Iran: Christian pastor acquitted of apostasy charges and freed from prison

International pressure works even on hardened Islamic supremacists. But this doesn't mean that Iran is discarding its apostasy law, or that they won't murder people for apostasy when the world media is not looking. "Christian pastor jailed in Iran for 3 years is freed, watchdog group says," by Perry Chiaramonte for FoxNews.com, September 8 (thanks to Anne Crockett):

Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who was originally sentenced to death in his native country for his Christian faith, was acquitted of apostasy charges and released from custody.
Nadarkhani, 32, was imprisoned for three years and waiting execution for refusing to renounce his Christian faith. His charges were lowered to evangelizing to Muslims, which carried a three-year sentence. He was released with time served, according to the American Center for Law and Justice, a Washington-based watchdog group that had been campaigning for the pastor's release.

"Today our sources in Iran reported that Pastor Youcef was acquitted of apostasy and released from prison. After languishing in prison for almost three years, he has been reunited with his family," Jordan Sekulow, executive director of ACLJ said in a statement to FoxNews.com.

"While we are working on confirming the exact details of his release, some sources report that the court alternatively convicted Pastor Youcef of evangelizing to Muslims, sentencing him to three years and granting him time served. Pastor Youcef’s story is an example of how the world can join together to ensure that justice is served and freedom preserved."

Nadarkhani was originally called to Saturday's hearing to answer to "charges brought against him," leading to speculation that the new charges from the Iranian Supreme Court could be for a security-based crime, a charge often handed down to cover-up prisoners being held and sentenced on faith-based charges.

"While we praise the release of Pastor Youcef, we must recognize that Iran felt obligated to save face among its people and continue its pattern of suppressing religious freedom with intimidation tactics," Tiffany Barrans, a legal director for ACLJ said to FoxNews.com.

"International attention to this matter saved this man's life, but we must not forget the human right of freedom of religion includes the right to freedom of expression."

Nadarkhani's attorney, who also has been jailed, maintained that the married father of two faced execution because he refused to renounce his religion. An Iranian diplomat told a United Nations panel earlier this year that Nadarkhani would not be executed.

According to Sharia law, an apostate has three days to recant. The pastor refused to do so and sources close to the matter say executions in Iran can happen at any time, often without notice. The court is reportedly seeking the opinion of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Islamic republic's spiritual leader and highest authority, according to AFP....

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Thomas Pellow | September 8, 2012 9:02 AM | Reply

BBC report:-

"Canada closes Iranian embassy and kicks out diplomats"

[Excerpt]-

Canada's Foreign Minister, John Baird: "said that Iran had engaged in 'racist anti-Semitic rhetoric and incitement to genocide', and had shown 'blatant disregard' for the protection of diplomatic personnel.

"'Under the circumstances, Canada can no longer maintain a diplomatic presence in Iran,' he added.

"Ottawa also designated Iran as a state-sponsor of terrorism and included it among a list of countries subject to travel warnings for Canadian citizens."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19522744

Truthseeker | September 8, 2012 9:48 AM | Reply

Very good news indeed. It is hoped that the further calls to investigate the reality of our core beliefs and how we want to live and work together on the planet will open up lines of action that people would have normally thought improbable.

David Dowse | September 8, 2012 10:43 AM | Reply

Thank God!

margaritha replied to comment from Thomas Pellow | September 8, 2012 10:48 AM | Reply

Most probably , the Canadian government's action of closing down the Iranian embassy in Canada,and sending away the Iranian diplomates back to Iran is the reason for the release of the Christian Pastor. All thanks due to bold Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Amercia's Barak Obama did nothing for the release of this Pastor. Christian mother of five children still languising in Pakistan jail facing death sentence on false blasphemy charges,and Coptic Christians in Egypt are persecuted daily and their women are kidnaped and raped. Will Obama at least now open his mouth-before handing out the dole money in billions of Amercian tax payer's dolars to Egypt?

Softly Bob | September 8, 2012 1:51 PM | Reply

Christian pastor released? Let's see how long he survives.

boakai ngombu | September 8, 2012 2:43 PM | Reply

May he remain steadfast to his confession and be given the strength to preach all the more.

Champ | September 8, 2012 4:10 PM | Reply

This is wonderful news! ...praise God!

Diana Summers | September 8, 2012 5:25 PM | Reply

What has happened to his attorney?

Kepha | September 8, 2012 6:01 PM | Reply

Thanks to our gracious God for the numbers of people he moved to say and do things.

@Thomas Pellow:

As of late, some things the Canadian government has done have made me proud to be a North American (I'm from south of the Great Lakes and Line Forty-nine). I'm glad Harper's government has pulled no punches in accurately describing the Tehran government.

Still, I'm also someone who doesn't want a war with Iran. It's a mountainous place full of treacherous people; and I seriously doubt that there are any real reservoirs of pro-Western goodwill in the country. Further, there's nothing like a foreign invasion to cause a population to rally around an otherwise lousy government. The fact that the choices current among the Iranian people seem to be either the mullahs and their minions on the one hand or the Mojahedin-e-Kalq on the other suggests the country is firmly against the USA, Israel, and the West in general no matter what.

I'm hoping that the decision to free Nadarkhani may be a symptom that the Mullahocracy isn't 100% impervious to foreign criticism and disapprobation. I pray for more cracks in the Iranian regime when its under pressure from within or without, more Iranians becoming Christian, and changes that would do away with any need for war.

Aprilyn | September 8, 2012 9:46 PM | Reply

I thank God for this great victory, no one but God could have released him from this death sentence.

I also pray that he will remain free and safe, the Iranian government was pressured to release him, now let's pray some Muslim doesn't kill him to end the insult to Islam.

salah | September 8, 2012 10:16 PM | Reply

"His charges were lowered to evangelizing to Muslims, which carried a three-year sentence.
Islam is so unsecure because it is from the Devil. The Muslim deity is so weak because it is the Devil. The Muslim "prophet" was nothing but a lying, wicked person. Quran 26:222

http://crossmuslims.blogspot.com/2011/10/muhammad-and-satan_24.html

Jan | September 9, 2012 9:37 AM | Reply

This is wonderful news, and shows that if enough decent people make a stink, even the slimy, cowardly mohammedans will give in.

I hope now that the Pastor will gather up his family, and shake the dust of that hell hole off his feet. Any stray maniacal muslim may decide to do what the government didn't. The Pastor needs to get out of Iran.

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