Historically, some Catholic countries once persecuted Protestants as heretics. At this time, Muslims had been persecuted and oppressed by the Meccans. About 11,500 people were unjustly persecuted to death. The most obstinate farmers were persecuted and imprisoned. How the Jews persecuted the prophets and tortured them. These colonies became sanctuaries for persecuted religious minorities. Throughout Mercia they were persecuted and deprived of their possessions. In some cases, they have been persecuted or punished. Today, Christians are persecuted in Iran for proselytising. However, not all Muslim rulers persecuted non-Muslims. Cyrus had persecuted the local Coptic Christians. In 304 CE, some 500 Christians were reportedly persecuted, tortured and killed in Tyre. He claimed to have ancestors who were persecuted for racial reasons. And later, Catholics persecuted the Orthodox Greeks. Under the next monarch, however, Protestants were persecuted once again.