Release International

Iranian Christians are hopeful that a Bill proposing the death penalty for apostasy will be scrapped for good after a parliamentary committee rejected it.

The Iranian Parliament triggered an international outcry last year when it approved the so-called Apostasy Bill on September 9 (Prayer Alert, September 30, 2008). The Bill, which is part of a wider revision of Iran's penal code, would dictate a mandatory death penalty for men leaving Islam and life imprisonment for women.

However, after reviewing the Bill, the Parliament's Legal and Judicial Committee has now advised that the clauses relating to apostasy as a capital crime should be dropped.

The committee's revised Bill must now be approved by Parliament and the Guardian Council. The Council has the power to veto any Bill deemed to be inconsistent with the constitution or Islamic law.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent criticism of the Western media and the UK Government has led to fears that Christians, who are often accused of being pawns of the West, may now suffer even greater persecution.

Two Christian women – Maryam Rostampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh Esmaeilabad – are still being held without charge at the notorious Evin prison in Tehran, apparently because of their church activities (Prayer Alert, June 2, 2009). Both women were raised as Muslims.

(Sources: Christian Today, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Compass Direct, Middle East Concern)

• Thank God that a parliamentary committee has rejected the Apostasy Bill. Pray that the Parliament and Guardian Council will approve the revisions.
• Pray for the release of Maryam and Marzieh, who are said to be in poor health.

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