The third grade class of Elijah House Academy in Richmond, VA, has made cards of support and encouragement for Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. Their teacher told the students about Pastor Youcef’s plight as an example of a modern day Daniel, who, like Pastor Youcef, refused to recant his faith in God in the face of execution. Each day these students have faithfully prayed for Pastor Youcef. The class made cards encouraging Pastor Youcef to continue trusting in God and letting him kno... Continue Reading

The ACLJ’s Tweet for Youcef campaign continues to expand in reach as its impact is felt worldwide – now reaching more than 2.7 million Twitter accounts globally each day. After more than 1,000 days illegally imprisoned for his faith, Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani’s story is now reaching over 2 million in English and more than 670,000 in Portuguese through the efforts of the people of Brazil. The international outcry for his release is having an impact in Iran, and with a new court ... Continue Reading

The U.S. State Department has once again joined the call for the release of Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, marking his 1,000th day of illegal imprisonment in Iran for his Christian faith. In a statement released last night, a spokesperson for the State Department wrote: We note that July 8 marked 1,000 days Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has spent in an Iranian prison. Pastor Nadarkhani still faces the threat of execution for simply following his faith, and we repeat our call for Iran... Continue Reading

Yesterday, the Jerusalem Post highlighted the ACLJ’s international efforts to secure the release of Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who has now been illegally imprisoned more than 1,000 days. Iran has scheduled a September court date for evangelical Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, whose incarceration for practicing Christianity reaches the 1,000-day mark on Sunday. In an email to The Jerusalem Post on Friday, Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the American Center for Law & Justice, ... Continue Reading

The ACLJ has confirmed that Iranian judicial authorities have ordered Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani to appear in court on September 8th. The purpose of this court appearance is unclear at the present time, but it will come exactly two months after Pastor Youcef’s 1,000th day in an Iranian prison. Sunday, July 8th, marks Pastor Youcef’s 1,000th illegal day of imprisonment for his faith in Jesus Christ: 1,000 days apart from his wife and two young boys; 1,000 days resolute in his... Continue Reading

Yesterday, world-renowned Brazilian Pastor Silas Malafaia organized a rally in front of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s hotel, calling for Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani’s release. Pastors and concerned Brazilians lined the streets with signs in Portuguese and English calling for Pastor Youcef’s immediate release as Ahmadinejad attended the Rio +20 conference in Brazil. International media covered the event intended to highlight the plight of Pastor Youcef world... Continue Reading

On Thursday, June 14th, as the Director of the Brazilian Center for Law & Justice (BCLJ), the ACLJ’s affiliate in Brazil, I met with the President of the Social Christian Party (PSC), Pastor Everaldo Pereira, in the city of Goiânia. One of the issues addressed was the situation of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani who is still imprisoned in Iran for converting to Christianity. Pastor Youcef will have been illegally imprisoned in Iran for 1000 days on July 8th. Once again I asked for Ev... Continue Reading

This week, world leaders, along with thousands of participants from governments and the private sector, are gathering for the Rio+20 Conference in Brazil to discuss ways to reduce poverty and advance social equality. Among the more controversial leaders in attendance at Rio+20 is Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. This has provided the Christian community in Brazil the unique opportunity to send a clear message to Iran regarding the release of Pastor Youcef. On behalf of the entire Christian... Continue Reading

More than 120,000 of you have signed our petition to the U.S. Senate asking for unanimous approval of S.Res. 385. This resolution calls for the exoneration of Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, and demands his immediate and unconditional release. Remember, Pastor Youcef’s only crime is his faith in Jesus Christ. Today it appears that the Senate is hearing you. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, chaired by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), unanimously approved S.Res. 385 and forwarded it to the ... Continue Reading

The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has scheduled to take up the resolution supporting Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani next week. The committee is scheduled to consider the resolution, a companion to the resolution that unanimously passed the House earlier this year, next Tuesday, June 19, 2012. It is the next step toward bringing S. Res. 385 before the full Senate. The resolution, “Condemning the Government of Iran for its continued persecution, imprisonment, and sentencin... Continue Reading