Pastor Faces Execution in Iran for Refusing to Give up Christianity
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Germany summoned the Iranian charge d'affaires to demand a stay of execution for a pastor who has refused to give up Christianity and return to Islam, the foreign ministry said late Thursday.
"In light of the relevant human rights agreements, the death penalty must be lifted against Youssef Nadarkhani," it said in a written statement after Thursday's meeting.
"Under international law Iran must respect religious minorities and respect freedom of religion."
The German diplomat, Boris Ruge, also demanded Nadarkhani's immediate release at the meeting, it added.
Nadarkhani, who is in his 30s, became a pastor of a small evangelical community called the Church of Iran after converting from Islam at the age of 19.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Thursday joined calls for Iran to free him after his arrest by Iranian authorities for apostasy in 2009. He has since been sentenced to death under Islamic Sharia law.
The pastor was spared by a Supreme Court appeal ruling in July, his lawyer told Agence France Presse, but was again condemned to death after the case was reheard at a court in his home town of Gilan, according to media reports.
30 September 2011, 12:59
50
i dont believe in this, there are alot of christians and jews lliving freely in iran, as long as they respect the traits and laws there.
in fact i have a very close christian iranian friend that denies this lie by naharnet when i contaced him by phone
30 September 2011, 14:52
00
it has to be true no doubt
& even if it's not true i would not say that christians are living freely in iran
they are not
i follow & love a path because it loves me too
but other people on earth follow a path because they fear it
think think think why ur following such a path isn't it because u fear it
well the answer is it's just a myth
30 September 2011, 15:36
02
Welcome to Iran! When you see his head roll in the newspaper front pages you will believe the news Johny.. Those who have murdered their own lieutenant, Gotbzadeh, Chapour Bakhtiar, attempted to murder Bani Sadr, and decimated a whole political class untried, shot on their demonstrating students in Paris,surely would not hesitate to slaughter a Christian Pastor!
30 September 2011, 21:20
03
bigdig it's easy to rephrase what you are saying and to make you agree with the nahar headlines: Someone who quit Islam to embrace Christianity is condemend to capital punishment ! You can call it apostasy if you want, but it is the freedom to choose another religion than your original one. Was Cassius Clay guilty of apostasy when he became Mohammed Ali in the great american Satan??
30 September 2011, 21:27
40
The US crusaders murdered our brave Jihadist brother Anwar al-Awlaqi so it's only fair that we kill an infidel back.
30 September 2011, 22:26
03
shiite bro "johnny" your iranian christian friend must be one of the imposters like our fellow shiite bros similar to my fellow shiite bro finicien still trying to pass for christians in iran as in ksa preaching or converting to christianity is punishable by death
30 September 2011, 23:37
00
I agree with johnny and bigdig we all should defend Iran's right to kill Muslims who convert to Christianity it's the Sharia law and it will soon became the law in Lebanon once the Islamic Republic of Lebanon is established by SHN . Only filthy Zionists defend infidel Nadarkhani .
this is the story elsewhere
www.google.com/search?hl=en&sa=X&ei=gyaGTtDeHfDG0AGYvqjFDw&ved=0CB8QvwUoAQ&q=Yousef+Nadarkhani&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=853&bih=435&ech=1&psi=gyaGTtDeHfDG0AGYvqjFDw.1317414532037.3&emsg=NCSR&noj=1&ei=gyaGTtDeHfDG0AGYvqjFDw
01 October 2011, 06:06
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Christians can live in Iran with no problems. This pastor left Islam, in Islam, the punishment for apostasy leaving Islam is death.
So Johnny, read the article, not just the headline, leaving Islam IS punishable by death.
01 October 2011, 07:45
01
Anyone who has experienced Jesus the Messiah as LORD and SAVIOR, would never leave Him even if he was threatened of death. Who should he obey, God or people? They only have authority over his body, but God has authority over his soul.
God is coming to you, all of you. If you do not answer his call, you will be left alone. But those who will welcome Him, He will give them eternal life.
01 October 2011, 12:18
00
and it is this regime that hezbollah and his friends here support saying they are the best democracy in the middle east...
you give up islam then you are killed... welcome back to the middle ages!!!
this law is enforced in iran and christians there have to have a very low profile, and are segregated.
and 8 march christians support them, how laughable!
and it is this regime that hezb and 8 march wants for lebanon? let me laugh
01 October 2011, 13:40
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Iranian Kews live freely in Iran but not the Christians. Willyiat al batikh
01 October 2011, 22:46
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Everyone should listen to bigdig Western medias are no good it's ale ways better to read state controlled medias . Especially from countries controlled but someone with a turban because they tell the divine truth as dictated by God . Besides everyone knows Christians have no place in the new Islamic Middle east that is being created as proclaimed by the Iranians , Christians are foreign to it brought in by the west to defeat Islam as SHN said , you've noticed he has a turban so he only tells the truth . Lastly as bigdig had said never trust any Christian because he's probably a neo-con zionist trying to brainwash you .
08 October 2011, 03:34
00
Le Phenician you must be whacked up or something because no matter what it is NEVER right to kill someone weather you disagree with their beliefs or not. It simply is cruel and inhumane. really. Also, who cares if the US killed a crazy jihadist I understand the Muslims belief to fight the crowd, but that jihadist murdered who knows how many people when he could have tried to convert people differently. Let's all hope Nadarkhani is released!
