Release International

An Iranian pastor faces being executed for apostasy after he lost his appeal against the death sentence.

The Supreme Court in Qom city is widely reported to have upheld the death sentence against Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani in a ruling last Wednesday. His lawyers have yet to receive written confirmation of this decision but they understand that Pastor Yousef could be executed at any time – unless he recants his faith.

Pastor Yousef was officially sentenced to death in November 2010 and his defence team lodged an appeal the following month.

He was first arrested in October 2009 – after protesting against the compulsory teaching of the Koran in Iranian schools. He was initially charged with protesting but charges were later changed to apostasy (leaving Islam) and for evangelising Muslims, according to religious rights charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW).

CSW reports that Pastor Yousef had been detained previously in December 2006, also on charges of apostasy and evangelism, but was released two weeks later.

The pastor, who has two young sons with his wife Fatemeh, leads a church in the northern city of Rasht in Gilan province. Fatemeh too was detained for four months in 2010 and several other members of their church have been detained.

Middle East Concern reports that the last known judicial execution of an Iranian church leader was in December 1990 when Rev Hossein Soodman was hanged.

(Sources: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Middle East Concern, Mohabat News)

Act
• Please write a polite letter appealing for clemency for Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani to Iran's supreme leader at the following address: Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei, The Office of the Supreme Leader, Islamic Republic Street – end of Shahid Keshvar Doust Street, Tehran, Iran. (Please do NOT mention Release International in any correspondence.)

Pray
• Ask God to fill Pastor Yousef and his family with His peace, which transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Pray that the Iranian authorities will relent and pardon Pastor Yousef. Pray too that Iranian officials will end their current campaign of persecution against religious minorities.

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