Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani was arrested Oct. 13, 2009. He had protested against the will of the Iranian government to impose an Islamic education for Christian children, and in defiance of the Iranian Constitution and Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that "Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education

In the Islamic Republic, judges and politicians can condemn people without the support of the law. So Ms. Fatemeh Passandideh (Nadarkhani), wife of Pasteur Youcef Nadarkhani has been sentenced on August 3rd to life imprisonment by the court of Rasht for a thought crime. The court of Rasht ruled that this young mother of two boys was guilty of "apos

To be punished by the "justice" of the Islamic Order, it is not enough to be a criminal or contest the validity of the result of the recent presidential election. There's now a "thought" crime, just as in the Orwellian universe and often the religious minorities who are guilty of "wrong-thinking" bear the brunt of this extremist political agenda. P

Fatemeh Passandideh, wife of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was released after four months of detention. Ms. Fatemeh Passandideh mother of two children had previously been the subject of a life sentence for apostasy. Fatemeh Passandideh Was released October 11, followings to Trial Before the 12th Chamber of the assizes court of Gilan province, northern I

Our latest podcast on Mideast Youth features an interview with a Christian Iranian activist, Firouz Khanjani, whose brother, a pastor, was arrested twice this year in Iran. In the podcast Firouz describes the persecution Christians suffer in Iran, the limitations of freedom, harassments, arrests and mass exodus of Christians from Iran as a result.

By Gabriel J. Waddell Special to ASSIST News Service IRAN (ANS) -- The stories of Christians in Iran over the past couple of months sounds like a modern-day rendition of the Apostle Paul's sufferings for the cause of Christ. While the Apostle recounted his stories of beatings, shipwreck, and stonings, these believers in Iran can list harsh prisons,

(CNN) --A Christan pastor in Iran has been sentenced to death for allegedly renouncing his Muslim religion and another faces a possible indictment on the same charge of apostasy, according to a prominent activist group working for human rights in Iran. Youcef Nadarkhani, a 32-year-old member of the Church of Iran ministry and pastor of an approxima

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has learnt that eleven members of the Church of Iran are to stand trial in the Revolutionary Tribunal of Bandar-Anzali for “activities against the Order”, and for drinking alcohol. The charges relate to their involvement in a house church, and to taking communion wine. The Christians on trial include Pastor

(CNN) --A Christan pastor in Iran has been sentenced to death for allegedly renouncing his Muslim religion and another faces a possible indictment on the same charge of apostasy, according to a prominent activist group working for human rights in Iran. Youcef Nadarkhani, a 32-year-old member of the Church of Iran ministry and pastor of an approxima

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) expressed concern for the fate of a Christian pastor who has been jailed for over one year and is currently being threatened with execution for apostasy. USCIRF urged the Obama Administration to press for his immediate and unconditional release. “This case is further evi