The U.S. Senate's Committee on Foreign Relations, chaired by Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), unanimously approved on June 19 a resolution calling for the exoneration and immediate release of imprisoned Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, the American Center for Law and Justice reports. With the committee's passage of S.Res. 385, sponsored by Sen. David Vitter, the measure will now be sent to the Senate floor to be considered by the full Senate. More than 120,000 people have signed an ACLJ petition to the Senate asking for unanimous approval of the resolution. "It is time for the full Senate to stand for religious freedom and with Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani," the ACLJ said in a press release. Pastor Nadarkhani is approaching his 1,000th day in jail on July 8, 2012, his only crime his faith in Jesus Christ.
