Sunday, June 3, 2012
14 dead as suicide car bomb hits church in Nigeria
ABUJA: In the latest deadly attack on Christians in Nigeria, at least 14 people were killed and many injured when a suicide car bomber detonated his explosives inside a church compound in the country's north today, police said.
The blast occurred at the Living Faith church near the capital of Nigeria's northern state of Bauchi, they said.
State police commissioner Mohammed Ladan said a police checkpoint has prevented the bomber from gaining access to his target.
"So he rammed the car into a security gate and the car exploded," said Ladan.
While a police source told PTI that security forces are still verifying the extent of damage. The source said the death toll from the blast could rise.
No group has claimed responsibility but the attack bears the signature of a radical Islamic militant sect - Boko Haram - which has been bombing churches and other public squares in the oil-rich African country with the intention of installing an Islamic state.
The group had targeted and killed several politicians and Muslim religious leaders in the northern region for not conforming to their aspiration.
On April 29, gunmen had killed at least 15 people in an attack on a university theatre being used by Christians in northern Nigeria's biggest city, Kano.
Nigeria has 160 million people and is split between a largely Muslim north and Christian south.
Sphere: Related Content
Monday, February 27, 2012
Iran's Christian pastor alive, execution looming
The Christian pastor sentenced to death in Iran last week for leaving Islam and converting to Christianity was confirmed alive as of early Sunday, sources close to his attorneys told Fox News.
Iran’s government backtracked over the weekend, stating that no execution order had been announced for Youcef Nadarkhani, and that he was being held not for apostasy, but for rape and “other crimes,” according to the Islamic Republic’s state-controlled Press TV.
Nadarkhani’s attorneys believe the government toned down its rhetoric in response to an international outcry. The execution order, however, remained in effect, they said.
Supporters fear Nadarkhani, a 34-year-old father of two who was arrested more than two years ago on charges of apostasy, fear he may be executed at any time, as death sentences in Iran can be carried out immediately or dragged out for years.
Others fear Nadarkhani will be used in broader political negotiations as Iran endures crippling sanctions and international pressure in response to its nuclear agenda and rogue discourse. The number of executions in Iran has increased significantly in the last month.
“If a human being becomes a bargaining chip for the ayatollah, that’s not a situation that will lead to anything positive,” said Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), a human rights advocacy group that has led international campaigns to free Nadarkhani.
“When it’s a high-profile case, they test the international community’s reaction to these stories and how they change as geopolitical priorities shift.”
Iran’s judiciary, fearing its ultimate decision will have far-reaching political implications, has been caught in a bind in determining Nadarkhani’s fate.
Should the court release the pastor, it will appear disrespectful of the tenets of Shariah, or Islamic law, which call for an apostate to be put to death. If it executes him, it will face increasing criticism from the international community that continues to petition for the Nadarkhani’s release.
Dozens of human rights groups along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, 89 members of Congress, and leaders from the European Union, France, Great Britain, Mexico and Germany have condemned Iran for arresting Nadarkhani and have called for his quick release.
Last week, the State Department and White House put out statements condemning Tuesday’s execution verdict.
Congress has scheduled a vote as early as Wednesday on House Resolution 556, which condemns the Iranian government and calls for the pastor’s quick release.
Nadarkhani converted to Christianity at 19 and came under the Islamic regime’s radar in 2006 when he applied for his church to be registered with the state. He was arrested and soon released, according to sources.
In 2009 he went to local officials to complain about Islamic indoctrination in his school district, arguing that his children should not be forced to learn about Islam.
Read more at http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/02/27/irans-christian-pastor-alive-execution-looming/ Sphere: Related Content
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Iran court convicts Christian pastor convert to death
A trial court in Iran has issued its final verdict, ordering a Christian pastor to be put to death for leaving Islam and converting to Christianity, according to sources close to the pastor and his legal team.
Supporters fear Youcef Nadarkhani, a 34-year-old father of two who was arrested over two years ago on charges of apostasy, may now be executed at any time without prior warning, as death sentences in Iran may be carried out immediately or dragged out for years.
It is unclear whether Nadarkhani can appeal the execution order.
“The world needs to stand up and say that a man cannot be put to death because of his faith,” said Jordan Sekulow, executive director of The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).
“This one case is not just about one execution. We have been able to expose the system instead of just letting one man disappear, like so many other Christians have in the past.”
It is also feared that Nadarkhani will be executed in retaliation as Iran endures crippling sanctions and international pressure in response to its nuclear agenda and rogue rhetoric. The number of executions in Iran has increased significantly in the last month.
“This is defiance,” Sekulow said. “They want to say they will carry out what they say they will do.”
The order to execute Nadarkhani came only days after lawmakers in Congress supported a resolution sponsored by Pennsylvania Rep. Joseph Pitts denouncing the apostasy charge and calling for his immediate release.
“Iran has become more isolated because of their drive for nuclear weapons, and the fundamentalist government has stepped up persecution of religious minorities to deflect criticism,” Pitts, a Republican, told FoxNews.com. “The persecuted are their own citizens, whose only crime is practicing their faith.”
The ACLJ has been a major driving force in keeping Nadarkhani’s case in the international spotlight. Many other advocacy groups and human rights organizations also have mounted global campaigns and petitions against the Iranian government, and experts credit Nadarkhani’s international support for keeping him alive.
The ACLJ recently launched a Twitter campaign to publicize Nadarkhani’s case, asking participants to dedicate a daily tweet to “Tweet for Youcef,” stating the number of days he has been imprisoned (currently 863) and ending the tweet with “ViaOfficialACLJ,” sending readers back to the organization’s website where they could learn more about his case.
Tweets have reached 157 countries and over 400,000 people.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and 89 members of Congress, along with the European Union, France, Great Britain, Mexico and Germany, have condemned Iran for arresting Nadarkhani and have called for his quick release.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/02/22/iran-court-convicts-christian-pastor-convert-to-death Sphere: Related Content
Supporters fear Youcef Nadarkhani, a 34-year-old father of two who was arrested over two years ago on charges of apostasy, may now be executed at any time without prior warning, as death sentences in Iran may be carried out immediately or dragged out for years.
It is unclear whether Nadarkhani can appeal the execution order.
“The world needs to stand up and say that a man cannot be put to death because of his faith,” said Jordan Sekulow, executive director of The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).
“This one case is not just about one execution. We have been able to expose the system instead of just letting one man disappear, like so many other Christians have in the past.”
It is also feared that Nadarkhani will be executed in retaliation as Iran endures crippling sanctions and international pressure in response to its nuclear agenda and rogue rhetoric. The number of executions in Iran has increased significantly in the last month.
“This is defiance,” Sekulow said. “They want to say they will carry out what they say they will do.”
The order to execute Nadarkhani came only days after lawmakers in Congress supported a resolution sponsored by Pennsylvania Rep. Joseph Pitts denouncing the apostasy charge and calling for his immediate release.
“Iran has become more isolated because of their drive for nuclear weapons, and the fundamentalist government has stepped up persecution of religious minorities to deflect criticism,” Pitts, a Republican, told FoxNews.com. “The persecuted are their own citizens, whose only crime is practicing their faith.”
The ACLJ has been a major driving force in keeping Nadarkhani’s case in the international spotlight. Many other advocacy groups and human rights organizations also have mounted global campaigns and petitions against the Iranian government, and experts credit Nadarkhani’s international support for keeping him alive.
The ACLJ recently launched a Twitter campaign to publicize Nadarkhani’s case, asking participants to dedicate a daily tweet to “Tweet for Youcef,” stating the number of days he has been imprisoned (currently 863) and ending the tweet with “ViaOfficialACLJ,” sending readers back to the organization’s website where they could learn more about his case.
Tweets have reached 157 countries and over 400,000 people.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and 89 members of Congress, along with the European Union, France, Great Britain, Mexico and Germany, have condemned Iran for arresting Nadarkhani and have called for his quick release.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/02/22/iran-court-convicts-christian-pastor-convert-to-death Sphere: Related Content
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
American Taxpayers Aiding the Slaughter of Egypt’s Christians | CNSnews.com
American Taxpayers Aiding the Slaughter of Egypt’s Christians | CNSnews.com
Al Ahram is an Egyptian newspaper. It reported last week on the killing of 36 Coptic Christian demonstrators in Cairo.
Millions of us have seen the pictures on our television screens of armored personnel carriers plowing into unarmed protesters, mowing them down. Those vehicles, and their drivers, are being funded in part by the United States. We are lavishly paying the Egyptian military regime.
The Obama administration welcomed last February’s ouster of longtime Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak. President Obama and Secretary Clinton have referred to the mass demonstrations in Egypt ’s capital as part of a new and more hopeful “Arab Spring.”
Well, is it? We now know the Muslim Brotherhood is increasing its influence daily in post-Mubarak Egypt . This international Islamist group is well versed in using terror and threats of terror to advance its political objectives. The Obama administration takes at face value any statements from the Muslim Brotherhood that it seeks to work within the recognized boundaries of civil, cultural, and political life. It does indeed. But it also keeps in reserve its mailed fist. It has influence with Egyptian masses, in part, because it is known to use terror against its opponents.
American taxpayers continue to underwrite Egypt ’s military regime. Why? We are constantly told that without them, things would be even worse for the Copts. Yes. They might be, like Egypt ’s Jews, driven out of their homeland.
Egyptian violence against Christians is intolerable. When peaceful demonstrators demanding only protection of the law are attacked,we see a complete breakdown of civil order. More than that, the fact that Egypt ’s Christians are being killed with impunity means there is no Arab Spring.
We need a thorough reassessment of our foreign policy goals. American Christians tax dollars are being used to support this madness. The Obama administration earmarked aid to Libya, even under Gaddafi. Now, his administration is helping Gaddafi’s opponents, ostensibly to bring in a democratic republic.
But the Libyan transition government—installed by NATO--refuses to give up the Lockerbie bomber. How likely is it they will establish a recognizable democracy, one that respects human rights?
The Obama administration is also pressing to topple Syria ’s ruler, Bashar al-Assad.
We need have no sympathy for this brutal dictator, but has Mr. Obama contemplated what will happen to Syria ’s Christian minority when Assad goes? Or is that question out of line for an administration bent on making NASA’s new mission one of boosting Muslims’ self-esteem?
President Barack Obama is building an unenviable record in foreign policy. He is the most anti-Israel president in our history and also, de facto, the most anti-Christian.
He is washing his hands of the fate of millions of minority Christians in the Mideast . This cannot be beneficial to the United States or to the countries involved.
When Gen. Petraeus ordered the burning of Pashto language Bibles in Afghanistan, the justification was that Afghan Muslims would be enraged to see a Bible written in their own language. To allow such would endanger our troops and our mission in Afghanistan. But Gen. Petraeus was quick to condemn the burning of a single Koran in Florida by a foolish pastor in no way connected to the U.S. government.
Does the Obama administration know what it is helping to establish in Afghanistan? Do Americans realize what we are paying for? We know there are no churches left in Afghanistan . We know that Abdul Rahman had to be spirited out of the country under cover of darkness lest he be murdered by the government U.S. forces put in place in Kabul. Rahman’s crime? He converted to Christianity.
Is this what we are fighting for? Is this what we are being taxed for? The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom states that “to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical.”
That 1786 statute was a cornerstone of our own Great Republic . Jefferson and Madison worked in harness to achieve this Magna Carta of religious liberty. Has the U.S. Department of State forgotten who we Americans are?
Millions of Americans disbelieve and abhor what is being taught in Afghan schools, what is being done on the streets of Cairo, and what is likely to be done in Syria when Assad is toppled. Isn’t it time for a total reassessment of U.S. foreign policy and aid? Sphere: Related Content
Al Ahram is an Egyptian newspaper. It reported last week on the killing of 36 Coptic Christian demonstrators in Cairo.
Millions of us have seen the pictures on our television screens of armored personnel carriers plowing into unarmed protesters, mowing them down. Those vehicles, and their drivers, are being funded in part by the United States. We are lavishly paying the Egyptian military regime.
The Obama administration welcomed last February’s ouster of longtime Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak. President Obama and Secretary Clinton have referred to the mass demonstrations in Egypt ’s capital as part of a new and more hopeful “Arab Spring.”
Well, is it? We now know the Muslim Brotherhood is increasing its influence daily in post-Mubarak Egypt . This international Islamist group is well versed in using terror and threats of terror to advance its political objectives. The Obama administration takes at face value any statements from the Muslim Brotherhood that it seeks to work within the recognized boundaries of civil, cultural, and political life. It does indeed. But it also keeps in reserve its mailed fist. It has influence with Egyptian masses, in part, because it is known to use terror against its opponents.
American taxpayers continue to underwrite Egypt ’s military regime. Why? We are constantly told that without them, things would be even worse for the Copts. Yes. They might be, like Egypt ’s Jews, driven out of their homeland.
Egyptian violence against Christians is intolerable. When peaceful demonstrators demanding only protection of the law are attacked,we see a complete breakdown of civil order. More than that, the fact that Egypt ’s Christians are being killed with impunity means there is no Arab Spring.
We need a thorough reassessment of our foreign policy goals. American Christians tax dollars are being used to support this madness. The Obama administration earmarked aid to Libya, even under Gaddafi. Now, his administration is helping Gaddafi’s opponents, ostensibly to bring in a democratic republic.
But the Libyan transition government—installed by NATO--refuses to give up the Lockerbie bomber. How likely is it they will establish a recognizable democracy, one that respects human rights?
The Obama administration is also pressing to topple Syria ’s ruler, Bashar al-Assad.
We need have no sympathy for this brutal dictator, but has Mr. Obama contemplated what will happen to Syria ’s Christian minority when Assad goes? Or is that question out of line for an administration bent on making NASA’s new mission one of boosting Muslims’ self-esteem?
President Barack Obama is building an unenviable record in foreign policy. He is the most anti-Israel president in our history and also, de facto, the most anti-Christian.
He is washing his hands of the fate of millions of minority Christians in the Mideast . This cannot be beneficial to the United States or to the countries involved.
When Gen. Petraeus ordered the burning of Pashto language Bibles in Afghanistan, the justification was that Afghan Muslims would be enraged to see a Bible written in their own language. To allow such would endanger our troops and our mission in Afghanistan. But Gen. Petraeus was quick to condemn the burning of a single Koran in Florida by a foolish pastor in no way connected to the U.S. government.
Does the Obama administration know what it is helping to establish in Afghanistan? Do Americans realize what we are paying for? We know there are no churches left in Afghanistan . We know that Abdul Rahman had to be spirited out of the country under cover of darkness lest he be murdered by the government U.S. forces put in place in Kabul. Rahman’s crime? He converted to Christianity.
Is this what we are fighting for? Is this what we are being taxed for? The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom states that “to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical.”
That 1786 statute was a cornerstone of our own Great Republic . Jefferson and Madison worked in harness to achieve this Magna Carta of religious liberty. Has the U.S. Department of State forgotten who we Americans are?
Millions of Americans disbelieve and abhor what is being taught in Afghan schools, what is being done on the streets of Cairo, and what is likely to be done in Syria when Assad is toppled. Isn’t it time for a total reassessment of U.S. foreign policy and aid? Sphere: Related Content
Monday, October 17, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Iranian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani Still on Death Row; Brazilian Senators Plea for His Life
Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani is seen here in prison in Lakan, Iran. Nadarkhani faces execution for refusing to recant his Christian faith.
Brazilian senators have mobilized to support the release of the pastor who is facing execution in Iran because of his faith in Christ.
Paulo Paim, a Brazilian Senator (PT-RS), this week sent a petition of a motion in support of Iranian pastor Yousef Nadarkhani to the president of the Brazilian Senate, Jose Sarney.
"Under the Rules of the House, I require a motion in support of the Iranian pastor Nadarkhani Yousef," he says in the claim.
Pastor Nadarkhani faces execution for refusing to recant his Christian faith although more recent reports have indicated that the charges against him have been changed; saying that he is now on death row for “crimes against national security.”
The mobilization started from an appeal made by another senator, Marcelo Crivella (PRB-RJ) last month. In a speech, he urged his colleagues to call on the Iranian government to release the pastor.
"I would like to ask my fellow senators to make an appeal on behalf of democracy and human rights in particular, to the Iranian Government to save this innocent man's life, who was just exercising his right to express his conscience."
Paim says in the petition, "For Senate Committee on Human Rights is unacceptable and unbelievable that even today, in the twenty-first century, to say that someone will die if he does not deny his faith; that will be killed or have life imprisonment if he does not deny his faith."
Media organizations, human rights groups, Christian leaders and political figures have all been applying pressure for Iran to free the Christian pastor, and the efforts are, apparently, now bringing positive results. According to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which has followed the case closely, the pastor is still alive, despite numerous previous reports saying that his execution was imminent.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide is calling on all Christians to join the prayer day on October 9 for the life of Pastor Yousef.
Iranian officials are set to meet again Oct. 10, in what could be a decisive day for the life of the pastor.
More information at http://global.christianpost.com/news/iranian-pastor-yousef-nadarkhani-still-on-death-row-brazilian-senators-plea-for-his-life-57655/ Sphere: Related Content
At least 24 killed in Cairo clashes over church attack
The Associated Press
CAIRO — Flames lit up downtown Cairo, where massive clashes raged Sunday, drawing Christians angry over a recent church attack, hard-line Muslims and Egyptian security forces. At least 24 people were killed and more than 200 injured in the worst sectarian violence since the uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak in February.
The rioting lasted late into the night, bringing out a deployment of more than 1,000 security forces and armoured vehicles to defend the state television building along the Nile, where the trouble began. The military clamped a curfew on the area until 7 a.m.
The clashes spread to nearby Tahrir Square, drawing thousands of people to the vast plaza that served as the epicenter of the protests that ousted Mubarak. On Sunday night, they battled each other with rocks and firebombs, some tearing up pavement for ammunition and others collecting stones in boxes.
At one point, an armoured security van sped into the crowd, striking a half-dozen protesters and throwing some into the air. Protesters retaliated by setting fire to military vehicles, a bus and private cars, sending flames rising into the night sky.
After midnight, mobs roamed downtown streets, attacking cars they suspected had Christian passengers. In many areas, there was no visible police or army presence to confront or stop them.
Christians, who make up about 10 per cent of Egypt's 80 million people, blame the country's ruling military council for being too lenient on those behind a spate of anti-Christian attacks since Mubarak's ouster. As Egypt undergoes a chaotic power transition and security vacuum in the wake of the uprising, the Coptic Christian minority is particularly worried about the show of force by ultraconservative Islamists.
The Christian protesters said their demonstration began as a peaceful attempt to sit in at the television building. But then, they said, they came under attack by thugs in plainclothes who rained stones down on them and fired pellets.
"The protest was peaceful. We wanted to hold a sit-in, as usual," said Essam Khalili, a protester wearing a white shirt with a cross on it. "Thugs attacked us and a military vehicle jumped over a sidewalk and ran over at least 10 people. I saw them."
Wael Roufail, another protester, corroborated the account. "I saw the vehicle running over the protesters. Then they opened fired at us," he said.
Khalili said protesters set fire to army vehicles when they saw them hitting the protesters.
Ahmed Yahia, a Muslim resident who lives near the TV building, said he saw the military vehicle plow into protesters. "I saw a man's head split into two halves and a second body flattened when the armoured vehicle ran over it. When some Muslims saw the blood they joined the Christians against the army," he said.
Television footage showed the military vehicle slamming into the crowd. Coptic protesters were shown attacking a soldier, while a priest tried to protect him. One soldier collapsed in tears as ambulances rushed to the scene to take away the injured.
At least 24 people were killed in the clashes, Health Ministry official Hisham Sheiha said on state TV.
State media reported that Egypt's interim Cabinet was holding an emergency session to discuss the situation.
Writing in his Facebook page, Prime Minister Essam Sharaf said: "What is happening now are not clashes between Muslims and Christians but attempts to spark chaos and divisions. I call on all the children of the nation who care about its future, not to comply with calls of sedition, because it is fire that will burn us all."
The protest began in the Shubra district of northern Cairo, then headed to the state television building along the Nile where men in plainclothes attacked about a thousand Christian protesters as they chanted denunciations of the military rulers.
"The people want to topple the field marshal!" the protesters yelled, referring to the head of the ruling military council, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi. Some Muslim protesters later joined in the chant.
Later in the evening, a crowd of ultraconservative Muslims known as Salafis turned up to challenge the Christian crowds, shouting, "Speak up! An Islamic state until death!"
Armed with sticks, the Muslim assailants chased the Christian protesters from the TV building, banging metal street signs to scare them off. It was not immediately clear who the attackers were.
Gunshots rang out at the scene, where lines of riot police with shields tried to hold back hundreds of Christian protesters chanting, "This is our country!"
Security forces eventually fired tear gas to disperse the protesters. The clashes then moved to nearby Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the uprising against Mubarak. The army closed off streets around the area.
The clashes left streets littered with shattered glass, stones, ash and soot from burned vehicles. Hundreds of curious onlookers gathered at one of the bridges over the Nile to watch the unrest.
After hours of intense clashes, chants of "Muslims, Christians one hand, one hand!" rang out in a call for a truce. The stone-throwing died down briefly, but then began to rage again.
In the past weeks, riots have broken out at two churches in southern Egypt, prompted by Muslim crowds angry over church construction. One riot broke out near the city of Aswan, even after church officials agreed to a demand by local Salafi Muslims that a cross and bells be removed from the building.
Aswan's governor, Gen. Mustafa Kamel al-Sayyed, further raised tensions by suggesting to the media that the church construction was illegal.
Protesters said the Copts are demanding the ouster of the governor, reconstruction of the church, compensation for people whose houses were set on fire and prosecution of those behind the riots and attacks on the church.
Last week, the military used force to disperse a similar protest in front of the state television building. Christians were angered by the treatment of the protesters and vowed to renew their demonstrations until their demands are met.
More information at http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20111009/christians-protest-church-attack-cairo-111009/20111009/?hub=CalgaryHome Sphere: Related Content
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Iran Now Claims Pastor Condemned for 'Rape'
The Iranian Christian pastor who may be put to death for apostasy and refusing to renounce his religion is actually facing the death sentence for charges of rape and extortion, according to western rights groups monitoring Iranian state media.
Fars, the semi-official Iranian state news service, in reports Saturday, attempted to refute that Youcef Nadarkhani, 32, was facing the death sentence for refusal to renounce Christianity.
"His crime is not, as some claim, converting others to Christianity," Gholomali Rezvani, the deputy governor of the Gilan province, told Fars. "He is guilty of security-related crimes."
The Fars comments are part of an Iranian media push in recent days to counter reports from Western media, including Fox News, about why Nadarkhani was facing execution.
Nadarkhani’s attorney, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah told The Associated Press Thursday that his client had appeared before the appeals court within the last few days and that he believed there is a “95 percent chance” of acquittal.
Dadkhah said neither Iranian law nor clerics have ever stipulated the death penalty as punishment for converting from Islam to Christianity.
Also Thursday, the White House condemned the conviction and possible death sentence Thursday, saying the execution would further demonstrate Iranian authorities "utter disregard" for religious freedom.
Fox News’ Joshua Miller and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More information at http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/10/01/state-media-reports-iranian-pastor-facing-execution-for-rape-not-religion/ Sphere: Related Content
Fars, the semi-official Iranian state news service, in reports Saturday, attempted to refute that Youcef Nadarkhani, 32, was facing the death sentence for refusal to renounce Christianity.
"His crime is not, as some claim, converting others to Christianity," Gholomali Rezvani, the deputy governor of the Gilan province, told Fars. "He is guilty of security-related crimes."
The Fars comments are part of an Iranian media push in recent days to counter reports from Western media, including Fox News, about why Nadarkhani was facing execution.
Nadarkhani’s attorney, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah told The Associated Press Thursday that his client had appeared before the appeals court within the last few days and that he believed there is a “95 percent chance” of acquittal.
Dadkhah said neither Iranian law nor clerics have ever stipulated the death penalty as punishment for converting from Islam to Christianity.
Also Thursday, the White House condemned the conviction and possible death sentence Thursday, saying the execution would further demonstrate Iranian authorities "utter disregard" for religious freedom.
Fox News’ Joshua Miller and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More information at http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/10/01/state-media-reports-iranian-pastor-facing-execution-for-rape-not-religion/ Sphere: Related Content
Friday, September 30, 2011
Iranian Pastor Sentenced to Death: Nadarkhani Refuses to Convert
By Daniel D. Tovrov | September 29, 2011 10:35 AM EDT
Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who is facing the death penalty, again refused to convert to Islam to save his life.
Nadarkhani was arrested in 2009 for the crime of apostasy because he allegedly abandoned Islam for Christianity. As a pastor, Iranian clerics believe that Nadarkhani was preaching in order to convert Muslims.
Before his last hearing Wednesday, Nadarkhani had been given three previous chances to repent, and all three times he has refused. After his final refusal Wednesday, no verdict has been announced, but many expect that he could be put to death as soon as Friday.
The case has slowly garnered international attention, and there are a number of Christian rights groups advocating for his release.
U.S. House Speaker John Boehner also has spoken out against Iran. "While Iran's government claims to promote tolerance, it continues to imprison many of its people because of their faith. This goes beyond the law to an issue of fundamental respect for human dignity. I urge Iran's leaders to abandon this dark path, spare [Nadarkhani's] life, and grant him a full and unconditional release," said Boehner.
There were rumors on Wednesday night that Nadarkhani's execution sentence was to be waived after the final trial, but contradicting reports indicate that the news was incorrect.
"We've had some reports that there has been a verbal announcement from the court in Iran that the sentence is annulled but we urge caution," said Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a religious group campaigning for Nadarkhani's release.
"It's been known that verbal announcements have been directly contradicted by later written statements. We are still calling for international pressure to be kept up."
The American Center for Law and Justice said in a message titled "Troubling News" that the rumors were spread by the Iranian secret service in an attempt to get the media to stop reporting the story. ACLJ said Nadarkhani's lawyer Mohammad Ali Dadkhah called the center Wednesday to say the death sentence hasn't been overturned.
Even if the sentence were commuted, Nadarkhani could still face life in prison. And even if he were released, there would still be danger.
"In Iran about 18 years ago, they had released a pastor, but then came and assassinated him and his bishop later. We cannot stop the pressure," Pastor Firouz Sadegh-Khandjani, a Member of the Council of Elders for the Church of Iran, told the ACLJ.
Between June 2010 and January 2011, more than 200 people in Iran were arrested for their religious beliefs, according to Elam Ministries, a United Kingdom-based church with ties to Iran.
In August, a pastor named Haghnejad was arrested for the third time, according to Christian Solidarity. Police also confiscated 6,500 bibles, which Iran's social issues committee deemed were being used to deceive youths.
While no one has been hanged for the crime of apostasy in Iran for more than 20 years, the country has the second highest execution rate of any nation in the world. So far in 2011, there have been about 400 executions, a quarter of which occurred in September.
Original source
http://img.ibtimes.com/www/articles/20110929/222139_iranian-pastor-sentenced-to-death.htm Sphere: Related Content
Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who is facing the death penalty, again refused to convert to Islam to save his life.
Nadarkhani was arrested in 2009 for the crime of apostasy because he allegedly abandoned Islam for Christianity. As a pastor, Iranian clerics believe that Nadarkhani was preaching in order to convert Muslims.
Before his last hearing Wednesday, Nadarkhani had been given three previous chances to repent, and all three times he has refused. After his final refusal Wednesday, no verdict has been announced, but many expect that he could be put to death as soon as Friday.
The case has slowly garnered international attention, and there are a number of Christian rights groups advocating for his release.
U.S. House Speaker John Boehner also has spoken out against Iran. "While Iran's government claims to promote tolerance, it continues to imprison many of its people because of their faith. This goes beyond the law to an issue of fundamental respect for human dignity. I urge Iran's leaders to abandon this dark path, spare [Nadarkhani's] life, and grant him a full and unconditional release," said Boehner.
There were rumors on Wednesday night that Nadarkhani's execution sentence was to be waived after the final trial, but contradicting reports indicate that the news was incorrect.
"We've had some reports that there has been a verbal announcement from the court in Iran that the sentence is annulled but we urge caution," said Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a religious group campaigning for Nadarkhani's release.
"It's been known that verbal announcements have been directly contradicted by later written statements. We are still calling for international pressure to be kept up."
The American Center for Law and Justice said in a message titled "Troubling News" that the rumors were spread by the Iranian secret service in an attempt to get the media to stop reporting the story. ACLJ said Nadarkhani's lawyer Mohammad Ali Dadkhah called the center Wednesday to say the death sentence hasn't been overturned.
Even if the sentence were commuted, Nadarkhani could still face life in prison. And even if he were released, there would still be danger.
"In Iran about 18 years ago, they had released a pastor, but then came and assassinated him and his bishop later. We cannot stop the pressure," Pastor Firouz Sadegh-Khandjani, a Member of the Council of Elders for the Church of Iran, told the ACLJ.
Between June 2010 and January 2011, more than 200 people in Iran were arrested for their religious beliefs, according to Elam Ministries, a United Kingdom-based church with ties to Iran.
In August, a pastor named Haghnejad was arrested for the third time, according to Christian Solidarity. Police also confiscated 6,500 bibles, which Iran's social issues committee deemed were being used to deceive youths.
While no one has been hanged for the crime of apostasy in Iran for more than 20 years, the country has the second highest execution rate of any nation in the world. So far in 2011, there have been about 400 executions, a quarter of which occurred in September.
Original source
http://img.ibtimes.com/www/articles/20110929/222139_iranian-pastor-sentenced-to-death.htm Sphere: Related Content
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Dozens hurt in Egypt as Christians are attacked
Riot police stand aside as motorists and residents in Cairo attack Coptic Christian demonstrators who set up a roadblock to press for more security after deadly sectarian clashes a week ago.
May 16, 2011|By Molly Hennessy-Fiske and Amro Hassan, Los Angeles Times
Scores of mostly Coptic Christian protesters were injured when their weekend demonstration blocking a street near the heart of downtown Cairo was attacked by motorists and residents as riot police stood by, prompting new questions about the ability and willingness of Egypt's military-led government to maintain security.
The attacks came hours after an explosion at the tomb of a Muslim saint in the northern Sinai town of Sheik Zweid and a week after sectarian clashes left 15 dead and 200 injured.
The violence erupted late Saturday on Cairo's busy corniche road that runs parallel to the Nile, within view of the balconies and terraces of the Marriott, Hilton and other major hotels frequented by foreign tourists.
For days, the protesters camped out on the street to call for government protection after a church was burned, sparking deadly clashes between Muslims and Christians in the Imbaba area of the city.
Late Saturday, crowds rushed in, lobbing gasoline bombs and charging at the several hundred demonstrators. The attackers also burned cars and trucks. Nearly 80 people were injured, including two with gunshot wounds, according to witnesses and the national health minister.
The attackers may have been angered when protesters blocked the roadway, said George Thabet, a demonstrator who witnessed the attack.
Thabet said he saw "young thugs in plain clothes" atop the nearby 6th of October bridge throw gasoline bombs at the protesters.
Riot police initially stood by, then left to fetch soldiers, witnesses said. About an hour later, police returned with soldiers, who parked their tanks at either end of the street, on opposite sides of the sit-in.
By 1:30 a.m. Sunday, nearly five hours after violence erupted, security forces said they had regained control of the area, according to state television. At least 44 people, including both attackers and protesters, were eventually arrested in connection with the incident, state television reported
Security forces and military officials declined to comment on the incident or to issue a statement.
Egypt's military leaders had vowed Friday to crack down on what they described "deviant groups" threatening stability and security. Political analysts said the slow response by security forces this weekend showed their inability and unwillingness to maintain control in the capital months after demonstrations that eventually unseated longtime President Hosni Mubarak.
.
"The military cannot stop these attacks and there is no political vision to deal with these types of sectarian clashes," said Emad Gad, a senior researcher at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo. "I'm afraid that we will see many attacks, many clashes, sectarian violence. We could see blood in the Egyptian streets."
The latest violence so alarmed the head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Shenouda III, that he called for an end to the sit-in Sunday, according to a statement read by his spokesman on state television.
The statement warned that outsiders have infiltrated the group of largely Christian protesters, making the situation more explosive.
But protesters, in particular Coptic Christians, said late Sunday that they were determined to stay, and that even more demonstrators had joined them. Sphere: Related Content
May 16, 2011|By Molly Hennessy-Fiske and Amro Hassan, Los Angeles Times
Scores of mostly Coptic Christian protesters were injured when their weekend demonstration blocking a street near the heart of downtown Cairo was attacked by motorists and residents as riot police stood by, prompting new questions about the ability and willingness of Egypt's military-led government to maintain security.
The attacks came hours after an explosion at the tomb of a Muslim saint in the northern Sinai town of Sheik Zweid and a week after sectarian clashes left 15 dead and 200 injured.
The violence erupted late Saturday on Cairo's busy corniche road that runs parallel to the Nile, within view of the balconies and terraces of the Marriott, Hilton and other major hotels frequented by foreign tourists.
For days, the protesters camped out on the street to call for government protection after a church was burned, sparking deadly clashes between Muslims and Christians in the Imbaba area of the city.
Late Saturday, crowds rushed in, lobbing gasoline bombs and charging at the several hundred demonstrators. The attackers also burned cars and trucks. Nearly 80 people were injured, including two with gunshot wounds, according to witnesses and the national health minister.
The attackers may have been angered when protesters blocked the roadway, said George Thabet, a demonstrator who witnessed the attack.
Thabet said he saw "young thugs in plain clothes" atop the nearby 6th of October bridge throw gasoline bombs at the protesters.
Riot police initially stood by, then left to fetch soldiers, witnesses said. About an hour later, police returned with soldiers, who parked their tanks at either end of the street, on opposite sides of the sit-in.
By 1:30 a.m. Sunday, nearly five hours after violence erupted, security forces said they had regained control of the area, according to state television. At least 44 people, including both attackers and protesters, were eventually arrested in connection with the incident, state television reported
Security forces and military officials declined to comment on the incident or to issue a statement.
Egypt's military leaders had vowed Friday to crack down on what they described "deviant groups" threatening stability and security. Political analysts said the slow response by security forces this weekend showed their inability and unwillingness to maintain control in the capital months after demonstrations that eventually unseated longtime President Hosni Mubarak.
.
"The military cannot stop these attacks and there is no political vision to deal with these types of sectarian clashes," said Emad Gad, a senior researcher at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo. "I'm afraid that we will see many attacks, many clashes, sectarian violence. We could see blood in the Egyptian streets."
The latest violence so alarmed the head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Shenouda III, that he called for an end to the sit-in Sunday, according to a statement read by his spokesman on state television.
The statement warned that outsiders have infiltrated the group of largely Christian protesters, making the situation more explosive.
But protesters, in particular Coptic Christians, said late Sunday that they were determined to stay, and that even more demonstrators had joined them. Sphere: Related Content
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
