Youcef Nadarkhani, Iranian Pastor, May Face Execution For 'Apostasy From Islam' (REPORT)

Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian pastor who in 2010 was found guilty of apostasy and sentenced to death for refusing to recant Christianity, may have received a final execution order, according to the American Center for Law and Justice and Fox News.

Neither Human Rights Watch nor Amnesty International could verify the information for The Huffington Post, but the White House on Thursday afternoon issued a statement condemning the reports and calling on Iran to release Pastor Nadarkhani.

"This action is yet another shocking breach of Iran’s international obligations, its own constitution, and stated religious values," the White House statement read. "The United States stands in solidarity with Pastor Nadarkhani, his family, and all those who seek to practice their religion without fear of persecution -- a fundamental and universal human right."

While unable to verify the reports, Faraz Sanei, the Iran researcher at Human Rights Watch, spoke with The Huffington Post in a telephone interview about the uncertain circumstances surrounding Nadarkhani.

"A death sentence that has been sent for implementation by the judiciary would suggest the person is at imminent risk of execution," Sanei said. "If it has been sent to the implementation department, that is very troubling."

Sanei added that if the implementation has indeed been sent, Nadarkhani is "one step closer" to being executed.

Islam is the official religion in Iran, and according to the CIA, 98 percent of the country's population is Muslim.

According to Amnesty International, Pastor Naderkhani, 34, became a Christian when he was a teenager and has said he never practiced Islam despite being born to Muslim parents. He has been a pastor for at least 10 years, according to the Christian Post.

In September, the Iranian Supreme Court upheld Naderkhani's 2010 conviction of apostasy after he reportedly refused to recant his Christian faith.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Photo via the "Stop the execution of Pastor Nadarkhani in Iran" Facebook group.

Comments

[Nadar Nadarkhani]

10:23 AM on 06/12/2012

we should not misinterpret the holy Quran. According to Ayatollah Muhammad Rosa Khani we shall respect all religions. Le us Pray for Nadarkhani!

[Nadar Nadarkhani]

06:38 AM on 07/13/2012

I agree with Ayatollah Muhammad Rosa Khani and the way he recitates the quran. I pray for Pastor Nadarkhani

[49tales]

12:01 AM on 03/31/2012

I am not a religious person, I am Agnostic because right now, I don't know....I study, and learn and search and I'm okay with that because I have two many questions and not enough answers but.....

I have great admiration for this man, it's easy to stick to one's beliefs when things are simple but when things are hard and your life is danger and you still stick to your beliefs that shows true integrity. My thoughts are with him and my hopes are he will stay safe

[JONSHMAT]

07:11 PM on 03/17/2012

Fact. If we had the right man it the Whitehouse , people like Youcef could be rescued.

[ladytec43]

08:46 AM on 03/16/2012

Forcing religion down in peoples mouths, and they scream out that their belief is about peace and love....butch of demons lies. Satan is behind these movements of religions around the world, because he is trying to claim to be like The Most High in Isa 14:12-15, people read it its the Truth, Satan is deceiving Many many in these nations, but guess what THE GOOD GUYS WIN!! AT THE END, which means the beginning for us believers YES!! Amen

[outgrowingfear1]

08:39 AM on 03/14/2012

Flawed LOGIC of muslims..
This might be satisfying to a muslim about JESUS COMING BACK ONLY TO TELL D CHRISTIANS THAT THEY'VE BEEN LED ASTRAY or wrong in their thinking & that's punishable by sending them to hell,afterall,idol worshippers go there too &, christians fit the bill.
What doesn't go down well with me is that why would allah allow so many christians & probably jews to die day after day & not have jesus come back early for D correction? And not forgetting that allah decided according to muhadmed to send him after 500 years or so of jesus being 'taken' to heaven. Who was sent to correct them immediately after jesus went to heaven?That's like 10 generations died without the CORRECTION allah would send. Don't you think?Just like the Christians number now.
So either way, whether christians now believe muhadmed or not is irrelevant because the christians that muhadmed himself didn't have a chance to warn would all end up in hell.

[sir3on]

02:49 PM on 03/12/2012

This condemnation shows what a lie it is, at least while the present gang of mullahs and leaders are in control of Islam,to claim that it is a religion of peace. A religion of peace has to allow people to come and go from it. After all, contrary to what the gang that condemned this man thinks, religion is not an end in itself , but a means to an end , which is becoming closer to God and more like Him in loving, forgiving, blessing and helping people. The Jewish and Chrisitian religions have, thankfully, outgrown the stage where conversion to another religion carried a death penalty. Sadly the muslim populations are still subjected to this primitive and erroneous
form of religious dictatorship.

[RomanNoseJob]

05:50 AM on 03/11/2012

wow....religion is such a huge waste of time.

[Selly Pasaribu]

01:40 PM on 03/08/2012

Yet they will celebrate when it's a Christian who converted to Islam. This is against human rights! !!

[Deucejack]

05:09 PM on 03/12/2012

This is the "religion of peace".

[gladstork]

02:34 PM on 03/27/2012

it sfunny how people are standing up for this guy in Iran against Muslims threatening to kill him, but if he were here in the US most Huff Posters would all be slagging on him for sharing his beliefs as a devout Christian.

[ladytec43]

08:26 AM on 03/16/2012

I know huh...its stupid crazy...Islam is a butch of Bullies very insecure religion group

[f0rTyLeGz]

01:16 AM on 03/08/2012

Having a life... being a human being with words running through our minds 24/7 is the rarest occurrence in all time and space. No magic is required. Wherever the conditions for life exist, there life is. And, wherever the conditions for intelligent life exist... there you will find it. You have one gentle reader!

[EBL]

01:09 AM on 03/04/2012

http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/2012/03/when-you-go-to-church-today-you-might.html I pray this is not true.

[PSTRMichael]

04:15 PM on 03/03/2012

I have seen pictures on Facebook of what looks like this pastor getting ready to be hung. does anyone know if this sentence has been carried out yet or have I been duped?

[Kingpleasure]

03:17 PM on 03/12/2012

Check out this link:
http://www.christianpost.com/news/youcef-nadarkhani-has-not-been-executed-aclj-denies-rumors-70837/

[BrutusHonestus]

10:18 PM on 03/02/2012

Huh?

On the Political News page postings, all I read are comments from muslims explaining to me that Christians, Jews, Catholics and Muslims all live together in harmony everywhere from Egypt, to Syria to Iran

. . . and now I read about apostacy and executions of non-muslims?

. . . yeah, I know, it was all BS and propaganda these nice people were trying to get me to swallow.

Alternate translation of islam is "submission"

. . . which explains why they always try to tell us it is "peace."

[samanthatsu05]

11:06 AM on 03/02/2012

Despite my beliefs on there being no God, anyone can see how religion has destroyed so many. Most of the controversial wars/problems have had to do with religion. Would your God really want everyone to hate and kill each other over his "righteousness", "sacrifice" and "love?" If you could answer this for me without relying on free will and faith as an answer i'd very much appreciate it.

[iknowscottyknows]

10:52 PM on 03/04/2012

The vast majority of wars and killing are done in the cause of secularism, with the blessing of Darwinism.

[colleen brickman]

01:54 PM on 03/09/2012

As I sit here on my couch praying for you Samantha I hear God saying to you. My love for you dear child has no boundries, Yes there is much confusion in these days and I am coming back for my childeren. For I have laid my life down for those you are perishing for it was not my plan for my creation to fall but it has been my plan to come to save. For man knows not the hour of his death but only I know and only I have called forth the promises of man that I desire that all men become saved and come unto me and fellowship with me for many are lost in these days but I am calling, calling, calling and many do not respond unto me. My love runs deep for you, you have a purpose in your life that only I know about. Seek me, find me for I delight in you Samantha. For you will see a new day with me for I have desired you to teach of my Holy Word and I have called you into a deep walk with me where you will find peace, grace and fullfilment. Test me ask me to reveal myself and I shall. For blessed are the persecuted in my name for there's is the kingdom of God

[RomanNoseJob]

05:52 AM on 03/11/2012

that's called schiz0phrenia.

[ladytec43]

10:15 AM on 03/16/2012

touching in agreement!!

[Hillbilly49]

09:11 AM on 03/02/2012

"Men never commit evil so fully and joyfully as when they do it for religious convictions" 


-- Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

[sthompsonramm]

04:16 AM on 03/05/2012

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth."
1 Corinthians 13:6

[ladytec43]

10:13 AM on 03/16/2012

Amen!!

[jcshiloh]

10:33 PM on 03/07/2012

Atheist Stalin 60 million killed,Atheist Mussolini attempt at genocide,Atheist Pol Pot 2.5 million killed and Atheist Mao Zedong 67 million killed,Atheist have killed more that all of the major wars put together

[RomanNoseJob]

05:55 AM on 03/11/2012

•15th century: Crusades against Hussites, thousands slain. [DO30]

•1538 pope Paul III declared Crusade against apostate England and all English as slaves of Church (fortunately had not power to go into action). [DO31]

•1568 Spanish Inquisition Tribunal ordered extermination of 3 million rebels in (then Spanish) Netherlands. [DO31]
Between 5000 and 6000 Protestants were drowned by Spanish Catholic Troops, "a disaster the burghers of Emden first realized when several thousand broad-brimmed Dutch hats floated by." [SH216]

•1572 In France about 20,000 Huguenots were killed on command of pope Pius V. Until 17th century 200,000 flee. [DO31]

•17th century: Catholics slay Gaspard de Coligny, a Protestant leader. After murdering him, the Catholic mob mutilated his body, "cutting off his head, his hands, and his genitals... and then dumped him into the river [...but] then, deciding that it was not worthy of being food for the fish, they hauled it out again [... and] dragged what was left ... to the gallows of Montfaulcon, 'to be meat and carrion for maggots and crows'." [SH191]

•17th century: Catholics sack the city of Magdeburg/Germany: roughly 30,000 Protestants were slain. "In a single church fifty women were found beheaded," reported poet Friedrich Schiller, "and infants still sucking the breasts of their lifeless mothers." [SH191]

•17th century 30 years' war (Catholic vs. Protestant): at least 40% of population decimated, mostly in Germany. [DO31-32]

[RomanNoseJob]

05:57 AM on 03/11/2012

Ante Paveliç, a practicing Catholic and regular visitor to the then pope. There were even concentration camps exclusively for children!
In these camps - the most notorious was Jasenovac, headed by a Franciscan friar -
orthodox-Christian Serbians (and a substantial number of Jews) were murdered. Like the Nazis the Catholic Ustasha burned their victims in kilns, alive (the Nazis were decent enough to have their victims gassed first). But most of the victims were simply stabbed, slain or shot to death, the number of them being estimated between 300,000 and 600,000, in a rather tiny country

[time-to-go]

07:19 PM on 03/01/2012

Iran is dehumanizing themselves in the eyes of the west. Executing a Christian for nothing more than Christian belief will turn so many against the nation of Iran that it will be easier for the hawks in the U.S. to gain support for military action against them.