Hundreds of Muslim migrants convert to Christianity ‘to increase chances of asylum’

The migrants – who are predominantly Iranian and Afghani – have swapped their faiths at the Trinity Church in Berlin.

It boosts their chances of being granted asylum in Germany as they can claim they would be persecuted if they were sent back to their countries – where conversion to Christianity by a Muslim could be punished by death.

Iranian Vesam Heydari – a congregation member – slammed many Iranian church members for making it more difficult for “real, persecuted Christians” to get approved for asylum.

Mr Heydari applied for asylum in Norway and converted there in 2009.

But his case was rejected by the Norwegian authorities who did not believe he would be persecuted as a Christian in Iran – forcing him to move to Germany to claim asylum, where he is still awaiting a decision.

He said: “The majority of Iranians here are not converting out of belief.

“They only want to stay in Germany.”

In one baptism, refugee Mohammed Ali Zonoobi – an Iranian carpenter who arrived in Germany five months ago – denounced Islam to become a Christian.

Pastor Gottfried Martens asked Zonoobi: “Will you break away from Satan and his evil deeds? Will you break away from Islam?”

Zonoobi eagerly replied “yes” before being baptised.