Skip to main content

Youcef Nadarkhani Has Not Been Executed; ACLJ Denies Rumors

By Katherine Weber , Christian Post Reporter
March 5, 2012|11:55 am

The American Center for Law and Justice's sources in Iran confirmed Saturday that Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani is in fact alive, and rumors that he was to be executed over the weekend were false.

Photos surfaced on the Internet Saturday, allegedly showing a blindfolded Nadarkhani facing execution by hanging. These photos are outdated and false, the ACLJ reported Saturday.
Although Nadarkhani is still alive, the ACLJ does still believe that Iranian courts have issued an execution order. In the past, Iran has not informed the public of an execution, oftentimes dropping the prisoner's executed body on the family's doorstep.
Persecution organizations continue to push the importance of international pressure on Iran in helping to secure Nadarkhani's release, ascertaining that international pressure has helped keep the pastor alive.
Over the past two weeks, the United States has taken an assertive stance on Nadarkhani's case. On Feb. 23, both the White House and the U.S. Department of State issued statements urging the evangelical Christian's immediate release.
On March 1, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a three-page resolution titled H. Res. 556, which declared Iran to be in violation of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights, and the Iranian constitution.
Other persecution watchdog organizations, including The Voice of the Martyrs, Present Truth Ministries, Open Doors USA, and International Christian Concern have all openly condemned Iran, shedding a crucial light on Nadarkhani's plight.
"[O]ne thing is certain: international pressure has played an integral role in keeping Nadarkhani alive thus far," Aidan Clay, the International Christian Concern's Regional Manager for the Middle East, said in a statement on Feb. 24.
"Now is not the time to lose hope, but to remain ardent in prayer and to fight this injustice by raising as much awareness as possible. Most likely, the Iranian government will listen to nothing else but worldwide condemnation," Clay added. 
Nadarkhani has remained imprisoned in Iran since Oct. 2009, when he was arrested for protesting the teaching of Islam at his children's public school. Since this arrest, Nadarkhani has been charged with apostasy and attempting to evangelize Muslims, and his case has been passed from the Gilan provence's local court to Iran's Supreme Court, and ultimately to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for review.
The international community, as well as Nadarkhani's family, await further information on the status of this execution order.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In His Eyes

July 23, 2012 Mary Southerland Today's Truth I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be ( Psalm 139:14-15 , NIV). Friend to Friend It was my first day of teaching second grade. While standing at the classroom door, greeting parents and children, I felt a tug on my skirt. I looked down into the beautiful blue eyes of Sammy, one of my new students.  His mother, who was standing beside Sammy, looked at me and said, "I guess you've heard about Sammy.  Good luck!" As she walked away, Sammy said, "She's right. I'm dumb and mean and can't read or write."  Lisa was a tall, blonde and beautiful young woman with zero self-confidence. Lisa was...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Danger in Being a Christian: It began as a Jewish sect; fierce persecution only helped it spread

Acts 8 Acts 8:1 On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. In some countries, a person who becomes a Christian forfeits a good education and job. And in a few countries, a person who converts risks his or her life. One church historian estimates that more Christians were martyred in the twentieth century than in all preceding centuries put together. Yet, strangely, more often than not, intense persecution of Christians leads to a spurt of growth in the church. An ancient saying expresses this phenomenon: “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the church.” The First Big Advance For a while, the new faith enjoyed popular favor. But very soon it involved grave risk. In the book of Acts, the persecution that produced the first Christian martyr, Stephen, ironically brought about the advance of Christianity outside its Jewish base. Forced out of stormy Jerusalem, the scatterin...
Post a Comment
Read more

La amistad: Ayuda para la santidad

Leer | JUAN 15.12-15 20 de julio de 2012 Cuando Dios creó todo, solo una cosa no tuvo su aprobación. Miró a Adán, quien era el único ser en su clase, y dijo: “No es bueno que el hombre esté solo” (Gn 2.18). El Señor creó a las personas para que tuvieran compañerismo emocional, mental y físico, de modo que pudieran compartir su ser más íntimo unas con otras. Jesús explicó esto a sus discípulos, diciéndoles que debían amarse unos a otros tal como Él los había amado. En una amistad que honra a Dios, dos personas se edifican mutuamente y se animan una a otra a tener un carácter como el de Cristo. Sin embargo, muchas no logran entablar y mantener relaciones que estimulen su fe (Pr 27.17). Lo que hacen es hablar trivialidades propias de simples conocidos: el clima y los asuntos mundiales. Lamentablemente, también los creyentes rehúyen la conversación profunda en cuanto al pecado, la conducta transparente y la vida de acuerdo con los parámetros bíblicos, que servirían para enriquecer ...
Post a Comment
Read more