One Saint
  • Home
  • Jesus Said
    • Matthew
    • Mark
    • Luke
    • John
    • Acts
    • I Corinthians
    • II Corinthians
    • Revelation
  • One Saint Blogs
    • Eschatology
    • Annie
    • All Saints
    • One Saint
    • David
    • Askakido
  • The Persecuted Church
    • Prayer
    • Crown of Life
  • Library
  • MP3s
    • Mystery Babylon
    • Pastors, Ministers and Priests
    • Run from the Devil
    • Miscellaneous Teachings
  • Music
    • Music of Heaven
    • Handel's Messiah
    • Miscellaneous Music >
      • Musical Library XXIII
      • Musical Library XXII
      • Musical Library XXI
      • Musical Library XX
      • Musical Library XIX
      • Musical Library XVIII
      • Musical Library XVII
      • Musical Library XVI
      • Musical Library XV
      • Musical Library XIV
      • Musical Library XIII
      • Musical Library XII
      • Musical Library XI
      • Musical Library X
      • Musical Library IX
      • Musical Library VIII
      • Musical Library VII
      • Musical Library VI
      • Musical Library V
      • Musical Library IV
      • Musical Library III
      • Musical Library II
      • Musical Library I
  • Video
    • DR S M Lockridge, Full Sermon
    • Enoch
    • Genesis
    • Gospel Of Luke
    • Greatest Biblical Archaeological Discoveries Of All Time
    • King Solomon
    • Leonard Ravenhill
    • One Saint
    • Paul, The Apostle
    • Rabbi Jonathan Cahn
    • Revelation, The Book
    • Roger Morneau
    • Ruth
    • Sermon On The Mount
    • That's My King!
    • The Bride, The Beast & Babylon
    • The Jesus Movie
  • Links

Christians Released from Custody in Iran

12/17/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture


International Christian Concern

2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #241
Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org  |  E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Media Contact:Todd Daniels, Regional Manager for the Middle East RM-ME@persecution.org@ICCMiddleEast

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Convictions Overturned, Two Iranian Christians Free, Additional Charges Dropped Against Third Christian
Six Year Prison Sentences Overturned for Christians Matthias Haghnejad, Silas Rabani and Benham Irani

12/15/2014 Washington, D.C.
International Christian Concern

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that an Iranian court has overturned six year prison sentences given to three Christian men in October for charges of political crimes for being members of a Christian church. Matthias Haghnejad and Silas Rabani were both released from custody. Benham Irani has served four years of a separate six year sentence, but had the additional six years that were added to his case removed.
The final hearing took place on December 9, before the Karaj Revolutionary Court and the ruling was delivered on Sunday, December 14 overturning the conviction and releasing two of the three accused. Matthias and Silas are released now and home with their families, Jason DeMars, president of Present Truth Ministries, told ICC after talking with friends who had spoken directly with the two men. The final status of the cases was not entirely clear as there was potential for a probationary period to be placed on the men, but for now they are free, DeMars said.

The three men were represented by Vahid Moshkani Farahani who, at a previous appeals hearing, argued that "people cannot be sentenced on political charges for simply belonging to a religious fellowship," Christian Solidarity Worldwide reported. 

The charges against the men were "crimes against national security" and "forming a network to overthrow the government," according to DeMars. Previously, the three were charged with religiously based crimes of "spreading corruption on earth" (Mofsed-e-filarz) and "enmity against God" (Moharebeh), crimes that carry the possibility of the death penalty and for which people are regularly executed.

Christians are most often charged with crimes against national security, such as those brought against American Saeed Abedini who is serving an eight year prison term.

DeMars spoke with Kristina Irani, Benham's wife, who reported her relief that the additional years were not added to Benham's sentence. Also, had the new charges been added, Benham would have been relocated to the southern city of Zabol, but this was overturned. He will continue to be held at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, where his family is able to visit

Kristina was able to see her husband briefly at the hearing and said that he looked fine. "He was doing well," she told DeMars, but he has faced lingering health issues that have caused concerns during his prison time.

"We are very thankful for the prayers and the action the Christians have taken to speak out on their behalf and to intercede for them before the Lord," DeMars told ICC on Monday.

ICC Regional Manager Todd Daniels said, "It is encouraging to see the Iranian judicial system rule on the merits of the case, rather than simply exploiting the system as a means of persecuting religious minorities, as is regularly the case. It is a fundamental aspect of religious freedom to be able to meet together with others who share your beliefs. For too long, the Iranian regime has treated such meetings as a threat to national security. The judicial system should uphold the commitments made by the Iranian government both in its constitution and in International Agreements to provide religious freedom for its citizens and should end the prosecution and unjust imprisonment of Christians for nothing more than practicing their religious beliefs. We continue to call for the full release of Pastor Benham Irani, Saeed Abedini, and the dozens more who are imprisoned unjustly."

For interviews, contact Todd Daniels, Regional Manager for the Middle East: RMME@persecution.org 

# # #

You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference International Christian Concern (ICC) and include our web address, www.persecution.org. ICC is a Washington D.C.-based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church. For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.


    Crown of Life Blog

    Picture
    The Martyrdom of ST Stephen, Pietro da Cortona, 1660

    News and Information about
    Persecuted Christians from all around the
    World

    Persecuted saints benefit most from your heartfelt and earnest prayer.

    Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial;
    for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him
    .
    James 1:12

    'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the
    devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so
    that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
    Revelation 2:10

    New American Standard Bible 
    (NASB)

    Copyright © 
    1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971,
    1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995
    by
    The Lockman Foundation


    Picture

    HOW TO READ A PERSECUTION NEWS STORY

    Trials make the promise sweet;
    Trials give new life to prayer;
    Trials bring me to His feet,
    Lay me low, and keep me there.


    "God often takes away our comforts and our privileges in order to make us better Christians. He trains His soldiers not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and subjecting them to forced marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim through rivers, and climb mountains, and walk many long miles with heavy backpacks of sorrow. Well, Christian, may this not account for the troubles through which you are passing? Is the Lord bringing out your graces and making them grow? Is it for this reason He contends with you?"

    Read Why Do I Face Trials?,
    by Alistair Begg, Truth for Life Daily, at One Place

    Christian persecution is just a phenomenon in the
    Middle East.

    Christians aren’t greatly
    impacted by persecution.

    Whatever persecution there is, the damage is superficial - more a loss of multicultural diversity than anything else.

    Christians supposedly bring persecution upon themselves by proselytizing.

    Persecution couldn’t
    happen here.

    Please read 5 Myths about Persecution of Christians, by
    Kristin Wright, at Religion Today.


    Share



    email the webmaster

    RSS Feed


    Archives

    January 2018
    November 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012