General Politics Iran jails people for being Christian

ForeverChiefs58 · 09-13-2012, 10:10 PM

Nadarkhani free, but Iran’s jails hold many more Christians

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani made international headlines and eventually won his freedom after being imprisoned and sentenced to death by an Iranian court, but several other Christians remain in the Islamic nation's prisons simply because of their faith.

Advocates of the men and women who refuse to renounce their Christian beliefs in a nation where they are vastly outnumbered by an often hostile population say their best chance for freedom is international pressure. Less than 1 percent of Iran's population is comprised of people of non-Muslim faith, according to CIA's World Factbook, and Christians, Jews and Hindi face relentless persecution.

“Iran has amped up its systematic persecution of Christians over the last year, closing churches, burning Bibles, imprisoning believers, and using threats and intimidations tactics to suppress religious expression,” said Tiffany Barrans, International legal Director for the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which waged a successful campaign for Nadarkhani’s release.

Nadarkhani's dramatic release after three years in prison came Sept. 8, after an international campaign of diplomatic and online pressure prompted a judge to reduce his sentence to time served for downgraded charges of "evangelizing to Muslims." But other Christian ministers still languish in Iranian prisons with deplorable conditions simply for professing their faith.

Pastor Farshid Fathi has been locked up in Iran’s notorious Evin prison since December 2010 for what the ACLJ describes as practicing his Christian faith. After bowing to international pressure, Iranian authorities are starting to avoid charges that appear to be based on a person’s faith, according to the ACLJ. In Fathi’s case, his Christian activity was framed as being “criminal political offenses” by the court.

The regime in Iran equated his activities as “actions against national security,” based on evidence the pastor unlawfully distributed Bibles printed in Iran's language of Farsi. His lawyers were denied information about the case until just days before the trial. Since his conviction, Fathi has been held at Evin, where hundreds of political prisoners endure horrid conditions, physical and psychological torture, violent interrogations and sleep deprivation.

Another Christian minister, Pastor Behnam Irani, is serving six years in Ghezal Hezar prison for alleged “actions against the state,” after he preached to a group of converted Christians in a house church as well as sharing his faith with Muslims. Irani was originally arrested in in December 2006, convicted and given a five-year suspended prison sentence. He was arrested again in April 2010 and given a one-year prison sentence, and just before his scheduled release, told that he would have to serve the full term of the suspended sentence from 2006, according to the ACLJ.

Irani has suffered severe stomach ulcers and other serious ailments while imprisoned, and received death threats and beatings from other prisoners and authorities at Ghezal Hezar, according to his supporters.

Maryam Jalili was sent to Evin in 2011 for a two-and-a-half-year sentence for "membership in an illegal group" and charges of apostasy after she and 14 other Christians gathered at a house church in Pakdasht on Dec. 24, 2009 for Christmas services. Jalili was detained for more than a week before her local authorities told her family, say her supporters. Officials told the families of her and other detainees that they would be released that day, but instead they were secretly transferred to Evin.

Jalili was originally released on bail in March 2010 but was re-arrested in 2011 and was sent back to Evin, which is infamous for its severe mistreatment of women detainees.

Supporters of the persecuted Christians say Nadarkhani's release shows Iran will bow to international pressure, if enough people and governments are involved.

“Pastor Youcef's recent release is certainly something to celebrate, but amidst the celebration we must remember that many others remain in prison in Iran solely for their faith," said Barrans. "Iran is at a critical juncture both politically and diplomatically. We must use this moment, while the world is listening, to draw attention to Iran's many abuses of human rights.”

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/09...#ixzz26PhO4IXF

KILLER_CLOWN · 09-13-2012, 10:22 PM

Pastor Arrested for Holding Bible Study

Sunday, 15 Jul 2012 06:34 PM

By Patrick Hobin

Read more on Newsmax.com: Pastor Arrested for Holding Bible Study

A Phoenix-area pastor is in jail after his home was raided because he was violating an occupancy law by conducting private Bible studies in his home, the Examiner reported.

Pastor Michael Salmon, an ordained minister who lives with his family in the Phoenix area, has led a Bible-study gathering of 15-20 people at his 4.5 acre property since 2005.

Police raided his home on July 6. In 2007, Salmon received a notice from the City of Phoenix that Bible studies are not permitted in a residence unless the property is converted to an A3 occupancy, which allows commercial and public use, according to the Examiner.

"It came down to zoning and proper permitting. Anytime you are holding a gathering of people continuously as he does, we have concerns about people being able to exit the facility properly in case there is a fire," Phoenix City Prosecutor Vicki Hall said, according to the Examiner.

Salmon took some steps to meet the requirements, but did not want to become a commercial entity, calling the code unconstitutional. Now he is serving 60 days in jail for "creating an unsafe building environment," the Examiner reported. The pastor has also received a $12,180 fine for his crime and could receive probation.

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/pas...7/15/id/445419

Dave · 09-13-2012, 10:29 PM

The world would be a better place if (un)organized religion did not exist.

ForeverChiefs58 · 09-13-2012, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KILLER_CLOWN

Pastor Arrested for Holding Bible Study

Sunday, 15 Jul 2012 06:34 PM

By Patrick Hobin

Read more on Newsmax.com: Pastor Arrested for Holding Bible Study

A Phoenix-area pastor is in jail after his home was raided because he was violating an occupancy law by conducting private Bible studies in his home, the Examiner reported.

Pastor Michael Salmon, an ordained minister who lives with his family in the Phoenix area, has led a Bible-study gathering of 15-20 people at his 4.5 acre property since 2005.

Police raided his home on July 6. In 2007, Salmon received a notice from the City of Phoenix that Bible studies are not permitted in a residence unless the property is converted to an A3 occupancy, which allows commercial and public use, according to the Examiner.

"It came down to zoning and proper permitting. Anytime you are holding a gathering of people continuously as he does, we have concerns about people being able to exit the facility properly in case there is a fire," Phoenix City Prosecutor Vicki Hall said, according to the Examiner.

Salmon took some steps to meet the requirements, but did not want to become a commercial entity, calling the code unconstitutional. Now he is serving 60 days in jail for "creating an unsafe building environment," the Examiner reported. The pastor has also received a $12,180 fine for his crime and could receive probation.

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/pas...7/15/id/445419

At least they didn't sentence him to death.

Oh yeah, and this

nstygma · 09-14-2012, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KILLER_CLOWN

Pastor Arrested for Holding Bible Study

he just got indicted

KILLER_CLOWN · 09-14-2012, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nstygma

he just got indicted

link to the update?

BucEyedPea · 09-14-2012, 01:23 AM

So far their Jews have been safe. Jews don't evangelize but Christians do. That's illegal in a muslim country to try to convert a Muslim to another faith. Saudi Arabia arrest Christians for doing the same thing. But we don't try to bomb them over it. Heck, they're even our allies.

BucEyedPea · 09-14-2012, 01:26 AM

The Rejoice in the Church of the Lord’s service came to an abrupt halt when religious police raided the apartment where the meeting was being held, as they confiscated Bibles, broke furniture, and even painted Koran verses on the apartment’s walls. After the raid, Vasantha and Yohan were taken into custody, where they were interrogated and beaten viciously.

The next day, the men were taken to the Religious Court, where they were charged with proselytizing and given a 45-day prison sentence. When he was finally granted permission to make a phone call, Vasantha called his pastor in India and explained that he had been pressured to convert back to Islam, but had refused.

The men were moved to a central, overcrowded prison in Riyadh, where the living conditions were substandard at best and inhumane at worst. Because there was no place for them to even sit down, Vasantha and Nese were forced to sleep in shifts, usually just two hours at a time. Food was scarce, and despite Yohan’s suspected bout with tuberculosis, he was denied medical treatment.

As they remained cut off from the outside world, the men’s captivity slowly stretched into weeks, then months, with seemingly no end in sight.

http://www.christianfreedom.org/the-...-saudi-arabia/

nstygma · 09-14-2012, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KILLER_CLOWN

link to the update?

not looking good for him
http://www.azcentral.com/business/ca...es-pastor.html

KILLER_CLOWN · 09-14-2012, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nstygma

not looking good for him
http://www.azcentral.com/business/ca...es-pastor.html

So why of all things did they go after him for holding a bible study when their seemed to be plenty of ammo to use against him. That story doesn't present him in a good light at all.

listopencil · 09-14-2012, 02:45 AM

State+Church=Evil

nstygma · 09-14-2012, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KILLER_CLOWN

So why of all things did they go after him for holding a bible study when their seemed to be plenty of ammo to use against him. That story doesn't present him in a good light at all.

the zoning thing was only what irritated them. if he hadn't fought that, none of the other stuff would have happened.

Psyko Tek · 09-14-2012, 03:25 AM

ain't we got enough problems here without borrowing other countries BS?
or is it just easier to send in the marines to fix them?

**** we ignored darfur, we not ignore this
we let the chinese do what they want cause we get Iphones

pick a standard and stick to it

RubberSponge · 09-14-2012, 05:22 AM

Tell me again why as an American I should be concerned about Iranian Christians treatment in Iran?

KILLER_CLOWN · 09-14-2012, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RubberSponge

Tell me again why as an American I should be concerned about Iranian Christians treatment in Iran?

Well if you aren't Christian I guess they can all die right? Who needs those do gooders?

09-13-2012, 10:10 PM
ForeverChiefs58 MVP Join Date: Mar 2009 Casino cash: $577796	Iran jails people for being Christian Nadarkhani free, but Iran’s jails hold many more Christians Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani made international headlines and eventually won his freedom after being imprisoned and sentenced to death by an Iranian court, but several other Christians remain in the Islamic nation's prisons simply because of their faith. Advocates of the men and women who refuse to renounce their Christian beliefs in a nation where they are vastly outnumbered by an often hostile population say their best chance for freedom is international pressure. Less than 1 percent of Iran's population is comprised of people of non-Muslim faith, according to CIA's World Factbook, and Christians, Jews and Hindi face relentless persecution. “Iran has amped up its systematic persecution of Christians over the last year, closing churches, burning Bibles, imprisoning believers, and using threats and intimidations tactics to suppress religious expression,” said Tiffany Barrans, International legal Director for the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which waged a successful campaign for Nadarkhani’s release. Nadarkhani's dramatic release after three years in prison came Sept. 8, after an international campaign of diplomatic and online pressure prompted a judge to reduce his sentence to time served for downgraded charges of "evangelizing to Muslims." But other Christian ministers still languish in Iranian prisons with deplorable conditions simply for professing their faith. Pastor Farshid Fathi has been locked up in Iran’s notorious Evin prison since December 2010 for what the ACLJ describes as practicing his Christian faith. After bowing to international pressure, Iranian authorities are starting to avoid charges that appear to be based on a person’s faith, according to the ACLJ. In Fathi’s case, his Christian activity was framed as being “criminal political offenses” by the court. The regime in Iran equated his activities as “actions against national security,” based on evidence the pastor unlawfully distributed Bibles printed in Iran's language of Farsi. His lawyers were denied information about the case until just days before the trial. Since his conviction, Fathi has been held at Evin, where hundreds of political prisoners endure horrid conditions, physical and psychological torture, violent interrogations and sleep deprivation. Another Christian minister, Pastor Behnam Irani, is serving six years in Ghezal Hezar prison for alleged “actions against the state,” after he preached to a group of converted Christians in a house church as well as sharing his faith with Muslims. Irani was originally arrested in in December 2006, convicted and given a five-year suspended prison sentence. He was arrested again in April 2010 and given a one-year prison sentence, and just before his scheduled release, told that he would have to serve the full term of the suspended sentence from 2006, according to the ACLJ. Irani has suffered severe stomach ulcers and other serious ailments while imprisoned, and received death threats and beatings from other prisoners and authorities at Ghezal Hezar, according to his supporters. Maryam Jalili was sent to Evin in 2011 for a two-and-a-half-year sentence for "membership in an illegal group" and charges of apostasy after she and 14 other Christians gathered at a house church in Pakdasht on Dec. 24, 2009 for Christmas services. Jalili was detained for more than a week before her local authorities told her family, say her supporters. Officials told the families of her and other detainees that they would be released that day, but instead they were secretly transferred to Evin. Jalili was originally released on bail in March 2010 but was re-arrested in 2011 and was sent back to Evin, which is infamous for its severe mistreatment of women detainees. Supporters of the persecuted Christians say Nadarkhani's release shows Iran will bow to international pressure, if enough people and governments are involved. “Pastor Youcef's recent release is certainly something to celebrate, but amidst the celebration we must remember that many others remain in prison in Iran solely for their faith," said Barrans. "Iran is at a critical juncture both politically and diplomatically. We must use this moment, while the world is listening, to draw attention to Iran's many abuses of human rights.” Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/09...#ixzz26PhO4IXF
Posts: 5,999

09-13-2012, 10:22 PM	#2
KILLER_CLOWN Be HEALED!!!!!!! Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Fascist State Casino cash: $11108812	Pastor Arrested for Holding Bible Study Sunday, 15 Jul 2012 06:34 PM By Patrick Hobin Read more on Newsmax.com: Pastor Arrested for Holding Bible Study A Phoenix-area pastor is in jail after his home was raided because he was violating an occupancy law by conducting private Bible studies in his home, the Examiner reported. Pastor Michael Salmon, an ordained minister who lives with his family in the Phoenix area, has led a Bible-study gathering of 15-20 people at his 4.5 acre property since 2005. Police raided his home on July 6. In 2007, Salmon received a notice from the City of Phoenix that Bible studies are not permitted in a residence unless the property is converted to an A3 occupancy, which allows commercial and public use, according to the Examiner. "It came down to zoning and proper permitting. Anytime you are holding a gathering of people continuously as he does, we have concerns about people being able to exit the facility properly in case there is a fire," Phoenix City Prosecutor Vicki Hall said, according to the Examiner. Salmon took some steps to meet the requirements, but did not want to become a commercial entity, calling the code unconstitutional. Now he is serving 60 days in jail for "creating an unsafe building environment," the Examiner reported. The pastor has also received a $12,180 fine for his crime and could receive probation. http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/pas...7/15/id/445419 __________________ "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father ... And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." "If the people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny." - Thomas Jefferson
Posts: 19,704

09-13-2012, 10:29 PM	#3
Dave New Hope Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Florida Casino cash: $171462	The world would be a better place if (un)organized religion did not exist.
Posts: 45,343

09-14-2012, 01:23 AM	#7
BucEyedPea Frazod Loves Hammy Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: None of your business Casino cash: $48238	So far their Jews have been safe. Jews don't evangelize but Christians do. That's illegal in a muslim country to try to convert a Muslim to another faith. Saudi Arabia arrest Christians for doing the same thing. But we don't try to bomb them over it. Heck, they're even our allies. __________________ "In government, the scum rises to the top."~ Hayek
Posts: 46,465

09-14-2012, 01:26 AM	#8
BucEyedPea Frazod Loves Hammy Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: None of your business Casino cash: $48238	Saudi Arabia jails people for being Christian The Rejoice in the Church of the Lord’s service came to an abrupt halt when religious police raided the apartment where the meeting was being held, as they confiscated Bibles, broke furniture, and even painted Koran verses on the apartment’s walls. After the raid, Vasantha and Yohan were taken into custody, where they were interrogated and beaten viciously. The next day, the men were taken to the Religious Court, where they were charged with proselytizing and given a 45-day prison sentence. When he was finally granted permission to make a phone call, Vasantha called his pastor in India and explained that he had been pressured to convert back to Islam, but had refused. The men were moved to a central, overcrowded prison in Riyadh, where the living conditions were substandard at best and inhumane at worst. Because there was no place for them to even sit down, Vasantha and Nese were forced to sleep in shifts, usually just two hours at a time. Food was scarce, and despite Yohan’s suspected bout with tuberculosis, he was denied medical treatment. As they remained cut off from the outside world, the men’s captivity slowly stretched into weeks, then months, with seemingly no end in sight. http://www.christianfreedom.org/the-...-saudi-arabia/ __________________ "In government, the scum rises to the top."~ Hayek
Posts: 46,465

09-14-2012, 02:45 AM	#11
listopencil sic semper tyrannis Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: :: In Partibus Infidelium Casino cash: $1081085	State+Church=Evil __________________ I am my own God. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.
Posts: 21,109

09-14-2012, 03:25 AM	#13
Psyko Tek special teams Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Mesa AZ Casino cash: $1083591	ain't we got enough problems here without borrowing other countries BS? or is it just easier to send in the marines to fix them? **** we ignored darfur, we not ignore this we let the chinese do what they want cause we get Iphones pick a standard and stick to it __________________ Psyko Tek
Posts: 7,970

09-14-2012, 05:22 AM	#14
RubberSponge It's got a lock on it! Join Date: Aug 2010 Casino cash: $12231	Tell me again why as an American I should be concerned about Iranian Christians treatment in Iran?
Posts: 671

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode