Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 126 | Wed 21 Sep 2011

IRAN: STATE VIOLENCE & PERSECUTION ESCALATING;
pray for Youcef Nadarkhani trial verdict 25 September

By Elizabeth Kendal

Under President Mahmud Ahmadinejad Iran has become more assertive in its
quest to lead the Muslim world in Islamic Revolution. The regime has been
greatly aided towards this by the war in Iraq which has dramatically
altered the balance of power in the Middle East. To woo Arabs and Sunni
Muslims into its axis, ascendant Iran is cranking up its anti-Israel and
anti-US rhetoric while taking every opportunity to demonstrate its
superior Islamic credentials. Support for international terrorism, state
violence and religious persecution are at an all-time high. The American
Centre for Law and Justice reports at least 285 Christians were arrested
in 35 cities in Iran during the first six months of 2011 without any
public reaction.

It is in this climate that Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani’s 25 September trial
court review will be heard. Youcef (32) was arrested in October 2009 while
trying to register his church. He has been in prison since October 2010,
when the trial court found him guilty of apostasy and sentenced him to
death by hanging. On 28 June 2011 the Supreme Court in the Shia holy city
of Qom upheld the apostasy conviction and death sentence but returned the
case to the trial court for a final review. If on Sunday 25 September the
trial court deems Youcef Nadarkhani was indeed a Muslim before his
conversion — and it may well determine he was a Muslim at birth — the
apostasy conviction and death sentence will stand and the court will be
free to execute him.

All Youcef Nadarkhani has ever had to do to leave the brutal and inhumane
conditions of prison, avoid the gallows and return to his wife and
children is renounce Christ and ‘return’ to Islam. Youcef’s lawyer, the
notable human rights attorney, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, has been sentenced to
nine years jail for defending Youcef and some 20 others charged with
apostasy. No doubt all Mohammad Ali Dadkhah has to do to stay free is to
abandon the apostates. Avoiding persecution can be easy and very tempting.
Perseverance, however, requires immense conviction and inner strength. The
spiritual battle must surely be intensive.

If Iran defiantly executes Youcef Nadarkhani and is not affected by
Western threats or sanctions, the life of every Farsi-speaking Christian
convert from Islam will be imminently imperilled. Over the weekend of 25
September President Ahmadinejad will be in New York to attend the UN
General Assembly. Whilst UN matters will doubtless absorb the media —
particularly the proposed bid for Palestinian statehood — Christians
worldwide must not forget the Nadarkhani family and the Christians of
Iran.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL —

* fill Youcef Nadarkhani, his wife Fatemah and their two young sons with
an overwhelming sense of his love and presence (Romans 8:38,39).

* comfort and assure Pastor Youcef’s congregation and indeed the whole
Iranian Church that while ‘to live is Christ . . . to die is gain’
(Philippians 1:21 ESV), for through Christ ‘death is swallowed up in
victory’ (1 Corinthians 15: 54).

* receive as a fragrant offering the faithfulness of Iran’s martyrs and
persecuted Church, blessing it for the furtherance of the gospel in
Iran and in the world. ‘Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast,
immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in
the Lord your labour is not in vain.’ (1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV.)

* intervene to direct the thinking of Iran’s judiciary so that Youcef
Nadarkhani will be delivered and restored — however humanly impossible
that seems. ‘You are the God who works wonders; you have made known
your might among the peoples.’ (Psalm 77:14 ESV)

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SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE
———————————————————–

STATE VIOLENCE & PERSECUTION ESCALATING IN IRAN

The Iranian regime of Grand Ayatollah Khamenei and President Ahmadinejad
seeks to lead the world’s Muslims in Islamic Revolution. To woo Arabs and
Sunni Muslims into its axis, Iran is cranking up its anti-Israel and anti-
US rhetoric and taking every opportunity to demonstrate its Islamic
credentials. Religious persecution is escalating. According to the
American Centre for Law and Justice at least 285 Christians were arrested
in 35 cities in Iran during the first six months of 2011 without any
public reaction. In October 2010 Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was convicted of
apostasy and sentenced to death. This death sentence has been delayed for
a final review of the case due to be heard on Sunday 25 September. Please
pray for this case and the Church in Iran.

——————–

We suggest that churches and fellowships using the above Summary might
also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their
worship by people who are leading in prayer.

For more information, updates and helpful links see Elizabeth Kendal’s
blog ‘Religious Liberty Monitoring’ <http://elizabethkendal.blogspot.com>.

Previous RLPBs may be viewed at <http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com/>.

This RLPB was written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious
Liberty Commission (AEA RLC) by Elizabeth Kendal, an international
religious liberty analyst and advocate, and a member of the AEA RLC team.

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