IRAN: Christians labelled “Mossad mercenaries”

In the recent anti-regime protests before the bombing of Iran by the USA and Israel, at least 19 Christians are known to have died.

by Andrew Halloway

Demonstrations began last December, fuelled by economic hardship and a demand for political change. The country’s security forces crushed the protests by killing thousands of people. According to UK-based Article 18 – a religious freedom monitoring group – 19 Christians are documented among the dead, although more were likely killed. Sources inside Iran estimated that 80,000 citizens were murdered by the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps), although the BBC and other media quote 30,000.

Christians were labelled “Mossad mercenaries”

Iran’s authorities routinely persecute Christians, especially converts from Islam, imposing long prison sentences and severe punishments.

A new report calls Iran’s 12-day war of June 13-24 a pivotal moment that “impacted all Iranians but left minorities especially vulnerable to targeting and scapegoating.” Advocacy group Article 18’s annual report noted that in less than one month after the June ceasefire, agents with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) spread out across at least 19 different cities in the country, arrested more than 50 Christians and accused them of involvement in “anti-security” activities.

Article 18’s report, ‘Scapegoats: Rights Violations Against Christians in Iran’, says that the  MOIS issued a statement labelling Christians “Mossad mercenaries,” a reference to Israel’s intelligence agency, who were “trained abroad” by churches in the United States and Israel and had acted “under the guise of the ‘Zionist’ Christian evangelisation movement.”

In August, state media released a video report essentially admitting officials monitor converts who travel outside of Iran. They showed footage of some of the arrested Christians at a church gathering in Turkey, and aired forced confessions where Christians admitted to travelling overseas to receive religious instruction.

The government also increasingly criminalised the possession of Bibles, especially ones imported from outside the country.

INDIA: Three Christians axed to death

Three Christian converts from the same family were killed in Odisha state in eastern India in January, yet police have treated it as a land dispute rather than religious persecution.

Relatives and neighbours had often told the family to stop attending church or they would “face death” 

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports that Jitendra Soren, his wife Malati and their 15-year-old daughter were hacked to death in their home in the village of Nialijharan. Relatives came to the couple’s house and accused them of black magic, saying a niece had become ill because the family attended church.  

Jitendra Soren disputed the accusation and was attacked. The daughter tried to protect her father but suffered blows from an axe and died. Malati was also killed as she tried to save her daughter, and Jitendra died as he tried to escape.

Morning Star News reports that police have arrested three suspects but blame a long-standing land dispute for the attacks.

The couple’s son, Suguda Soren, told CSW that relatives and neighbours had often told the family to stop attending church or they would “face death”. They were the third family in the village to turn Christian in the last year.

SOUTH SUDAN: Pastor kidnapped and killed

Unknown gunmen have murdered a church pastor after abducting him while he was fishing.

Morning Star News reports that Pastor Lino Pasquale of Hai Baraka Pentecostal Church was found dead six days later.

Leaders of the Sudan Pentecostal Church (SPC) say Pasquale was “targeted and killed by unknown gunmen” and called on the government and security authorities to investigate the murder.

Pasquale was described by the leaders as “a great servant of God, a faithful shepherd and a man devoted to the work of the Gospel”. He had gone fishing near the city of Juba on 19 February.

“A great servant of God, a faithful shepherd and a man devoted to the work of the Gospel”

The incident follows another murder of a church leader on 14 January, when the Rev Christopher Maring of the Africa Inland Church (AIC) was shot at home, again by unidentified gunmen.

USA: Bill aims to protect Christians in Nigeria

US Representatives in Congress introduced a bill in February that would increase monitoring of religious freedom in Nigeria and impose sanctions if the situation does not improve.

“Christians in Nigeria have faced unspeakable violence – while the global community looked away”

Christian Daily International reports that the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 (HR 7457) was introduced by Republican Reps Riley Moore of West Virginia and Chris Smith of New Jersey, with support from other Republicans.

The bill would ensure the US Secretary of State has to give an annual report on Nigerian religious freedom and its government’s efforts to protect religious minorities.

Rep Moore said: “For years, Christians in Nigeria have faced unspeakable violence — churches burned, villages destroyed, families slaughtered — while the global community looked away. This legislation makes clear that the United States stands with our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ.”

UGANDA: Muslim murders son for converting

A Muslim father knifed his adult son to death for becoming a Christian.

Hamba Ahammada, 62, killed 33-year-old father-of-four Hamba Juma in using a long knife known as a panga.

Calling his son to him, the father stabbed him and then hurried away

Hamba Jumba’s wife, Nangobi Mariati, said that her father-in-law, a Butaleja District resident, visited their home in Iganga District in January and the couple ate dinner with him. But “my father-in-law requested the panga from our son, aged 12, without us knowing”. Calling his son to him, the father stabbed him and then hurried away.

She told Morning Star News: “My husband screamed for help, we tried to make it to the hospital, but there he was pronounced dead”, adding that her father-in-law had previously threatened “to kill all of us for leaving Islam”.

YEMEN: Government cracks down on Christians

Yemen’s government has arrested over 50 believers in the last few months in a move against Christians that has never been seen before, according to the Evangelical Times.

Religious freedom agency Open Doors UK reports that one Christian who believes he will soon be arrested has memorised Scripture so that he can be a “walking Bible” in prison. He told Open Doors: “It is a difficult season that we, as a church, are going through, but we are the children of the King of Kings.

One Christian who believes he will soon be arrested has memorised Scripture so that he can be a “walking Bible” in prison

“Jesus told us that in this world we will have trouble, but he also promised us victory in him, and this is what keeps us, and myself included, going.”