Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
RASHT, IRAN (ANS) -- An Iranian pastor who faces the death sentence for apostasy will have his case reexamined by a lower court.
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Youcef Nadarkhani and his wife. (Courtesy Present Truth Ministries). |
DeMars told ANS: “We have learned that the re-examination will take place on September 25, 2011. The local court was ordered by Branch 27 of the Supreme Court to examine specifically whether he was a practicing Muslim between the age of accountability, 15, until he became a Christian at age 19. After they review the case, it will be referred back to the Supreme Court for a final decision.”
DeMars also told ANS that Behnam Irani remains in prison in Karaj, and recently five other Christians were ordered to report to prison to serve a one year sentence in Shiraz.
“This is part of a larger campaign by the Iranian government to purge the nation of Christians. Many government-paid mullahs have issued statements during sermons encouraging the police to do more to put an end to the Christian movement in Iran,” DeMars said.
DeMars is calling on concerned believers to join him on September 24th for a day of fasting and prayer for Youcef and his case.
“Let’s join forces in this spiritual battle and keep our brother continuously covered in prayer,” he said.
| ** Michael Ireland is Senior Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior Reporter |  |
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