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An Iranian pastor is set to be executed for apostasy if he doesn’t renounce his Christian faith - and while the latest updates provide hope for an acquittal the case is a strong warning against the spread of Islamic law in the Middle East.
The latest report from The Blaze says:
As we have already reported, the young pastor, now 32, made a conversion to Christianity years ago when he was a teenager. While this has become the basis for the Iranian case against him, his initial arrest surrounded his public opposition to Christian schoolchildren being forced to participate in Islamic religious education. He was subsequently convicted of apostasy in 2010 and remains in prison in Rasht.
So far, the courts have said that Nadarkhani must repent of his conversion or he will face the death penalty.
Under Islamic law, repenting would involve the pastor apologizing and denouncing his conversion to Christianity. To date, this has not happened, as Nadarkhani has stuck to his religious ideals during the past four days of his appeals trial.
The report does add that the lawyer is now 95% sure his client will be acquitted, although Blaze writer Billy Hallowell adds “Of course, considering the lack of transparency in Iranian governance and the unpredictability of officials there, this potential for a favorable outcome may be optimistic.”
Heather Sells with CBN added, “Many believe Pastor Nadarkhani was targeted because he spoke out. He recently questioned the Muslim monopoly on the religious instruction of children in Iran.”
“So we got a guy who's speaking out and going to be executed. He's Christian. He is going to be executed. Where is the world? Where ‑‑ where is the media? Where's the president?” Glenn asked on radio this morning.
Glenn reminded listeners that there was endless media coverage of two American hikers who were held in Iran - but little coverage of this Christian Pastor.