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2018-05-10

• Mob Protests Church Legalization Application
  
  The reconciliation session in Al-Koumair village.
  Photo: World Watch Monitor

  For more than 30 years, Christians in the village of Al-Koumair had been gathering at the home of one of their community members for worship. As numbers increased, they purchased a house in 2006, along with an adjacent building to provide their community a church, meeting hall, nursery and accommodations. Muslim villagers were aware of the de-facto church, having attended weddings and funerals over the years.

• Prisoners Released Amidst Peace Talks
  
  Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone

  Three American prisoners were officially released from custody in North Korea on May 9th in a move widely viewed as a goodwill gesture ahead of a summit between the leaders of the United States and North Korea. The three men -- Kim Hak-song, Kim Dong-chul and Tony Kim -- were all being held in labour camps on charges of anti-state activities. They are all Christians who had been involved with various ministries in North Korea. The three had been transferred to a hotel earlier this month.

• Sentences Upheld
  
  From left: Saheb Fadaie, Youcef Nadarkhani, Yasser Mossayebzadeh and Mohammad-Reza Omidi
  Photo: World Watch Monitor

  An appeal court in Iran has upheld a ten-year prison sentence against four Christians accused of "promoting Zionist Christianity" and propagating house churches. The lawyer representing Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, Mohammad-Reza Omidi, Yasser Mossayebzadeh, and Saheb Fadaie received the notice on May 2nd.