Two Christian leaders in Azerbaijan have been fined fined 1,500 Azerbaijani Manats each, or $850, for holding an "illegal" prayer meeting, according to World Watch Monitor.

Police burst into the meeting last month in Aliabad in south Azerbaijan and arrested all 30 Christians present.

At first, nearly all of them were expecting to be fined.

But in the end, just Gamid Shabanov and Mehman Agamemedov, the two leaders, were fined.

They were also ordered not to hold any more meetings without first securing official registration.

Azerbaijan is officially a secular country but the majority of the population is Muslim.

A source told World Watch Monitor that police had told them: "Each of you may pray in your own house, but meetings are forbidden, otherwise you will be arrested again – with more serious consequences than a fine."

The arrests were reported on television in Azerbaijan. The two leaders were accused of "illegal religious activities" and "spreading illegal religious doctrines".

Under Azerbaijani law, only registered religious organisations can hold prayer or worship meetings.

Azerbaijan hosted the European Games last year and ranks at No 34 on Open Doors' 2016 World Watch List of countries where it is most dangerous to be a Christian.

Pastors describe it as a constant challenge to endure the efforts by authorities to undermine their work.