A Kurdish pastor serving in Lebanon was arrested during a family visit to Syria after authorities confronted him over social media posts proclaiming Jesus Christ.
Pastor Nihad Hassan, leader of the Kurdish Church in Lebanon, traveled to Syria with his wife and children in July. The Syrian-born minister planned to visit relatives, inspect family property and explore opportunities to expand his ministry.
Hassan told CBN News that authorities stopped the family at a checkpoint and arrested him on July 20. He spent 15 days in custody and was transferred among five detention locations.
Investigators repeatedly questioned Hassan about his public declaration of faith in Christ. They also demanded to know why he shared Christian messages online and encouraged Kurdish people to follow Jesus.
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Other accusations involved his appeal for international intervention to protect Kurdish residents in two Syrian neighborhoods and his publication of religious material challenging established beliefs.
Hassan said Christians from Kurdish, Yazidi, Druze and Alawite backgrounds face particular difficulties in Syria. Official documents may continue identifying converts according to their former religion, forcing them and their children to follow religious requirements they no longer believe.
While established Christian communities can practice their faith, converts from other backgrounds often lack the same recognition and protection.
Hassan contrasted those restrictions with his experience in Lebanon, where he can lead a church and worship openly. He is now calling for the formal recognition of Kurdish Christians and other minority believers in Syria.
Even in confinement, Hassan refused to remain silent. After authorities placed him alongside 24 other detainees, he used the opportunity to tell them about Christ.
His arrest illustrates the tremendous cost many believers still pay for publicly following Jesus. Let us pray for Hassan, his wife and children, asking God to protect, strengthen and guide them. Let us also remember all our Christian brothers and sisters across the Middle East who continue proclaiming the gospel despite persecution.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
