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Attention on Iranian Pastor Nadarkhani Helps Persecuted Christians

  • Religion Today Religious persecution, missions, Christianity around the world
  • Updated Jun 01, 2012

The American Center for Law and Justice has confirmed with the attorney of imprisoned Iranian pastor Yousef Nadarkhani that he is alive and being treated well by prison officials while continuing to await his final verdict. The Iranian court has not yet received requested guidance from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, but local attorneys say they will issue their own ruling if the Supreme Leader doesn't respond within a month. Nadarkhani's attorney, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, said he remained hopeful that all the work in Nadarkhani's defense would lead to a positive outcome -- his release. International Christian Concern reports that the international attention on the case was having an effect on other cases brought against Christians in the region. Dadkhah confirmed that the Iranian judiciary was proceeding with caution in other cases against alleged "apostates;" for example, a regional court hesitated to bring a formal apostasy charge or harsh sentence for one Christian convert from Islam, and Dadkhah said he was certain it was due to the notoriety of Nadarkhani's case.