7 Comments

James Gibson
October 1st, 2011 | 8:30 pm

Better late than never, I guess. But why was she unaware of this situation? I haven’t heard much at all from international “human rights” groups.

David Nickol
October 2nd, 2011 | 11:08 am

James Gibson:

Perhaps you haven’t been paying attention. Amnesty International has been criticizing the Iranian government and calling this case to the attention of the world since 2007.

Joe McFaul
October 2nd, 2011 | 4:15 pm

As has Human Rigjts International.

Jay
October 2nd, 2011 | 5:44 pm

Let us hope the Iranian Government listens.

Amen.

publius
October 3rd, 2011 | 10:00 am

This is a classic case of bias on behalf of the international media, especially in Europe, where the status of a convicted cop killer in the United States drew screaming headlines for weeks on end. Meanwhile, the case of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani barely draws a mention . . . I wonder why?

Jaime
October 3rd, 2011 | 10:34 am

Sister has her antennae so finely attuned to the abominations of the American justice system that she doesn’t pick up real outrages occurring in countries like Iran.

By the way, has anyone heard further news on Pastor Nardarkhani’s fate?

David Nickol
October 3rd, 2011 | 11:45 am

By the way, has anyone heard further news on Pastor Nardarkhani’s fate?


Jaime,

I think it is a fair summary, based on the latest news reports, that Iran is trumping up new, false charges to justify their harsh treatment of Nadarkhani. See the following, for example.

Iran: Christian pastor charged with rape, not apostasy
By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT
10/03/2011 06:56

Youcef Nadarkhani who was accused of apostasy from Islam still faces death penalty amid new allegations including that he is a “Zionist.”

BERLIN – The charge of apostasy from Islam lodged against Iranian Christian cleric Youcef Nadarkhani has been amended to allegations of rape, extortion and national security, CNN reported on Saturday. He still faces the death penalty.

Critics of Iran’s judiciary system view the altered charges as a manufactured tactic meant to blunt international criticism of the case targeting Nadarkhani because of his religious activities.

Nadarkhani is now confronted with the death penalty because of the new allegations, including that he is a “Zionist.”

“His crime is not, as some claim, converting others to Christianity. He is guilty of security-related crimes,” Gholomali Rezvani, the deputy governor of Gilan province, said, according to the semi-official Fars News Agency.

Nadarkhani “is a Zionist and has committed security-related crimes,” Rezvani said in a separate statement, CNN reported.

In 2010, Nadarkhani was convicted and sentenced in the province of Gilan because he questioned Islam as the dominant form of religious instruction in Iran and sought to register his church.

CNN obtained the legal documents from 2010 that charged Nadarkhani solely with apostasy. The court papers state: “Mr. Youcef Nadarkhani, son of Byrom, 32 years old, married, born in Rasht in the state of Gilan, is convicted of turning his back on Islam, the greatest religion, the prophesy of Muhammad, at the age of 19.”

The court documents continue that “[Nadarkhani] has stated that he is a Christian and no longer Muslim. During many sessions in court in the presence of his attorney and a judge, he has been sentenced to execution by hanging according to article 8 of Tahrir – ol-vasileh.” Tahrir – ol-vasileh is a book (in two volumes and four editions) authored by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini Khomeini as a guide for Muslims.

FoxNews.com also secured a copy of the original ruling and noted, “There is not a single mention of rape or extortion allegations.” . . .

Continued here.