British Christian Family Forced to Flee Violent Persecution

A British Christian family was forced to flee for their lives after facing violent persecution for leaving Islam.

Nissar Huessain converted from Islam to Christianity in 1996, a decision that cost his family their safety and freedom.

Last year, Huessain, a nurse and father of six, was hit a dozen times with a pickaxe handle until his kneecap and hand were shattered. 

His car windows have been smashed in and eggs thrown and his family's house. 

Huessain says hate crimes against apostates in the Muslim community are an all too familiar story. 

 "Freedom and liberty should have been afford us. The situation is dire when it comes to converts because you lose your immediate family; you don't have anybody," he told Premier News Hour. 

Huessain says the violence began after his family appeared in a documentary called "Holy War," which detailed how Muslim converts were treated by their community. 

The documentary sparked outrage and countless death threats against his family. 

"There is no middle ground of acceptance," Huessain said. "There is no tolerance when it comes to conversion to Christianity from a Muslim background."

The violence got so bad that armed police had to relocate the family to a safe place.

"This incident, the APPG believes, typifies a trend of individuals targeted and, on rare occasions, killed for their beliefs in the UK and highlights a wider problem of integration of different individuals with different beliefs in UK communities," the Westminster's All Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief said in a statement.