Youcef Nadarkhani, Iranian Pastor Faces Execution For Refusing To Recant His Christian Faith

By Adelle M. Banks
Religion News Service

WASHINGTON (RNS) Religious freedom advocates rallied Wednesday (Sept. 28) around an Iranian pastor who is facing execution because he has refused to recant his Christian faith in the overwhelmingly Muslim country.

The British-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide has asked international supporters to urge Iranian officials to halt plans to execute Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani.

The pastor was found guilty of apostasy last year, and the conviction has been upheld by the Iranian Supreme Court. If carried out, the execution would mark the first time since 1990 that an Iranian pastor was killed for his Christian faith.

"Despite the finding that Mr. Nadarkhani did not convert to Christianity as an adult, the court continues to demand that he recant his faith or otherwise be executed," said Leonard Leo, chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. "The most recent court proceedings are not only a sham, but are contrary to Iranian law and international human rights standards."

Author and megachurch pastor Rick Warren went to Twitter to ask his followers to join in protesting Nadarkhani's possible execution. House Speaker John Boehner called on Iranian leaders "to abandon this dark path, spare Youcef Nadarkhani's life, and grant him a full and unconditional release."

The attention on Nadarkhani comes a week after Iran released two American hikers who had been in custody for two years after they were convicted of spying, which they denied.

Writing in the National Review Online, religious freedom activist Nina Shea said Western voices made a difference in the hikers' case and could influence the pastor's fate: "Those of us in the free world should press our members of Congress to speak up."

Comments

[lindamermaid]

09:48 PM on 11/04/2011

Islam is a religion of peace, by the way. As long as you STAY in it. Then it's not. I think I'll slap the next person that tells me Islam is a good religion. I don't care for liars.

[drummondha08]

12:43 PM on 10/21/2011

May the Lord be with you Pastor.

[blizzard man robot voice]

03:26 AM on 10/12/2011

God bless Youcef! He will have a special place in heaven!

[Kelley Smith]

02:33 PM on 10/11/2011

Religion is barbaric!!!

To all believers, you can not in a honesty, be upset at the negative and insulting remarks thrown around as YOUR silence and submission to religious lunacy is well known.

No muslim criticized OBL in the beginning or saw what his influence and actions would do to the Uma.

No christian howled about the re-characterization of jesus christ as a macho, gun-toting ultra-conservative.

Please stop with the insulted arrogance and fake dis-belief of your misunderstood belief system, when you stood by and watched it happen.

[Guava Juice]

04:49 PM on 10/11/2011

Don't forget the Americans also trained and assisted OBL at the start. And at time most Muslims probably had no clue who he was...

[blizzard man robot voice]

03:24 AM on 10/12/2011

Please stop attacking other people's religions.

[Kelley Smith]

03:17 PM on 10/12/2011

Huh? Are you implying that not killing anyone is an attack? Religion is violent, illogical and outdated. Your comment does not address these facts.

[Nisreen A]

08:21 PM on 10/10/2011

@Left Hook: You are correct, that some unfortunately prefer to kill than accepting their version of their "true God." I completely disagree with it. I am Muslim, and I think it would be great for people to be Muslim, but I would absolutely never go to that extreme. That is preposterous and unfair to the people getting killed. If someone doesn't want to convert, so what? A country shouldn't have any control of the religion of a person. Also, its not that Muslims broadcast it, its that the media make a huge deal out of it if it has anything to do with Muslims.

@xhawk2: I agree with you as well. This should be international news...because we have to put a stop to this! Not only to this person, but to everyone else, as well.

@bigbobh: I'm sorry, but I think that is very hypocritical of you to go and talk rude about a religion as a whole. You can easily say that the Iranian government has big time problems and need to stop these horrible acts, but calling Muslims "scums" is disrespectful. Also, I have never heard one person say they want to take over the world. I hope I didn't offend you in any form, I just wanted to clear it up. Thanks.

[ahammerjack]

10:39 PM on 10/12/2011

there was 0ne person that wanted to take over the world .that was hitler

[Left Hook]

02:43 PM on 10/10/2011

What's the difference between radical Islam and radical evangelical christians? There isn't any - Both prefer to kill you for not accewpting their version of the "true god" it's just that the radical muslems broadcast it and the christians don't...

[Florida1966]

11:08 AM on 10/11/2011

I have never heard an evangelical Christian call for anyone's death for not "accepting" salvation thru belief in Jesus Christ. This goes against the most basic tenet of the Christian faith, that we have free will to choose or not choose, it's up to the individual. Christians believe that we are to plant the seed and allow God to worry about the harvest.

[Guava Juice]

04:51 PM on 10/11/2011

It also goes against one of the primary tenets of the Muslim faith, just wish they'd stop doing it!

[ConfuciusSay-]

11:28 PM on 10/11/2011

There have been isolated incidents where family planning doctors have been murdered, Unitarian churches invaded, and so on- but these acts are certainly not typical of vast swathes of Christians.

Contrast that to the societal barbarism evident in Iran under a theocracy.

[Tolerant]

10:32 AM on 10/09/2011

The Muslim organizations and leaders have an obligation to protest this.

[PedroLeon]

06:45 PM on 10/10/2011

Yet, silence.

[mydoghasfleas]

08:29 PM on 10/08/2011

Is there more to this story? He's not the only Christian in Iran. Why is he being singled out?

[notwaff]

02:14 AM on 10/09/2011

The problem is not being a Christian - it's being an open or evangelical Christian.
Converting to Christianity or converting someone else is a capital offense.

"The Iranian Constitution declares that all “laws are based on Islamic criteria” and, in practice, the government severely restricts religious freedom, especially those of evangelical protestants. Therefore, most Christians are forced to worship underground in house churches, with many choosing to keep their faith private so they will not be charged with apostasy (conversion from Islam), a “crime” punishable by death. The total number of Christians in Iran is unknown, yet some estimate that there are as many as one to two million."

http://www.persecution.org/awareness/persecuted-countries/iran/

[Left Hook]

02:45 PM on 10/10/2011

Ain't having a theocracy great! Now you know why the dominionists in the US are all trying to make this country one...

[pinnsy]

05:48 PM on 10/08/2011

I have nothing but the utmost respect for this christian . I would hope that if God called me to this walk I could lean on my savior Jesus enough and trust him with my future outcome. I am speechless.

[NVEd]

03:30 PM on 10/08/2011

A message for everyone who wants to mix government and religion. They will both be corrupted.

[GoldwaterKid]

01:48 PM on 10/08/2011

Religious Freedom is one of the things wanted by the Arab Spring .

[Macnos]

03:48 AM on 10/20/2011

Please tell me you were being sarcastic?

[terry63]

12:34 PM on 10/08/2011

This could be you someday, or your children. Guard your gates! Sharia law, must never enter your court rooms. Its influence must be stifled. Someday it can be you at the edge of a knife.

[PedroLeon]

06:49 PM on 10/10/2011

I hear ya, but thankfully our founding fathers were prescient enough to include the First Amendment.

[Justin Stamper]

12:38 AM on 10/11/2011

Christian Sharia right?

[Macnos]

03:53 AM on 10/20/2011

There's no thing such as "Christian Sharia". As far as i know Christianity does not have a codified law system like Islam and Judaism.

[Varys]

06:37 AM on 10/08/2011

If you never become a Muslim in the first place, you can't be labeled an apostate and sentenced to death. Sounds like there's a pretty simple solution.

[ConfuciusSay-]

11:31 PM on 10/11/2011

For the people born into that faith, it's not especially helpful though.

[bigbobh]

11:45 PM on 10/07/2011

And these scum want to take over the world? Peaceful koran?? BS

[see-ellen2001]

08:55 PM on 10/11/2011

Paranoid much?

[Kim Moore2011]

09:23 PM on 10/07/2011

Good for him for not being afraid to die for what he believes in. God bless him and I know God will see him through.