhah for his struggles to defend political prisoners and Human Rights activists.

Burt has opposed the verdict against Nadarkhani and appealed for its cancellation.

In his statement, Burt called the sentences "unjust."

Burt also pointed to the arrest of two Iranians for their conversion to Christianity and referred to it as an obvious sign of violation of Human Rights and as a crackdown on freedom of religion and speech in Iran."

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