Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani released: Thank you for your support!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever!” Ephesians 3:20 We are overjoyed to report that Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, the Iranian pastor on death row for apostasy, was acquitted and released from prison on Saturday.  He is now at home with his family for the first time in three years, but is being tightly monitored by the authorities.
It is no coincidence that he was released on a day when Christians worldwide were praying for him around the clock!  Thank you so much for the part you played in CSW’s campaign through your lobbying, protests, prayer and generous support of our work.  Pastor Nadarkhani was due to appear in court to face new charges thought to be linked to crimes against national security.  Instead during court proceedings, he was acquitted of apostasy, but found guilty of evangelising Muslims. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment for the latter charge, but released on relatively minimal bail because he had already served all but a month of this time. He was greeted by his wife, children and friends in an emotional reunion outside the prison. But the sad reality is that his story is far from over.  Although we rejoice at his release, we know that he remains very much at risk.  In 1993, Pastor Mehdi Dibaj of the Assemblies of God (AoG) church was also imprisoned and sentenced to death for apostasy. AoG Bishop Haik Hovsepian Mehr, who initiated a successful international outcry against Pastor Dibaj’s death sentence, was murdered three days after the pastor’s release in January 1994, and six months later Pastor Dibaj was also assassinated. We need to maintain our prayer guard over the Pastor Nardarkhani and his family – please continue to stand with them, and countless other Christians suffering in Iran. Once again, thank you so much for your faithful support for the pastor during his three-year ordeal. Every blessing,The CSW Team 0845 456 5464 admin@csw.org.uk