By BosNewsLife Middle East Service
TEHRAN, IRAN (BosNewsLife)– Twelve Christians are to stand trial in Iran on Easter Sunday on charges including “crimes against the order”, an activist assisting them with advocacy told BosNewsLife.
Jason DeMars, director of the Present Truth Ministries group, said Friday that the Christians are facing the court in the northeastern city of Rasht, though “they were earlier for the same ‘crimes’ last year in [the Caspian Sea city of] Bandar Anzali.”
“This highlights once again, that it is illegal to be a Christian in Iran,” De Mars said.
Among the Christians is Pastor Matthias Haghnejad and his wife Anahita Khadeimi, he explained. Others were identified as Mahmoud Khosh-Hal and his wife Hava Saadetmend, Amir Goldoust, Mina Goldoust, Zhaina Bahremand, Fatemah Modir-Nouri, Mehrdad Habibzade, Milad Radef, Behzad Taalipasand and Amin Pishkar.
It comes amid reports of mounting pressure on devoted Christians in Iran, including former Muslims, amid a rapidly growing house church movement in the Islamic nation.
EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS
There may be at least 100,000 evangelical Christians in Iran, according to conservative estimates, though some groups say that number is much higher.
Monday’s trial is held not far from the prison where Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani faces possible execution for refusing to abandon his faith in Christ and return to Islam, according to court documents seen by BosNewsLife.
DeMars explained that his group has urged supporters to “pray for these believers as they stand trial” which was to begin early Sunday local time.
“We pray that God gives them courage to stand for their faith, to express themselves clearly and to bring him honor and glory. We also pray that he touches the heart of the judges to acquit these saints of these “crimes,” DeMars told supporters receiving his electronic newsletters.
Iranian officials have consistently denied wrongdoing, saying they try to uphold the values of Islam and the laws of the land.
(BosNewsLife strongly disagrees with this comment below, which seems a repeat of previous charges. Ofcourse you don’t find it in the (state-controlled) Iranian media.)
lie- they are not christian – they are jesus only — iranian christian people don’t believe them.
you never find like this news to iranian media.
cheating
islam has no values. at least, no values that would benefit anyone
Praying for these Brothers and Sisters in Christ! May God be Glorified in Jesus Christ, Our Lord.
Dear Ali,
You sound very angry; even to the point of hatred. Tell me, are you a Christian believer? If you are, then Scripture tells us not to hate these people, but pray for them. God’s Word says to us:
Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Have compassion those “Jesus Only People”; as you call them. The Bible always has the right answers. These are God’s instructions of how to help these people:
2 Timothy 2:24-26 (AMP)
24 And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome (fighting and contending). Instead, he must be kindly to everyone and mild-tempered [preserving the bond of peace]; he must be a skilled and suitable teacher, patient and forbearing and willing to suffer wrong.
25 He must correct his opponents with courtesy and gentleness, in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and come to know the Truth [that they will perceive and recognize and become accurately acquainted with and acknowledge it],
26 And that they may come to their senses [and] escape out of the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him, [henceforth] to do His [God’s] will.
Most Sincerely,
Kerry Scott Gorham
GREETINGS TO EVERYONE …. islam / JEWISH /CHRISTIAN / HINDU / BUDIST ETC [& all OF US SLIGHTLY false religion FOLLOWERS ] PLEASE REALIZE”’we all will be delt with by The Real God YHWH /YAHWEH /YEHOVAH … not.. REPEAT .. NOT some HIJACKED / TRUMPED – UP , TWISTED EVIL MAN – MADE , ‘ johnny -come lately ‘ PAGAN VERSION , USING [in one sad case ] A COLLECTION of FALSE gods led by their MOON GOD alas allah WHILE partly MIS – REPRESENTING & MIS – INTERPERATING & PARTLY PLEDGERISING THE JUDEO – CHRISTIAN BIBLE to MANIFEST HIGHLY SUSPECT glorification of one NARCISTIC , mysogonistic poedophile , self-centred WAR LORD , some say VERY EVIL MAD MAN … SO … now MY FRIENDS …*** SIMPLY SEEK THE REAL TRUTH …. NOT A MAN MADE TWISTED VERSION [ ALSO twisted by popes & rabis etc to suit their personal agendas .] who deliver/ed low self -esteem ‘ power seeking’ sic EGO-MANIC VERSIONS … so now *** .. THRU ** GENUINE RIGHTEOUS *** PRAYER TO ” THE GOD OF… ALL THINGS GREAT & small ” [wat ever name ] *** & also THRU MEDITATION *** WITH THE *** RIGHT … ‘ DEVINE ‘ GUIDANCE … ” SEEK THE TRUTH & GOD’S WISDOM “/ NOT ” MAN’S FRAGILE egotistic PHILOSOPHY” A.S.A.P. ……………..ALLAH AKBAH / AMEN / shalom /but only ..ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF [the GOOD] ..GOD !!! SO … BE… IT..& HAPPY DAYS.
again it shows how islam is raping Iran like mohammad did when arabs from deserts of arabia attacked Iran and destroyed Zoroastrian temples.
arabs killed and raped Persians and forced islam as its being ruled today. Once thing is for sure, islam came by the force of sword and it will be banished from Iran by flames of iranian people.
I love you, Iranien christian people. God loves your people. Let not the spirit of fear take control. Gods perfect love cast out all fear. Beate
“If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you… [I]f anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” (1 Peter 4:14-19)
PLEASE, for the love of God, follow the command of Jesus Christ to do good to those who are your enemies knowing that they face the final judgment and damnation, forever separated from God, punished with non consuming fire, worms and darkness. Muslims do not know what they are doing; pray for them to have dreams and visions of Jesus Christ and that they be able to hear or read God’s truth. Pray that the spiritually captive are set free. Financially support ministries that target Arabic- and Farsi-speaking people groups. Cry out to God for mercy on their behalf.
[…] Omidi, were detained by security forces in the northern city of Rasht. Taalipasand had been arrested previously and stood trial for “crimes against the order” on Easter Sunday […]