Monday, March 12, 2012

Dutch Member of Parliament Demands Revocation of Pastor Nadarkhani’s Execution, delivers Petition to the Iranian Embassy in The Hague

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service


THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS (ANS) -- A petition to save the life of Christian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani has been hand-delivered to the Iranian ambassador in The Hague.

Dutch Parliamentarian Joel Voordewind and Peter Bronsveld of Jubilee Campaign delivering the Petition to the Iranian Embassy in The Hague.(Photo courtesy Jubilee Campaign)
According to Jubilee Campaign www.jubileecampaign.org  , Joël Voordewind, Dutch member of Parliament, offered the petition with the more than 20,000 signatures directly to the Iranian Ambassador and demanded the revocation of the death sentence and Nadarkhani's immediate release.

Jubilee Campaign Netherland's Board Member, Peter Bronsveld, participated in the meeting.

Prior to the meeting, Jubilee Campaign had double-checked with inside sources to ensure that Pastor Nadarkhani is still alive.
Late last week, obscure sources released information that the execution had already taken place.

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which has been closely following the case and undertaking public efforts to stop the execution, also confirmed that the report was false.

In a media update, Jubilee Campaign’s Ann Buwalda, Chairman Jubilee Campaign The Netherlands, says: “Whether the execution order has been issued remains unclear because of denials by Iranian authorities, although reliable sources in the country state that the execution order has been issued.

“The fact that the Iranian authorities are denying the execution order is a clear result from all the prayers and advocacy efforts from around the world. Truly, Yousef Nadarkhani is only alive as a result of the ongoing international pressure and the media attention that has been given to this case.

“Our gratitude goes out to the growing group of citizens and politicians, at this moment more than 20.000 people, who made it possible for us to visit the Iranian Embassy by promoting our website through Twitter, Facebook and by forwarding our e-mailings.”
Ann Buwalda presents petition to Dutch Parliamentarian Joel Voordewind (Photo courtesy Jubilee Campaign)
Buwalda said that an important result of the visit to the Iranian embassy in The Hague is the invitation to Jubilee Campaign and Dutch Parliamentarian Joël Voordewind to go to Teheran for discussions and diplomacy.

“During his more than five years in the Dutch Parliament representing the Christian Union party, Mr. Voordewind has been a determined and unflinching advocate of persecuted Christians,” Buwalda said.

“After our visit to the Iranian Embassy we will certainly keep campaigning with undivided commitment! Please keep partnering with us in our struggle to save the life of Yousef Nadarkhani.”

Please pray for the release of all current 20-plus Christians in Iranian jails for their faith.


** Michael Ireland is the Senior International 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 International Reporter

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.

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