Iran: December 27, 2017. The Christians request renewed prayer for the upcoming hearing on 28th December 2017 for Eskandar Rezaei and Soroush Saraei. They were arrested last July, although they have been facing pressures since 2012. Eskandar was arrested on 6th July 2017 at his home in Lar where several hundred New Testaments were confiscated. He is being held at Quran Branch of Adel-Aabad prison, Shiraz. Soroush was also arrested in July. He was initially held at the intelligence offices before being transferred to Adel-Aabad prison. Both Eskander and Soroush have been verbally charged with "acting against national security". Soroush faces an additional charge of "forgery" for issuing letters as the pastor of the Church of Shiraz for students seeking exemption from Islamic studies classes. They are to attend a court hearing on 28th December 2017 at the 4th branch of the Revolutionary Court in Shiraz. In October 2012, Eskander and Soroush were arrested along with five other members of the self-styled 'Church of Iran' denomination in a raid on a prayer meeting in Shiraz. Both were sentenced on 16th July 2013: Eskander received a one-year sentence and Soroush two and half years, although they were not summoned to start serving their sentences for many months. Both were released before serving the sentences in full - Soroush in November 2015 and Eskander in December 2015. Source: Middle East Concern