Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani turns 35 in prison

Please keep Pastor Youcef in your prayers.

Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian pastor imprisoned for his faith in Jesus Christ, turned 35 yesterday, April 11, reports Present Truth Ministries.

Youcef was arrested in October 2009 after he protested a government policy that required children, including his eight- and nine-year-old sons, to study the Qur’an in school. Youcef told school officials that the Iranian constitution allows for freedom of religious practice.

As a result of his protest, secret police called him before a political tribunal and arrested him for protesting. The charges were later amended to apostasy and evangelism of Muslims. Youcef was tried on September 21–22, 2010 by the 1st Court of the Revolutionary Tribunal and sentenced to death on November 13 for apostasy.

The pastor is imprisoned in Lakan prison, where authorities have used various methods, including medication, to convert him back to Islam.

An Iranian envoy has since denied an execution order was issued for Pastor Youcef, but revealed a list of charges that allegedly make him guilty of "offending Islam."

The envoy said Youcef was inviting juveniles into his home, without their parent's permission, to preach Christianity. He also claimed Youcef converted his basement into a church without the government's permission. He also said that in preaching Christianity, Youcef was offending Islam, a serious charge that shows the true reason why his case is so concerning to the government.

Please remember Pastor Youcef by praying for him and writing him an encouraging letter.

Please pray that:

• God will provide for Pastor Youcef’s every physical, spiritual, and emotional need while in prison.
• God will enfold Youcef’s family with His love and care.
• God will work in the hearts and lives of Iranian authorities involved in Youcef’s case.
• Youcef will be released, in God’s good timing.

Please send your letters to:
          Youcef Nadarkhani
          Lakan Prison
          Rasht
          ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

Please note: When writing a letter, never mention the name of the source of your information or the name of any organization such as Voice of the Martyrs. Also, please do not state anything negative about their government. For more information on letter writing, click here. To create a letter using phrases in Youcef’s own language, please visit www.PrisonerAlert.com.

MP raises voice for persecuted Christians

Have you ever written a letter to your MP, urging them to raise a voice for persecuted Christians?

David Sweet, the MP for Ancaster/Dundas/Flamborough/Westdale, recently spoke about Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian pastor who has been sentenced to death for apostasy. Mr. Sweet also mentioned the one year anniversary of the death of Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian minister in Pakistan’s government who was murdered on March 2, 2011. Bhatti was a critic of Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws in relation to many cases of Christians being falsely accused of blaspheming Muhammad or the Qur’an, including the highly publicized case of Asia Bibi.

To hear David Sweet’s recent speech, watch this short video clip.

Consider contacting your MP about Pastor Youcef or another Christian who is facing persecution because of their faith. To get started, visit our website for helpful hints about writing government officials. For a sample letter you can send on behalf of Iranian Pastor Youcef, click here. To sign a petition calling for the release of Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi, click here.

Thank you for raising a voice!

Execution orders may have been issued for Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani
Photo: Present Truth Ministries

According to contacts in Iran, the execution orders for Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani may have been issued, reports the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).

Pastor Youcef’s situation – an innocent man convicted and sentenced to death for becoming a Christian – has not been this dire since ACLJ first reported his story last year.

It is unclear whether Pastor Youcef would have a right of appeal from the execution order. We know that the head of Iran’s Judiciary, Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, must approve publicly held executions, but only a small percentage of executions are held public — most executions in Iran are conducted in secret.

There has also been a disturbing increase in the number of executions conducted by the Iranian regime in the last month.

Iran is actively violating its human rights obligations by sentencing and detaining Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. ACLJ is calling on the Iranian government to release Pastor Youcef immediately.

Please pray, share Youcef’s story with others, and raise a voice on his behalf.

• Contact Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird. Send him an email today at john.baird@parl.gc.ca. You can also mail him postage-free at:

           The Honourable John Baird
           House of Commons
           Ottawa, ON
           K1A 0A6

• Be sure to copy your local MP on the letter to Mr. Baird. You can locate your MP’s contact information here.

• Contact the Iranian embassy in Canada:

          Mr. Kambiz Sheikh Hassani
          Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
          245 Metcalfe Street
          Ottawa, ON K2P 2K2

          Fax: (613) 232-5712
          Telephone: (613) 235-4726
          Email: executive@iranembassy.ca

Use the sample letter below to guide you as you write. For further guidelines on how to write government officials, click here.

* * *

[Date]

[Government official’s address]

Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. [MP’s surname] OR His Excellency Kambiz Sheikh Hassani,

I am writing today to express my concern for Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. Nadarkhani, a 34-year-old pastor from Rasht, Iran, was arrested in October 2009 after he protested a government policy that required children, including his eight- and nine-year-old sons, to study the Qur’an in school. Nadarkhani told school officials that the Iranian constitution allows for freedom of religious practice.

As a result of his protest, secret police called him before a political tribunal and arrested him for protesting. The charges were later amended to apostasy and evangelism of Muslims. Nadarkhani was tried on September 21 and 22, 2010, and sentenced to death for apostasy on November 13.

In July 2011, the Supreme Court instructed the Revolutionary Tribunal of Gilan Province to review his case to verify whether he was previously a practicing Muslim. During hearings on September 25-28, the court in Rasht ruled that Pastor Nadarkhani was not a practicing Muslim before becoming a Christian but that he remains guilty of apostasy because of his Muslim ancestry.

There are reports that execution orders for Pastor Nadarkhani may have been issued.

Pastor Nadarkhani faces the death penalty solely on the basis of his adopting Christianity. As such, the Islamic Republic of Iran is violating its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Article 18 includes a provision for the right to “have or to adopt” a religion, which has been interpreted authoritatively by the UN Human Rights Committee as including the right to change one’s religion.

Further, Iran’s constitution sanctions Christianity as a legitimate minority faith and asserts that Christians are allowed to freely carry out their religious rites. Article 23 asserts that no one may be “reprimanded simply because of having a certain belief.”

I am very concerned about Pastor Nadarkhani’s welfare and I respectfully request that you give your attention to this urgent matter. Thank you for your time.

Yours sincerely,

[Your name and address]

Pastor Youcef reportedly in imminent danger

Please pray for Pastor Youcef!
Photo: Present Truth Ministries

There has been an extremely dangerous turn of events for an Iranian pastor, Youcef Nadarkhani, leading to an increased likelihood that the regime will execute him for his faith, reports the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).

Pastor Youcef’s case had been stalled due to increased international pressure and the Iranian court’s request that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, decide Pastor Youcef’s fate (for more information, click here). Now, because Pastor Youcef has continually refused to give into the regime’s demands that he renounce his Christian faith, the likelihood that the Iranian regime will execute him increases by the day.

ACLJ notes the situation has not been this dire since Pastor Youcef’s story was first reported.

Please pray for Pastor Youcef, and please share this latest update with your friends, family members, and churches.

To find out how you can raise a voice for Pastor Youcef, click here.

Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani refuses to compromise faith for release

Pastor Youcef remains imprisoned after refusing to
state that Muhammad was a messenger sent by God.
Photo: Present Truth Ministries

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani recently refused to state that the Muslim prophet Muhammad was a messenger sent by God despite the fact that it would have secured his release, reports Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

On December 30, 2011, local authorities said they would release the pastor if he agreed to make the statement, but the pastor rejected the offer and remains in prison awaiting a final decision on his case. The request violates article 23 of the Iranian Constitution, which states that no one should be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief.

The pastor at the Church of Iran was arrested in Rasht in 2009, and in September 2010, he was tried and found guilty of apostasy and sentenced to death (for more, click here). He was made three similar offers in 2011 where recanting his faith would have saved his life, but he refused each time.

His case was eventually referred to Iran's Supreme Leader. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the case may have been passed on to the head of the Iranian judiciary, delaying execution for up to a year to allow time to convince the pastor to renounce his faith.

Please keep Pastor Youcef in prayer. 

• Please pray that Pastor Youcef's courage and faith will continue to be an example to the world that the Lord is more valuable than any earthly reward. 
• Please pray that his steadfast resolve to protect the integrity of the gospel message will lead others to salvation. 
• Please pray for his release.

Encourage Pastor Youcef with a letter! 
Let Pastor Youcef know that he is not forgotten and that Christians around the world are praying for him.

  Youcef Nadarkhani
  Lakan Prison
  Rasht
  ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

Please note: When writing a letter, never mention the name of the source of your information or the name of any organization such as Voice of the Martyrs or Prisoner Alert. Also, please do not state anything negative about their government. For more information on letter writing, click here. To create a letter using phrases in Youcef’s own language, please visit www.PrisonerAlert.com.

Iranian officials hopeful Christians will forget about Pastor Nadarkhani

Please remember Pastor Youcef in your prayers.
Photo: Present Truth Ministries   

Iranian Christians thank us for our continued prayer for Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, whose death sentence for apostasy (i.e. leaving Islam) was upheld in provincial court hearings in late September 2011, reports Middle East Concern. No written verdict has yet been delivered following those hearings.

It has recently been reported that the Head of the Judiciary had ordered the presiding judge at the provincial court to continue delaying the issuing of the written verdict. Pastor Youcef is to remain detained, and pressure to recant his faith in Jesus is to continue. Recanting his faith would lead to his immediate release.

Youcef is a pastor within the Full Gospel Church of Iran denomination in the northern city of Rasht. He has been detained in prison since October 2009. In September 2010 the Revolutionary Tribunal of Gilan Province found him guilty of apostasy and sentenced him to death - a verdict upheld by the Supreme Court in July 2011.

The Supreme Court also ordered the original tribunal to clarify whether or not Youcef was ever a practicing Muslim as an adult, and to give him further opportunity to recant his faith in Jesus. He refused to do so during the September 2011 hearings. The judge's verbal ruling acknowledged that Youcef had not been a practicing Muslim as an adult but upheld the death sentence because he was from Muslim ancestry and therefore guilty of apostasy (for more on Pastor Youcef, click here).

According to Present Truth Ministries, the order was designed to cause the international community, specifically Christians, to forget about Youcef’s case.

"Once we forget about him, then they are free to execute him," a spokesperson from Present Truth Ministries told Mission Network News.

Please don’t forget Pastor Youcef! 

• Pray that Youcef's death sentence will be revoked and his conviction overturned.
• Please pray that Youcef, his wife, Fatemeh, and their two sons will know the comfort, presence and hope of Jesus, and that the family will be reunited soon. 
• Pray that Christians throughout Iran will not be intimidated but will know the Lord's enabling and guidance. 
• Pray that all officials involved will love mercy, act justly, learn about Jesus and choose to follow Him.

Iran threatens churches as support increases for imprisoned pastor

Pastor Youcef and his family
Photo: Present Truth Ministries

The situation of Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani – who remains on death row in Iran for his faith – is gaining increased international attention, reports The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).

The Mexican Senate is the latest international body to take a stand for Pastor Youcef, stating that it “condemns the death sentence handed down to Yousef Nadarkhani for religious reasons” (for more on Pastor Youcef, click here).

Canada has also made statements calling for Pastor Youcef’s release. In addition, the Foreign Affairs Council and the Council for the European Union have released statements condemning Pastor Youcef’s conviction and execution sentence. The European Parliament also passed a resolution calling for Pastor Youcef’s release.

ACLJ appreciates the willingness of the international community, including the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran, to bring attention to Pastor Youcef’s plight, and urges international Muslim leaders (none of whom have spoken out) to call for Pastor Youcef’s unconditional release.

Yet, as these and other nations and international organizations increase the pressure on Iran to release Pastor Youcef, Iran is renewing its efforts to persecute Christians.

The Minster of Intelligence of Iran recently called house churches a threat to youth in Iran and stated the regime was preparing to crack down on these churches. A similar crackdown occurred right around Christmas last year, and it appears that Iran is preparing more raids again this year (for more on last year’s crack down, click here).

This news is not only disturbing for Pastor Youcef, the pastor of a Christian house church who awaits final determination on his fate by Iran’s Supreme Leader, but for hundreds of other Christian converts in Iran.

Please continue to pray for Pastor Youcef. Pray for continued international attention. Ask the Lord to bless, encourage, and strengthen Christians throughout Iran.

Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani to hear court's decision in December

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani
remains in Lakan Prison in Iran.
Photo: Present Truth Ministries

With his faith intact and his love for Christ steadfast, Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani remains in Lakan Prison in Iran charged with apostasy and sentenced to death. The Iranian government has denied the sentencing is based on apostasy despite abundant evidence to the contrary (for more, click here).

According to Present Truth Ministries, the court in Gilan is awaiting a response to their two letters of referral that were written to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khameini. Youcef's attorney has said the court will wait one month for a response. If they do not receive a response, they will issue a ruling sometime in mid-December.

According to a member of Pastor Youcef's denomination who requested anonymity, Youcef's health has deteriorated and he has undergone physical and psychological torture, reports Compass Direct News.

"We know that he has been in extreme situations, and we consider that torture," the source said. "When you have spent time in a solitary cell unable to talk to others for a long time, or you are told you will be killed, this is also torture."

Please pray!

• Please pray that Pastor Youcef will remain healthy and strong despite the burdens of imprisonment.
• Pray that the worldwide attention garnered by his persecution will increase pressure on Iranian officials to stop harassing and imprisoning Christians.
• Please pray that Youcef and his family will experience a peace that surpasses all understanding as they endure these trials (Philippians 4:7).

To post a prayer of support for Pastor Youcef and his family, visit our Persecuted Church Prayer Wall. For more on the trials believers face in Iran, click here.

Update on Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani

There have been developments in Iran concerning Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, whose death sentence for apostasy (i.e. leaving Islam) was upheld in court hearings in late September, reports Middle East Concern.

First, his lawyer has been informed that the case is being referred to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Second, the Supreme Court announced on October 11 that it would be willing to consider a further appeal. These are unusual developments in Iran's legal system, and are likely to further delay the issuing of a written verdict following the most recent hearing.

There is continuing uncertainty about the case. The Iranian authorities have repeatedly suggested that a death sentence has not been passed. This is despite the fact that written verdicts issued by the Revolutionary Tribunal of Gilan Province in September 2010 and the Supreme Court in July 2011 explicitly stated that the charge was apostasy and the sentence death.

In July, the Supreme Court also ordered the original tribunal to clarify whether or not Youcef was ever a practicing Muslim as an adult, and to give him further opportunity to recant his faith in Jesus. He refused to do so during the September hearings (for more information, click here).

Iranian Christians rejoice that Youcef's life has been spared thus far and thank us for our prayers. They request our continued intercession that:

• Youcef's death sentence will be revoked and his conviction overturned. 
• Youcef, his wife, Fatemeh, and their two sons will know the comfort, presence and hope of Jesus, and that the family will be reunited soon. 
• Christians throughout Iran will not be intimidated but will know the Lord's enabling and guidance.
• All officials involved will love mercy, act justly, learn about Jesus and choose to follow Him. 

For more information on the persecuted Church in Iran, please visit our Iran Country Report.

Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani refuses to recant, faces execution

Pastor Youcef and his family. (Photo: Present Truth Ministries)

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian pastor sentenced to death for apostasy in September 2010, refused to recant his faith during four court hearings held on September 25-28. He now faces an imminent verdict of the death sentence, which is expected to be issued within seven days.

"They probably won't kill him today, but they can do it whenever they want," a source said. "Sometimes in Iran they call the family and deliver the body with the verdict."

In July, the Supreme Court instructed the Revolutionary Tribunal of Gilan Province to review Youcef's case to verify whether he was previously a practicing Muslim (for more information, click here). At the recent hearings, the court in Rasht ruled that Pastor Youcef was not a practicing Muslim before becoming a Christian but that he remains guilty of apostasy because of his Muslim ancestry.

Please pray!

• Pray for continued strength and grace for Pastor Youcef. 
• Pray that all charges against him will be dropped. 
• Pray that Pastor Youcef will rely on the Lord to give him the words to say when he stands before accusing authorities (Matthew 10:19). 
• Pray that Iranian authorities will act justly in this case.

Please act!
A source in Iran has shared that it is critical for foreign governments to negotiate and engage in diplomacy with Iranian authorities about Nadarkhani's case, adding that Youcef's predicament could be more hopeful if they intervened. Please raise a voice on Pastor Youcef's behalf by writing Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, your local MP, and the Iranian embassy. For addresses and a sample letter you can use, click here.

(Sources: Compass Direct, Present Truth Ministries, Christian Solidarity Worldwide).

Raise a voice for Pastor Youcef!

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian pastor sentenced to death for apostasy in September 2010, refused to recant his faith during four court hearings held on September 25-28. He now faces an imminent verdict of the death sentence. "They probably won't kill him today, but they can do it whenever they want," a source said. "Sometimes in Iran they call the family and deliver the body with the verdict."

Please join us in raising a voice on Pastor Youcef’s behalf.

• Write Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird. Send him an email today at john.baird@parl.gc.ca. You can also mail him postage-free at:

          The Honourable John Baird
          House of Commons
          Ottawa, ON
          K1A 0A6

• Be sure to copy your local MP on the letter to Mr. Baird. You can locate your MP’s contact information here. 

• Write or fax the Iranian embassy in Canada:

          Mr. Kambiz Sheikh Hassani
          Chargé d'affaires, a.i.
          Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
          245 Metcalfe Street
          Ottawa, ON K2P 2K2
          Fax: (613) 232-5712

Use the sample letter below to guide you as you write. For further guidelines on how to write government officials, click here.

Thank you for raising a voice!

* * *

[Date]

[Government official’s address]

Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. [MP’s surname]  OR  His Excellency Kambiz Sheikh Hassani,

I am writing today to express my concern for Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. Nadarkhani, a 34-year-old pastor from Rasht, Iran, was arrested in October 2009 after he protested a government policy that required children, including his eight- and nine-year-old sons, to study the Qur’an in school. Nadarkhani told school officials that the Iranian constitution allows for freedom of religious practice.

As a result of his protest, secret police called him before a political tribunal and arrested him for protesting. The charges were later amended to apostasy and evangelism of Muslims. Nadarkhani was tried on September 21 and 22, 2010, and sentenced to death for apostasy on November 13.

In July 2011, the Supreme Court instructed the Revolutionary Tribunal of Gilan Province to review his case to verify whether he was previously a practicing Muslim. During hearings on September 25-28, the court in Rasht ruled that Pastor Nadarkhani was not a practicing Muslim before becoming a Christian but that he remains guilty of apostasy because of his Muslim ancestry. Pastor Nadarkhani now awaits a written verdict of the death sentence, which can be issued at any time.

Pastor Nadarkhani faces the death penalty solely on the basis of his adopting Christianity. As such, the Islamic Republic of Iran is violating its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Article 18 includes a provision for the right to “have or to adopt” a religion, which has been interpreted authoritatively by the UN Human Rights Committee as including the right to change one’s religion.

Further, Iran’s constitution sanctions Christianity as a legitimate minority faith and asserts that Christians are allowed to freely carry out their religious rites. Article 23 asserts that no one may be “reprimanded simply because of having a certain belief.”

I am very concerned about Pastor Nadarkhani’s welfare and I respectfully request that you give your attention to this urgent matter. Thank you for your time.

Yours sincerely,

[Your name and address]

Iranian pastor refuses to recant during court hearings

Please keep Pastor Youcef in your prayers.
(Photo: Present Truth Ministries)

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian pastor sentenced to death for apostasy in September 2010, refused to recant his Christian faith during two court hearings held on September 25 and 26, reports Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

In July, the Supreme Court instructed the Revolutionary Tribunal of Gilan Province to review his case to verify whether he was previously a practicing Muslim (for more information, click here).

At the recent hearings, the court in Rasht ruled that Pastor Youcef was not a practicing Muslim before becoming a Christian but that he remains guilty of apostasy because of his Muslim ancestry. Further sessions have reportedly been scheduled for September 27 and 28. If Pastor Youcef continues to refuse to recant his faith, it is expected that he will be executed.

For the full report, click here.

Please pray!

• Pray for continued strength and grace for Pastor Youcef. 
• Pray that all charges against him will be dropped. 
• Pray that Pastor Youcef will rely on the Lord to give him the words to say when he stands before accusing authorities (Matthew 10:19). 
• Pray that Iranian authorities will act justly in this case. 

First hearing scheduled for Iranian pastor Youcef Nardarkhani

Please pray for Youcef Nardarkhani!
(Photo: Present Truth Ministries)

The first hearing for Youcef Nardarkhani, an Iranian pastor who received a death sentence for apostasy, has been scheduled for September 25, reports Middle East Concern.

In July, the Supreme Court instructed the Revolutionary Tribunal of Gilan Province to review Youcef's case to verify whether he was previously a practicing Muslim (for more information, click here). Youcef claims that, although raised in a Muslim home, he was never a Muslim by choice, conviction, belief or consistent practice, and that he should therefore not be regarded as an apostate.

If the Tribunal concludes that Youcef was previously a Muslim and so is now an apostate, the Supreme Court's ruling makes clear that he should then be executed unless he recants his faith in Jesus as Saviour and Lord.

You can help by praying!

• Pray that Youcef will not be declared an apostate.
• Pray that he will remain firm in his faith and know the presence and peace of Jesus each day.
• Pray that his wife, Fatemeh, and their two sons will know the comfort and hope of Jesus, and that the family will be reunited soon.
• Pray that all officials involved will act justly in this case.

Prisoner of faith: Youcef Nadarkhani

Please write to Pastor Youcef!
(Photo: Present Truth Ministries)

Youcef Nadarkhani, a 34-year-old pastor from Rasht, Iran, was arrested in October 2009 after he protested a government policy that required children, including his eight- and nine-year-old sons, to study the Qur’an in school. Youcef told school officials that the Iranian constitution allows for freedom of religious practice.

As a result of his protest, secret police called him before a political tribunal and arrested him for protesting. The charges were later amended to apostasy and evangelism of Muslims. Youcef was tried on September 21–22, 2010, and sentenced to death for apostasy on November 13.

At last report, Iran's Supreme Court sent the case back to a lower court. The judges are reportedly seeking clarification as to whether Pastor Youcef was truly a Muslim prior to becoming a Christian. If Pastor Youcef is determined to have been a "true" Muslim and does not recant his Christian faith the death sentence will stand. It is also feared that Pastor Youcef could be executed before the court re-examines the case.

Youcef’s lawyer has also been sentenced to nine years in jail and a 10-year ban on practicing law or teaching at university for "actions and propaganda against the Islamic regime.”

Please encourage Youcef by writing him a letter!

Your letter will testify to the love and unity found among followers of Jesus Christ throughout the world. It will also serve as a witness to both your imprisoned family and to the authorities who may censor the letter.

Please note: When writing a letter, never mention the name of the source of your information or the name of any organization such as Voice of the Martyrs or Prisoner Alert. It is not dangerous for a prisoner to receive letters from individuals, but if an organization is mentioned they may be accused of links with “foreign organizations” and receive harsher sentences. Also, please do not state anything negative about their government. For more information on letter writing, please visit www.persecution.net/write.htm. To create a letter using phrases in Youcef’s own language, please visit www.PrisonerAlert.com.

Please send your letters to:
Youcef Nadarkhani
Lakan Prison
Rasht
Islamic Republic of Iran

New developments in case of Iranian pastor sentenced to death

Youcef Nardharkhani and his wife

Last month, Youcef Nardarkhani, an Iranian pastor convicted of apostasy for leaving Islam, had his death sentence for apostasy upheld and confirmed by the Iranian Supreme Court.

On July 3, Pastor Youcef’s lawyer reported that his case was being returned to the Revolutionary Tribunal of Gilan Province and that the Supreme Court would annul the sentence if Youcef renounced his faith.

Iranian Christians are emphasizing, however, that reports indicating Pastor Youcef’s case has already been annulled are misleading, as the annulment is dependent on him recanting his faith and embracing Islam (sources include Middle East Concern, Mohabat News and Present Truth Ministries).

Pastor Youcef thus remains at serious risk of execution and continues to face extreme pressure to deny Christ.

The Revolutionary Tribunal has been instructed to give Youcef more time in which to recant his faith in Jesus, which suggests that while the death sentence remains against him it may not be as imminent as first thought. There remains some uncertainty, however, as Pastor Youcef’s lawyer has yet to receive written confirmation of the death sentence verdict.

You can help by praying!

• Pray Pastor Youcef will be exonerated and released.
• Pray he will continue to find encouragement and strength in Christ in prison.
• Pray Iranian officials operating in corrupt and oppressive ways will repent of their actions and come to embrace Christ as Lord.
• Pray Christians in Iran will set their minds on Christ as they serve Him amid opposition (1 Corinthians 1:10).

Update: Iranian pastor’s death sentence upheld

Youcef Nardarkhani

The death sentence of Youcef Nardarkhani, an Iranian pastor convicted of apostasy, has been upheld and confirmed by the Iranian Supreme Court, reports Present Truth Ministeries.

Pastor Youcef, a leader in the Full Gospel "Church of Iran" network, was arrested and imprisoned in October 2009 after protesting a decision by the government requiring that his son study the Qur'an.

In September, Iran's 11th Circuit Criminal Court of Appeals for the Gilan Province upheld Pastor Youcef’s death sentence and conviction for apostasy. The delivery of the death sentence, however, was delayed. Many believe the delay was a means to pressure him to him to turn away from Christ in prison.

With the sentence now upheld and confirmed, it is possible that the authorities will ask him to recant his faith and execute him if he refuses without advance notice—a typical pattern of action taken by authorities in such cases.

If Pastor Youcef is indeed executed, his would be the first judicial execution of a Christian in Iran in two decades. He is but one of several members of his church who have been arrested by Iranian officials, and his wife has also spent time in prison because of her faith in Christ.

You can help by praying!

• Pray God will continue to equip Pastor Youcef to stand firm in his faith.
• Pray he will sense the love and support of all those praying for him and working on his behalf. 
• Pray the Iranian authorities involved will be convicted of their injustice and overturn the case.
• Pray for comfort to abound in the hearts and minds of Pastor Youcef’s wife and children.

Youcef Nadarkhani remains in prison; pray!

Pray for Youcef Nadarkhani's release!

VOM contacts received word that Youcef Nadarkhani remains in prison in Lakan province in northern Iran. He continues to be under the death sentence for apostasy (click here for more information).

Last week our contacts were informed that a decision had been reached in his case. However, no one was informed as to what that decision was.

Please pray for Youcef and his family. Pray that his faith would stand firm regardless of circumstances.

Anti-Christian speeches in Iran led to crackdown, sources say

Pastor Youcef Nardarkhani
was handed the death sentence
on November 13, 2010,
for leaving Islam.

We shared with you in early January that Iran had arrested dozens of Christians, beginning near Christmas, accusing Protestant evangelical groups of causing a cultural invasion.

Earlier this week, Compass Direct News reported that the crackdown was the result of speeches by Iranian religious and political figures between August and October who acknowledged the existence of home fellowships and condemned them as a threat to the state.

Iranian authorities have detained more than 70 Christians in a wave of arrests that began around Christmas, according to a report last week by Elam Ministries. With the release of seven Christians last week after they spent a month in solitary confinement, at least 26 Christians remain incarcerated. Sources said that with arrests across the country continuing, the number of Christians detained since Christmas could be as high as 120.

Though authorities have released most of the Christians after interrogations, many of them are still in prison, especially house group leaders. Many released in the last month had to sign statements saying they would not attend church again.

On October 19, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Iran’s enemies want to shake the country’s religious and societal values through the spread of Baha’ism and a network of Christian house churches. Khamenei’s speech marked the fifth public statement from an Iranian leader condemning Iranian Christians in the three-month period.

“The public statements show that the government acknowledges the presence of the church and considers it a threat,” a regional analyst who requested anonymity told Compass. “It’s striking they have been talking about it publicly in a way they haven’t previously.”

Sources told Compass that Iranian Christians belonging to house churches knew it was a matter of time before the security forces acted on the supreme leader’s condemnation and tightened their grip on house church members.

While persecution against Christians has intensified, it is believed to be part of a wider government campaign to crack down on any group the government considers threatening. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported on January 16 that since the beginning of the year, the government had executed 47 people in a two-week period. Thousands have been sentenced to death since elections in 2009.

The Elam report confirmed that Iranian authorities have arrested more than 200 Christians in 24 cities since June 2010.

You can read the full story here.

Commission: Arrests of Christians in Iran is condemnable, incongruous

Religious Liberty Commission
condemns violence in Iran.

Last Saturday, we told you about Iran’s crackdown on Christians and the arrest of dozens, many of whom are converts from Islam.

On Wednesday, the Religious Liberty Commission (RLC) of the World Evangelical Alliance issued a statement condemning violence against Christians in Iran, reports ASSIST News Service.

The statement, released to Christian media, says, “The ongoing raiding of homes and arrests of Christians in predominantly Shi’ite Iran, which began deplorably during the Christmas season, needs to stop immediately.”

The RLC says that since December 26, Iranian security agents in plain clothes have searched the homes of many Christians and arrested at least 40 of them in a crackdown in the capital city of Tehran and a few other places. Other reports indicate more than 70 Christians have been arrested.

The Commission says, “The onslaught, targeting converts from Islam and those engaged in evangelism, continued despite preceding international concerns over the arrest of a pastor, Behrouz Sadegh-Khanjani, and conviction of the pastor of the Full Gospel Church in Rasht, Youcef Nardarkhani, for apostasy, leading to awarding of death penalty.”

Tehran’s governor, Morteza Tamadon, was quoted by state news agency IRNA as saying that missionary evangelicals had stepped up their activity in Iran, which according to him is a “cultural invasion of the enemy.” The governor went on to say, “Just like the Taliban, who have inserted themselves into Islam like a parasite, [evangelicals] have crafted a movement in the name of Christianity.”

WEA-RLC Executive Director Godfrey Yogarajah said, “The growing authoritarianism in Iran only shows that the regime’s popularity is falling drastically which is making the government highly insecure and unnerved.”

Christians account for only around one percent of the Muslim-majority population in Iran. The Iranian regime also persecutes other minorities, including Zoroastrians, Baha’is and Sufis.

You can read the full report here.

Iranian pastor officially charged—apostasy

Pastor Youcef Nardarkhani
and wife, "Sister Tina"

Our sister office, VOM-USA, is reporting that Iranian Pastor Youcef Nardarkhani has officially been charged with denying that Mohammed was a prophet. The Assize Court of the province of Gilan stated that this act is apostasy because Nardarkhani believes in Jesus and has shared his faith with others, says VOM-USA.

The indictment states that as an apostate, Pastor Youcef will be executed. His lawyers have 20 days to appeal the indictment.

The indictment, which was issued by a public prosecutor in the presence of a jury, stated: “[Youcef] has frequently denied the prophethood of the great prophet of Islam and the rule of the sacred religion of Islam. ... He has proven his apostasy by organizing evangelistic meetings and inviting others to Christianity, establishing a house church, baptizing people, expressing his faith to others and denying Islamic values.”

According to court documents, when Pastor Youcef was asked about his faith, he told authorities, “Since I was born in a Muslim family, I was Muslim until I converted to Christianity at the age of 19.” He openly acknowledged accepting Jesus Christ.

The court also stated that the apostasy charge was determined a crime according to Islamic theologians.
Pastor Youcef’s defense attorneys have entered a not-guilty plea to the charges, arguing that “since there is no punishment specified in the Islamic judicial system of Iran and other penal laws [on apostasy] ... their client has not committed a crime to deserve a punishment.”

Please continue praying for Pastor Youcef and his family. Pray that his appeal will be successful and that he will be released.

To learn more about Pastor Youcef, visit http://www.prisoneralert.com/.