Compare and Contrast: Shia Islam's differing attitudes to Christians in the Middle East - Agenzia Fides

9 January 2014 - Ayatollah al-Sistani: the violence against Christians are a threat to the whole country

Najaf (Agenzia Fides) - Violence that affect Christians in Iraq represent a loss for the entire country. This is the conviction expressed by Ayatollah Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani, during a meeting on Wednesday, January 8th with a delegation of the Community of Sant'Egidio received in audience by the major political and spiritual leader of Iraqi Shiites in the holy city of Najaf. This was made known by local sources consulted by Fides Agency, that reported the contents of a press conference held after the meeting by Andrea Trentini, a member of the delegation of Sant'Egidio. In the interview - said Trentini - al-Sistani expressed his full solidarity with Iraqi Christians, insisting that one must preserve the presence of the indigenous Christian communities in the Country and that targeted violence of which they are victims pose a threat to the whole of Iraq.

The delegation of the Community of Sant'Egidio is in Iraq to participate in a symposium on the issues of coexistence and dialogue among faiths. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 09/01/2014)

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14 January 2014 - Christians arrested in "house churches" at New Year and during the Christmas period

Tehran (Agenzia Fides) - The Iranian security authorities arrested four Iranian Christians, gathered together in a house to celebrate the New Year with a moment of prayer in the town of Karaj. The police broke into the house, beat and arrested Sara Rahimi – Nejad, Mostafa Nadri, Majid Sheidaei and George Isaiah, transferring them to an unknown location. As reported in a note sent to Fides by "Mohabat News", Iranian Christian news agency, the police in plainclothes seized personal belongings, books, notes, computers, CDs and DVDs. In past days, the families of the four, who went to the prison in Evin were told to go away. During the Christmas period, another group of Christians had been arrested: Faegheh Nasrollahi, Mastaneh Rastegari, Amir Hossein -Nematollahi, Ahmad Bazyar and Hosseini, who gathered in a house church in Tehran.

According to Fides sources, the pressure on the Christian community in Iran intensifies during the Christmas and New Year season: the police carry out raids to discourage the faithful who get together in so-called "house churches", considered to be illegal and dangerous.

 Often the police try to extort confessions in which Christian prisoners admit to being "paid from abroad to promote Christianity in Iran".

According to a recent report by the NGO "Open Doors" Iran is among the top ten countries in the world where Christians are most persecuted. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 14/01/2014)

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