Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani

We are hearing reports from our contacts in Iran that the execution orders for Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani may have been issued. Pastor Youcef’s situation – an innocent man convicted and sentenced to death for becoming a Christian – has not been this dire since we first brought his case to your attention last year. It is unclear whether Pastor Youcef would have a right of appeal from the execution order. We know that the head of Iran’s Judiciary, Ayatollah Sadegh   Continue Reading...

We have just received word from our contacts on the ground in Iran of an extremely dangerous turn of events for Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. There is an increased likelihood that the Iranian regime will execute Pastor Youcef for his faith. Pastor Youcef’s case had been stalled due to increased international pressure and the Iranian court’s request that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, decide Pastor Youcef’s fate. Now, because Pastor Youcef has continually refused   Continue Reading...

Representative Joe Pitts (PA-16), along with several other Members of Congress, just introduced a resolution today in Congress in support of Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. The resolution condemns “the Government of Iran for its continued persecution, imprisonment, and sentencing of Youcef Nadarkhani on the charge of apostasy,” and calls on the Iranian regime “to exonerate and immediately release Youcef Nadarkhani and all other individuals held or charged on account of the   Continue Reading...

The ACLJ’s Tweet for Youcef campaign is having a tremendous impact around the world. Every day people all across the world are learning about Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani’s plight, as Iran continues to illegally hold Pastor Youcef in prison, under the threat of execution for his Christian faith, for more than 848 days. Here are some important facts about the impact you are having by being Pastor Youcef’s voice: 1,293 people are standing in solidarity with Pastor Youcef, shari   Continue Reading...

The BBC is reporting that Iran’s Judiciary Chief, Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani – who has been involved in determining the fate of Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani – has “criticized the Universal Declaration of Human Rights” (UDHR), stating that Iran made a mistake when it signed the UDHR. Larijani defended Iran’s abysmal human rights record at the “Human Rights Forum and the Position of Iran and Islam” conference, reiterating Iranian President Ahma   Continue Reading...

Sources inside Iran have reported to the ACLJ that the Chief Justice of the Gilan Provincial Court in Iran is again pressuring Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani to recant his faith in Christ. Last week the Chief Justice, in a private meeting, ordered that additional pressure be put on Pastor Youcef to recant his faith. Again, Pastor Youcef responded by refusing to deny his faith in Christ and reiterating to the Iranian authorities that he could not return to Islam because he was never a Muslim   Continue Reading...

Iran is continuing its relentless attempt to force persecuted Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani to recant his faith in Jesus Christ. New reports state that Iranian officials are still pressuring the pastor, who has been sentenced to death for his Christian faith, “to renounce his faith in Christ and accept the prophet Muhammad as his savior.” Pastor Youcef, has once again refused, remaining steadfast in his faith. Remember, Iran previously demanded on at least three separate occasi   Continue Reading...

Iranian judges promised that by mid-December, if Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, did not respond to their court’s request for comment, they would publish a written decision on the apostasy charges made against Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. Neither the court nor the Supreme Leader has issued anything, leaving the Pastor languishing in an Iranian prison – a violation of Iranian and international law. Pastor Youcef is still alive because you spoke out, putting pressure on   Continue Reading...

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has become a face of the persecuted around the world. Since 2009, the Iranian regime has imprisoned Pastor Nadarkhani under the threat of death for his faith in Jesus Christ. His story has illuminated the plight of so many others who also face persecution for their faith. A year ago today, Salmaan Taseer the Governor of Pakistan’s Punjab province was brutally murdered by his bodyguard because he publicly supported overturning Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Taseer   Continue Reading...

If you have been reading the ACLJ’s 2011 Victories series, you know that this has been an incredible year for the ACLJ. Through the unwavering support of our ACLJ members, we have protected “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance, “In God We Trust” as the National Motto, the National Day of Prayer, and other examples of our religious heritage as a nation. We have defended the right of students to wear religious clothing, read their Bible, hold Bible clubs and praye   Continue Reading...