27 believers remain detained in Iran

Believers study God’s Word in apartments.

There are calls for both praise and petition in Iran as some formerly imprisoned believers have been released while others remain jailed for their faith, reports Middle East Concern.

Davoud Alijani was arrested in Ahvaz last December and was released on March 8. Sharifeh Dookh, Masoud Golrooyan and Nima Shokouhi arrested in Shiraz last February were released after 36 days in custody. And Giti Hakimpour, a 78-year old detained for three days in February, received all the property back that was confiscated when she was arrested including her passport, pension book, computer, mobile phone and Bibles and other religious materials.

However, at least 27 believers remain detained across Iran because of their Christian faith. Following a series of raids in February and early March, five believers remain detained in Shiraz, three in Kermanshah and at least seven in Isfahan. Among those detained for more than one year are Youcef Nadarkhani, Noorallah Qabitizade and Farshid Fathi.

Several believers who have been released on bail await court hearings. Alireza Akhavan, a Christian who was released on bail in 2010 but was convicted in November 2011 of "actions against national security," was re-arrested on March 14 while attempting to flee from Iran.

Please pray for believers in Iran!

• Please pray that each of those detained or facing court hearings will know the presence and peace of Jesus. 
• Please pray that believers across Iran will know the Lord's wisdom and protection while meeting together, and so will be enabled to live without fear.

To learn more about Iran's persecuted Church, go to the Iran Country Report. You can encourage imprisoned believers in Iran by writing them letters of encouragement. Compile a letter online at www.PrisonerAlert.com or download our letter writing guide.

Imprisoned Iranian pastor suffering ill health

Pray for Pastor Behnam’s healing!

Behnam Irani, an imprisoned 41-year-old pastor from Iran, is unwell with an intestinal disorder and a serious foot injury, reports our sister mission in the United States. There are more than four years left in his sentence.

The husband and father of two was convicted of crimes against national security in January 2011 and was sentenced to one year in prison. After voluntarily surrendering to authorities last spring, he learned that he would be forced to serve five years in connection with a previous conviction.

Behnam's family is very concerned over reports of his ill health as his brother died from intestinal cancer.

For the first few months of his sentence, Behnam was held in solitary confinement in a very small cell, and although he was moved to another cell with other prisoners, the room was so cramped that prisoners were not even able to lie down and had to sit all day and night in the stifling cell.

The pastor is now in a normal cell, but authorities have asked for him to be beaten regularly. His hair has turned white, and there are fears he could lose the use of his foot due to a severe foot injury.

Please remember Behnam Irani!

Pray:

• Please pray that the Divine Healer will restore Behnam to full health. 
• Please pray that he will have the opportunity to share the lifesaving gospel message with his fellow prisoners. 
• Pray that his family will be given peace and strength during his incarceration.

Write:
Let Behnam know that you are praying for him and his family. To compose a letter in his own language, visit PrisonerAlert.com. For our complete letter writing guide and prisoners’ list, click here.

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.

Send your letters to:

Behnam Irani
Ghezel Hesar Prison
Karaj, Albourz State
IRAN

Gao Zhisheng visited by family in prison

Gao with his family in January 2009.
Photo: ChinaAid

The relatives of prominent Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng have finally been allowed to visit him in prison, reports VOM partner, ChinaAid.

The visit has put to rest fears that the pioneer in the growing Christian legal defense movement in the country had died during the two-plus years of his forced disappearance into police custody.

Gao’s older brother and his father-in-law were permitted a half-hour meeting with Gao on March 24 at the Shaya prison, in a remote part of Xinjiang in far western China. They were able to see each other through a glass window and converse using a prison phone.

Gao’s wife, Geng He, recently telephoned ChinaAid’s founder and president Rev. Bob Fu confirming the meeting and providing details. She said that her husband broke into tears when her father told Gao, “My health is greatly improved now that I have seen you.”

Gao, who has disappeared into police custody several times since 2006, was last seen by his family members in April 2010 when he briefly resurfaced after a previous long period of disappearance.  During that time, he gave an extensive interview to the Associated Press in which he gave a detailed account of brutal torture inflicted on him by Chinese police.

Gao’s wife said he looked fine during the weekend prison visit, which was conducted under the watchful eye of prison officials and Public Security Bureau (PSB) officials. The PSB instructed Gao’s family members not to talk to the outside world about the visit.

PSB officers from Gao’s hometown in Shaanxi province had accompanied Gao’s older brother, Gao Zhiyi, on the entire trip from central China, a journey of more than 3,000 kilometres to Shaya.

Gao’s brother cried a lot and said to Gao's wife, “I am relieved after finally being able to see that he is at least alive.”

Thank the Lord that Gao was able to visit with his family! Please also consider writing a letter to Gao, reminding him that many around the world are praying for him.

Gao Zhisheng
Shaya Prison
Shaya County Aksu Prefecture
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, 842208

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 click here. To create a letter using phrases in Gao’s own language, click here.

Li Ying released early from prison in China

Praise God for Li's early release!

(Sources: China Aid Association, VOM-USA)

Journalist and Christian activist Li Ying was released from prison in China on December 25, 2011, almost five years before the end of her 15-year sentence. During her time in prison, she was reportedly forced to work 15 hours a day on products for export. Her visits with her family were also strictly limited, and she was not allowed to have a Bible.

Li was arrested in April 2001 for her work on an underground Christian magazine. In December 2001, Li was one of 17 South China Church leaders who were convicted of "using a cult to undermine enforcement of the law," five of whom were sentenced to death. Li was one of them, but as a result of the ensuing international outcry a higher court revoked the death sentences in September 2002, citing lack of clarity about certain facts and insufficient evidence. The case was retried in October 2002. Instead of the crime of "using a cult," the five who had been condemned to death were convicted instead of "intentional assault."

China Aid Association founder and president, Bob Fu, spoke with Li on February 10. Li is very grateful for the support she received from around the world. She told Fu that she was aware of the many letters she had received but that authorities never let her see the letters.

Thank the Lord for this wonderful answer to prayer! Ask Him to restore Li physically and emotionally. Pray that she will draw ever closer to Him as she comes to terms with her new life outside prison walls. Pray for the many Christian believers currently in prison for their faith.

To learn more about the persecuted Church in China, please click here. To find out how you can encourage other imprisoned believers in China, visit VOM's letter writing site. For our letter writing guide and complete prisoners' list, 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.

Sending Christmas cards this year? Don’t forget your persecuted family!

This year, we encourage you to send Christmas cards to our brothers and sisters in Christ who are imprisoned for their faith. Your letters will remind these believers that they are remembered and loved.

Write letters individually or with your family. Consider organizing a letter writing event with your small group, Bible study, or Sunday school!

You can include bookmarks, photographs, or children’s drawings with your cards. Be creative!

For international mailing, Canada Post advises that cards be mailed between November 22 and 29. Of course, if you letter arrives after Christmas it will still be welcomed and appreciated.

Get started today. For detailed instructions on how to write a letter to a prisoner, and for our full list of prisoner addresses, please visit our website. You can also compose letters in a prisoner’s own language here.

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

Prisoner of faith: Tohar Haydarov

Tohar Haydarov

He has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the “illegal sale of narcotic or psychotropic substances in large quantities.” It is a charge he and his church members strongly deny.

Those close to 27-year-old Tohar Haydarov believe he is being targeted because of his religious activities. “[He is] a man with a pure conscience and an honest Christian,” they insist.

Tohar has been imprisoned in Uzbekistan since March 2010. A judge recently confirmed his sentence, stating that "the punishment was given in proportion to the act, taking into account the public danger of the act."

Prison authorities recently showed Tohar some of the many letters sent to him. However, he is not allowed to read them because "there are too many citations from the Bible in them."

Please continue to send encouraging letters to Tohar!

When writing, never mention the name of the source of your information or the name of any organization such as VOM 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.

To compose a letter in Tohar’s language, please visit www.PrisonerAlert.com. To learn more about letter writing, click here.

Please mail your letters to:

Tohar Haydarov
UYa 64/49
Otryad 13
Pos. Shaikh-Ali
G. Karshi, Kashkadarya Region
180020 Uzbekistan

Prisoner of faith: Pastor Ilmurad Nurliev

Pastor Nurliev has been imprisoned
since August 2010.

Pastor Ilmurad Nurliev was arrested at his home in Mary in south-eastern Turkmenistan on August 27, 2010. He was charged with extracting money from three people – an accusation his wife, Maya, and fellow church members strongly deny. During his trial, several of the witnesses against the 45-year-old pastor were coerced into testifying.

“All this is being done because of his faith,” Maya explained.

Pastor Nurliev was sentenced to four years in prison and his wife was forced to pay “compensation” immediately or risk being kicked out of their home. Pastor Nurliev was also ordered to undergo “forcible medical treatment” to “wean him off his narcotic dependency,” another claim that his wife and church members reject.

In December 2010 Pastor Nurliev was transferred to Seyi Labour Camp, known for its use of psychotropic drugs on prisoners. A former prisoner in the camp described conditions “like something from the Middle Ages.”

Instead of working in the labour camp's brick kiln, the pastor is being permitted to work at his trade as a barber, serving both prisoners and camp staff.

The pastor is a diabetic, and his family is concerned about his health while he is in prison. He has no access to medical treatment. Prison authorities have also denied him a Bible.

You can encourage Pastor Nurliev today by writing him a letter. Letters remind prisoners of faith that they are not forgotten by the Body of Christ as they suffer!

Please send your letters to:
Ilmurad Nurliev
Turkmenistan
746222 Lebap vilayet,
Seydi
uchr. LB-K/12

Please note: When writing your letter, never mention the name of the source of your information or the name of any organization such as The Voice of the Martyrs. 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 writing letters to prisoners, please visit www.persecution.net/write.htm. You can also compose a letter to Pastor Nurliev in his own language online at www.PrisonerAlert.com.

Prisoner of Faith: Sun Minghua

Minghua has been imprisoned
for her faith since 2001.

In September 2001, Chinese believer Sun Minghua was arrested on suspicion of organizing and utilizing a cult organization to undermine law enforcement. At the time she was a council member in charge of finances for the South China Church (SCC).

Earlier that year, in April, the SCC was designated a "cult" by the ministry of Public Security. In the following months, the communist government tried to close SCC down by arresting more than 500 of its leaders.

However, these assaults did not stop church members from continuing in their "illegal missionary work." Even under the threat of arrest, the SCC continues expanding and increasing its membership. It is considered a relatively small house church in China, with approximately 100,000 members spread across 10 of China’s provinces.

A few months after her arrest, Sun was sentenced to life in prison. At a later high court hearing, this sentence was reduced to 12 years. She is scheduled to be released in 2014.

Please keep Sun in your prayers! Please also consider writing her a letter of encouragement, reminding her that her brothers and sisters in Christ have not forgotten her. 

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 about writing letters to prisoners of faith, please visit our website at www.persecution.net/write.htm. To compose a letter online using phrases in Sun’s language, check out www.PrisonerAlert.com. Click on her profile and then click “Write an encouraging letter.”  

Please mail your letters to:
Sun Minghua
No. 5 Division, Section 2
Wuhan Female Prison
Wuhan City, Hubei Province 430032
People's Republic of China

Your prayers and letters make a difference!

In March 2009, Christian roommates Maryam Rustampoor, 29, and Marzieh Amirizadeh, 32, were charged by the Iranian state with being "anti-government activists." They spent 259 days in Tehran's notorious Evin prison before being released in November 2009.

Our sister mission in the United States recently posted their first interview since their release. The pair discussed their life in prison with Sam Yeghnazar of Elam Ministries.

Take a few moments to read the transcript and be encouraged. Your letters and prayers DO make a difference!

Be blessed!

Send a letter to Imran Ghafur!

Imran Ghafur

VOM contacts recently met with Pakistani prisoner Imran Ghafur’s family. They say he is in good health and is permitted to visit with them each Thursday.

The family is able to see Imran through a glass window and speak to him via intercom. He only leaves his cell twice a day for a head count. The cell is 26 feet by 20 feet. It has no windows and summer temperatures can reach 49 degrees Celsius.

Imran was arrested on July 1, 2009, on charges of burning pages of the Qur’an. While cleaning his brother’s store, Imran removed some trash intending to burn some of it. While burning the garbage, pages of an Islamic book flew into the fire and burned. Imran’s neighbour saw the burned pages and informed other Muslims in the area.

Imran and his father were severely beaten before police arrested Imran. Muslims in the area are calling for his execution.

You can send a letter of encouragement to Imran, letting him know you are praying for him.

Imran Ghafur
Central Jail of Faisalabad
Faisalabad
Pakistan

You can also compose a letter to Imran in his own language by visiting www.PrisonerAlert.com. Click on Imran’s profile and then click “Write an encouraging letter.”

Sending letters to prisoners

Send letters to prisoners today!

Throughout VOM’s history, our office has received many, many letters in which believers expressed their thanks for letters sent to them in prison.

From a Soviet in prison for Christ:

I have just been released from prison and am at home with my family according to the flesh, and with that through the blood of Christ. Thanks for your prayers. I felt them and have always been full of peace and consolation.

From another Soviet believer:

I finished my term of 4 ½ years of prison and now live in deportation in the Siberian taiga. I will never be able to describe the torture of having spent those years together with criminals. I hungered and suffered from cold, bugs and lice. I saw misery and violence. Now I have been sent to a desolate area, but all things work together for good.

From Pastor Nguyen Lap Ma, a Vietnamese who refused to relinquish his church:

I read every letter with prayers and tears. I devour every letter and meditate on the Scriptures shared in them. I then share these words of encouragement and the Scriptures in Vietnamese with my family. We are glad and encouraged by the messages in them.

From a young Pakistani Christian woman:

I am thankful to God He released me from prison. I am thankful to The Voice of the Martyrs for helping my family, and I thank my brothers and sisters who wrote me letters in prison. May God bless all of you.

From an imprisoned Chinese bookstore owner:

I thank you for the love and the help you offered for my family. My heart is filled with peace and light from the Holy Spirit. Let us, in Christ, continue to focus on the Father’s kingdom and righteousness. Let us thank, praise and worship the great, almighty and loving God.

Christians facing persecution often struggle with feelings of loneliness and isolation. At times, separated from their loved ones, they wonder if anyone cares about them.

Writing letters is a simple way you can stand with them at their time of need, encouraging them in their walk with Christ and reminding them of the prayer support from their extended Christian family.

Please take some time to compose and send a letter today. You can download our letter-writing guide and prisoners list, “Doing Time for God,” here. You can also visit http://www.prisoneralert.com/ to write a letter to a prisoner in his/her own language.

“Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who

are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.”

Hebrews 13:3

Write letters to Iranian prisoners!

Back in December, we shared with you that nine Iranian Christians had been arrested in Hamadan on charges of evangelistic activities.

Four of these individuals remain in prison. PrisonerAlert.com has added them to its Prisoner List. Please consider writing to these individuals today. They need our support and prayers!

Pastor Vahik Abrahamian and his wife, Sonia Keshish-Avanesian
Arash Kermanjani and his wife, Arezo Teymouri

Prison Address:
Tehran/Hamadan road
5th km to Hamadan
Voroudi Bahram Abad
Islamic Republic of Iran

The four individuals were detained on September 4, 2010. The two couples, who are close friends, were arrested at the Abrahamians' home in Hamadan and taken initially to the Ministry of Islamic Guidance prison.

For the first 40 days, they were held in solitary confinement and reportedly suffered physical abuse and psychological pressure. Pastor Vahik's wife Sonia, who was pregnant when she was arrested, is said to have suffered a miscarriage—her fourth.

The couples, who are now being held in Hamadan prison, have been accused of various offenses, including propagating Christianity, opposing the Islamic Republic of Iran, and having contact with exiled opposition figures.

Contacts have expressed concern about the couples' well-being and about their prospects for justice.

In addition to sending a letter, you can also visit PrisonerAlert.com and write a letter to these individuals in their own language. Want to know more about writing letters to prisoners and government officials? Download our Prisoners List here.

Please pray for their release!

Court upholds 15-year sentence of Chinese Christian

Pray for Alimujiang Yimiti's release
from prison.

Alimujiang Yimiti will not be released from prison anytime soon.

ChinaAid has learned that the Higher People’s Court of Xinjiang ruled to uphold the original sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment. A notice was sent mid-February to Alim, who is serving his sentence in Xinjiang’s No. 3 Prison.

Alim, a Uyghur house-church leader, was arrested in January 2008. He was sentenced in 2009 to 15 years’ imprisonment for “providing state secrets to overseas organizations.” The charge was based on two private conversations between Alim and an American friend, even though there was no evidence to suggest that sensitive information was discussed.

In November 2010, a high court accepted Alim’s appeal to have his case reviewed. In December 2010, Alim’s wife and two lawyers prepared an appeal. The judge, however, informed them that the collegiate bench had already studied the case and made a decision.

We’ll have more information about Alim in our upcoming April newsletter, along with other China updates. Want to subscribe? Go here.

You can also visit http://www.freealim.com/ to sign a petition to free Alim. Or visit http://www.prisoneralert.com/ to write a letter to Alim in his own language.

Stand in solidarity with missing Chinese Christian

Gao was last seen with his
family in January 2009.
(Photo ChinaAid)

For nearly two years, Gao Zhisheng, a Christian human rights lawyer in China has been detained by authorities, his whereabouts often unknown. He was initially seized from his home in Shaanxi province on February 4, 2009, and held incommunicado by security officials for 13 months. In early April 2010, news surfaced that he had been released. Shortly thereafter he was again reported missing.

In an October radio interview, Gao’s wife, Geng He, expressed her and her family’s eagerness to find him: “My family only wants to get some news of him. When I talked with his sister, she said: ‘He is a member of the family. No matter what he does, such as eating the daily meals, sleeping or even taking a walk outside, anything would make us miss him. Where on earth has he gone?’ The entire family of mine is puzzled and we have been looking for him ever since.”

You can get involved in a worldwide advocacy effort on Gao's behalf. In recognition of Human Rights Day on December 10, ChinaAid is coordinating a campaign with the aim of delivering 150,000 signed petitions to Chinese embassies around the world.

Please consider joining with your friends and family members in writing letters and delivering them to the Chinese embassy in Ottawa.

H.E. Zhang Junsai
Ambassador
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Canada
515 St. Patrick St.
Ottawa, ON K1N 5H3
Tel: 613-789-3509
Fax: 613-789-1414

Your sample letter might look like this:

To the Honourable Ambassador from China,

I am aware that Chinese authorities have detained Christian attorney Gao Zhisheng since February 4, 2009. He was at the home of relatives in Shaanxi province when more than a dozen Public Security Bureau officers took him away. He resurfaced in April of this year and then disappeared again.

Since 2005, Gao has been repeatedly kidnapped, arrested, imprisoned and tortured for his work defending those persecuted for their faith. He and his family have been monitored by authorities for more than two years.

I am praying for the leaders of China and request that you communicate with relevant Chinese leaders and release Gao Zhisheng immediately, as arbitrary detention is in violation of Chinese law.

Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.

Your name

Need some additional letter-writing guidance? Download VOM’s letter-writing guide here.

PRAY: Pakistani woman sentenced to death

Asia Bibi and her family

VOM sources are reporting that Asia Bibi, a Christian mother-of-two, has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani court for blasphemy. She is the first Pakistani woman ever to receive this sentence for blasphemy.

Yesterday, a court judge gave Asia the maximum sentence at the end of a trial that lasted more than 16 months. Asia, a farm labourer in her late 30s from Ittanwali, Punjab province, was also fined more than the equivalent of an average worker’s two-and-a-half years’ salary. The decision comes as a crushing blow to Asia and her family as well as all Pakistani believers and those who have been praying for Asia’s release.

Police first filed a case against Asia in June 2009, after her local Muslim co-workers accused her of making derogatory comments against Islam’s prophet, Mohammed. VOM first reported on this story on June 24, 2009, and wrote an update last week about Asia languishing in prison.

Please pray for a reversal of the court ruling. Pray that God would soften the hearts of those in charge of Asia’s case. Pray God's perfect peace that surpasses all human understanding over Asia and her family.

Want to do more? You can voice your concern by sending emails directly to the offices of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Abdullah Hussain Haroon, the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations.

Office of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari

ambassador@embassyofpakistanusa.org

Abdullah Hussain Haroon, the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations

pakistan@un.int

For more information about writing to government officials, download a PDF of VOM’s letter-writing guide and prisoner list, “Doing time for God.”