Iran Court Upholds Death Sentence of Pastor
July 4, 2011 by admin
Filed under Persecution
An Iranian pastor is slated for execution any day now for apostasy, a crime punishable by death in the Islamic republic.
The Iranian Supreme Court upheld the conviction and death sentence of 36-year old Youcef Nadarkhani. He is a former Muslim and remains imprisoned near the city of Rasht, Iran.
The house church pastor was arrested in October 2009 after he protested a government decision forcing Christian school children to be taught Islam.
“There is nothing more to be done to help his case from within Iran. The only thing that can affect his case now is international pressure,” Jason DeMars, of Present Truth Ministries, told ASSIST News Service.
“I ask that each of you earnestly pray and follow what God calls you to do,” he said.
Religious rights groups are calling on the Iranian regime to cancel the sentence.
“We know that we are called to be faithful unto death and that many are killed for their faith everyday around the world,” DeMars said. “But as Christians, let’s do what we can for Youcef, pray for him and raise our voices against the Iranian regime.”
– cbn