Seeker Of Jesus
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- Joined
- May 28, 2010
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- 131
Yousef Nadarkhani is an iranian (not sure if thats the proper term, he's from iran) He is a fellow brother in Christ and a pastor.
He was first imprisoned in December 2006, on the charges of apostasy from Islam and evangelising to Muslims. He was released two weeks later, with no word on the charges.
In 2009, Yousef discovered a recent change in Iranian educational policy that forced all students, including his children, to read from the Qur'an. After Youcef heard about this change, he went to the school and protested, based on the fact that the Iranian constitution guarantees freedom to practice religion. His protest was reported to the police, who arrested him and placed him before a tribunal on October 12, 2009, on charges of protesting. The charges were later changed to apostasy and evangelism, the same charges he was initially arrested under in 2006. Youcef was held at a prison in Lakan, a suburb of Rasht.
On June 18, 2010, his wife Fatemah was arrested. She was reportedly threatened with having her children taken away and given to a Muslim family. She was put on trial without an attorney and given a life sentence. After the trial she hired an attorney who appealed the conviction, and the conviction was overturned on October 11, 2010.
On September 21–22, 2010, Youcef appeared before the 11th Chamber of The Assize Court of the province of Gilan, where he was orally given a death sentence for the charge of apostasy from Islam. The sentence can not be appealed to the Supreme Court of Iran until it is given in writing, and the authorities have delayed. Yousef's lawyer, Nasser Sarbaz, was informed of the verbal sentence on October 2. Yousef's lawyer claims there were numerous procedural errors during Yousef's trial.
After conviction Youcef was transferred to a prison for political prisoners, and denied all access to his family and attorney. The delivery of Youcef's written verdict was delayed by Iran's security officials. Christians believe the delay in execution is an attempt by Iran's secret police to force Youcef to recant Christianity.
On October 29, 2010, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom asked President Barack Obama to press Iran to release Yousef. If the execution is carried out, Youcef would be the first Christian executed for religious reasons in Iran in over 20 years.
On November 13, 2010, the verdict for the trial of September 21–22 was finally delivered in writing, indicating that Nadarkhani would be executed by hanging. The sentence was appealed and the 3rd Chamber of the Supreme Court in Qom upheld the conviction and sentence of death. In July 2011 Iran's supreme court "annuled the death sentence and sent the case back to the court in Rasht asking the accused to repent," according to his lawyer Mohammad Ali Dadkhah. He is currently being kept in a security prison in Lakan, Iran, which is just south of his hometown of Rasht.
Despite the fact that there is no death sentence for apostasy in the Iranian penal code. Iran's constitution states that Islam is the official state religion and provides that Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians are recognized as "protected" religious minorities. Despite the protected status, in practice non-Shia Muslims face discrimination and the government severely restricts freedom of religion, according to the U.S. Department of State’s 2009 International Religious Freedom Report.
In June of this year the Iran supreme court overturned the verdict and sent the case back to the court in Rasht (his hometown). Now he is being told that he must repent from his conversion and come back to the islamic faith or face death.
This has been one of the most disturbing news i have read in a while. Obviously i am not surprised because Jesus warned us that these things were going to happen. I have been praying for Brother Yousef, his lawyer (who has also been threatened), & his wife and kids.
We must all pray for our Brother Youcef's safety and release, he is a true martyr. But most importantly we must pray for God's will to be done in this and all matters.
I wanted to post links related to this but because i don't have enough posts i can't. SO if anyone wants to read more on this google "Youcef Nadarkhani"
He was first imprisoned in December 2006, on the charges of apostasy from Islam and evangelising to Muslims. He was released two weeks later, with no word on the charges.
In 2009, Yousef discovered a recent change in Iranian educational policy that forced all students, including his children, to read from the Qur'an. After Youcef heard about this change, he went to the school and protested, based on the fact that the Iranian constitution guarantees freedom to practice religion. His protest was reported to the police, who arrested him and placed him before a tribunal on October 12, 2009, on charges of protesting. The charges were later changed to apostasy and evangelism, the same charges he was initially arrested under in 2006. Youcef was held at a prison in Lakan, a suburb of Rasht.
On June 18, 2010, his wife Fatemah was arrested. She was reportedly threatened with having her children taken away and given to a Muslim family. She was put on trial without an attorney and given a life sentence. After the trial she hired an attorney who appealed the conviction, and the conviction was overturned on October 11, 2010.
On September 21–22, 2010, Youcef appeared before the 11th Chamber of The Assize Court of the province of Gilan, where he was orally given a death sentence for the charge of apostasy from Islam. The sentence can not be appealed to the Supreme Court of Iran until it is given in writing, and the authorities have delayed. Yousef's lawyer, Nasser Sarbaz, was informed of the verbal sentence on October 2. Yousef's lawyer claims there were numerous procedural errors during Yousef's trial.
After conviction Youcef was transferred to a prison for political prisoners, and denied all access to his family and attorney. The delivery of Youcef's written verdict was delayed by Iran's security officials. Christians believe the delay in execution is an attempt by Iran's secret police to force Youcef to recant Christianity.
On October 29, 2010, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom asked President Barack Obama to press Iran to release Yousef. If the execution is carried out, Youcef would be the first Christian executed for religious reasons in Iran in over 20 years.
On November 13, 2010, the verdict for the trial of September 21–22 was finally delivered in writing, indicating that Nadarkhani would be executed by hanging. The sentence was appealed and the 3rd Chamber of the Supreme Court in Qom upheld the conviction and sentence of death. In July 2011 Iran's supreme court "annuled the death sentence and sent the case back to the court in Rasht asking the accused to repent," according to his lawyer Mohammad Ali Dadkhah. He is currently being kept in a security prison in Lakan, Iran, which is just south of his hometown of Rasht.
Despite the fact that there is no death sentence for apostasy in the Iranian penal code. Iran's constitution states that Islam is the official state religion and provides that Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians are recognized as "protected" religious minorities. Despite the protected status, in practice non-Shia Muslims face discrimination and the government severely restricts freedom of religion, according to the U.S. Department of State’s 2009 International Religious Freedom Report.
In June of this year the Iran supreme court overturned the verdict and sent the case back to the court in Rasht (his hometown). Now he is being told that he must repent from his conversion and come back to the islamic faith or face death.
This has been one of the most disturbing news i have read in a while. Obviously i am not surprised because Jesus warned us that these things were going to happen. I have been praying for Brother Yousef, his lawyer (who has also been threatened), & his wife and kids.
We must all pray for our Brother Youcef's safety and release, he is a true martyr. But most importantly we must pray for God's will to be done in this and all matters.
I wanted to post links related to this but because i don't have enough posts i can't. SO if anyone wants to read more on this google "Youcef Nadarkhani"
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