“Bring my people whom I created for my glory from afar.“
[Mar.08.2022] Iran’s Appeal Court has acquitted 9 Christians who were sentenced to five years in prison for participating in worship services.
According to the British Christian Today (CT), the nine Christians were charged with “promoting Christianity” along with “acting against national security” after participating in a house church.
In their ruling, the appeal court judges, Seyed Ali Asghar Kamali and Akbar Johari, found there was “insufficient evidence” the Christians had acted against national security and that Christians are taught to live in “obedience, submission, and support of the authorities”.
Article 18’s advocacy director, Mansour Borji, commented “This ruling is unlike any other of its type that I have seen, as the judges have gone to considerable length to explain their verdict, listing nine different reasons based on the constitution, judicial principles, legal provisions, and Islamic tradition.
“These judges have now found that the initial ruling that caused some of these Christians to spend over two and a half years of their lives in prison was legally unjustifiable.”
Open Doors USA, a Christian persecution watchdog group, called the ruling “a groundbreaking decision for Iranian Christians.”
Iran has banned Muslim converts from attending Christian services since 2005, punishing them with up to 10 years of prisonment for violations.
“If this trial ultimately frees Christians in Iran, this will be a stepping stone for the release of many people imprisoned on the same charges,” said Open Doors.
Nadine Maenza, chairman of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, also defended the Iranian court’s decision.
“We are delighted at the Tehran Court of Appeal’s acquittals of nine Christians. The Iranian court has made the right decision that the peaceful practice of Christianity does not threaten Iran’s national security,” he said (Source: Daily Good News).
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”(Isaiah 43:6-7)
God, thank You for the acquittals of Christian converts in Iran, where persecution of the church has been going on for decades. May the believers who have been praying for Iran be encouraged by this great news and may their prayers for the persecuted churches in Iran become more fervent. Lord, we pray that Christians who are still in prison will also be released, that the name of Jesus will spread further in Iran. God, we thank You for the church leaders and believers who are boldly sharing the Gospel that many Iranians will be added to Your Church, ushering for the return of Jesus Christ.
Prayer 24·365
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