Christian Pastor Convert Sentenced to Death by Iranian Court
According to Fox News, Youcef Nadarkhani, a pastor in Iran, has been sentenced to death by an Iranian court for converting from Islam to Christianity. Nadarkhani, 34, was arrested more than two years ago on apostasy charges and now can be executed without notice. Whether Nadarkhani can appeal the decision is not clear, but it came just days after Congress supported a resolution condemning the charges against him and demanding his release. The European Union, France, Great Britain, Mexico, and Germany have also denounced the arrest.
Jordan Sekulow of The American Center for Law and Justice, responded to the news, "The world needs to stand up and say that a man cannot be put to death because of his faith."
Nadarkhani was arrested in October 2009 and was given opportunities to recant, which he declined. The ACLJ and other advocacy groups have launched campaigns in support of Nadarkhani that have kept him in the public eye, including a Twitter campaign that has reached over 400,000 people in more than 150 countries. According to the Fox News report, experts credit these groups for keeping Nadarkhani alive up to now.
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