The Iranian Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of Pastor Youcef. He has been in prison since October 2009, and the appeal of his death sentence was rejected by the Iranian Supreme Court on June 28, 2011. He is to be executed by hanging. If the death sentence is carried out, it will be the first court-ordered execution of a Christian in Iran in 20 years.
Youcef Nadarkhani, a 34-year-old pastor from Rasht, about 750 miles northwest of Tehran, was arrested in October 2009 after he protested a government policy that required children, including his 8- and 9-year-old sons, to study the Quran 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 Sept. 21–22, 2010 by the 1st Court of the Revolutionary Tribunal and sentenced to death on Nov. 13 for apostasy.
The pastor is imprisoned in Lakan prison, where authorities have used various methods, including medication, to convert him back to Islam.
After Youcef refused to convert to Islam, his wife was arrested, put on trial without an attorney and sentenced to life in prison. She was later released after an attorney appealed her sentence. The Nadarkhanis’ children were cared for by a relative while they were both in prison.
http://www.prisoneralert.com/pprofiles/vp_prisoner_214_profile.html
Please Pray about this situation!
Pastor Youcef has lost all his appeals. His death sentence has been upheld by the nation's highest court. There is now nothing that can be done within the Iranian legal system. The only thing left to do is get on our knees and ask the Judge of men's hearts to intercede on Youcef's behalf.
Take time right now to pray for Youcef. His death sentence could be carried out at any moment. After you pray, send a letter to a government official on his behalf.
Write a Letter to Pastor Youcef:http://www.prisoneralert.com/qry/vp_writeletter.taf?pfilid=214
Be an Advocate: Contact the government on Youcef's behalf: http://www.prisoneralert.com/cprofiles/vp_country_105_profile.html?pfilid=214
Alert Friends: http://www.prisoneralert.com/qry/vp_alertFriends.taf?pfilid=214
© 2011 The Voice of the Martyrs
No comments:
Post a Comment