Why was Pastor Nadarkhani arrested and sentenced to death?

Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani of the Church of Iran denomination was arrested in his home city of Rasht in 2009, soon after questioning the Muslim monopoly of religious instruction for children in Iran, which he felt was unconstitutional.

He was charged, tried, found guilty of apostasy, and sentenced to death. He’s been in prison ever since and has been under pressure to renounce his faith in order to have the death sentence lifted. Within the last month we received unconfirmed reports that his execution order had been signed.

Case update:

CSW sources confirmed on 3 March that Pastor Nadarkhani was still alive, after false rumours of his execution last weekend, and was receiving a visit from his wife at the time these rumours were spreading. In February, CSW’s contacts reported that the pastor’s lawyers are still seeking written confirmation of recent reports that the order for his execution had been issued. Read more

CSW continues calls for Pastor Nadarkhani’s release

CSW is continuing to advocate on behalf of Pastor Nadarkhani by raising awareness among the international community and media, and urging key international players to intervene on his behalf.

"Pastor Nadarkhani  is a courageous leader who urgently deserves our most passionate prayers.  I therefore wholeheartedly support the campaign for his release."
Pete Greig, Alpha and 24-7 Prayer

Pastor Nadarkhani's case: Timeline

October 2011 - A final written verdict by the court was expected on Monday 10 October, but after several weeks of intense international scrutiny, Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani’s death sentence for apostasy has been referred to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Hoseyni Khamenei, the highest political and religious authority in the country. Referral of court cases to the Supreme Leader is rare, and will almost certainly cause a further delay to the issuing of the written verdict from the trial.

As we wait for the formal verdict to come through, Pastor Nadarkhani’s life is in the balance. No conclusions should be drawn on this case until this verdict is received.

September 2011 - Pastor Nadarkhani was put on trial again from 25 to 28 September. In a session on 25 September, the court in Rasht ruled that the pastor had not practiced Islam as an adult, but still upheld the charge of apostasy because of the his Muslim ancestry. From 26- 28 September he appeared in court three times, and was asked each day to renounce his faith in order to secure an annulment of the apostasy charge and a lifting of the death sentence. He refused each time. On 28 September, Pastor Nadarkhani’ lawyer, Mr Mohammed Ali Dadkah, presented the final defense.

The conviction and sentence are illegal under Iranian law, since the penal code does not specify death for apostasy. They also violate article 23 of the Iranian Constitution, which states that no-one should be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief. Moreover, the conviction and sentence are in violation of international covenants to which Iran is signatory, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees freedom of religion and the right to change one’s religion.

July 2011 – A written verdict was received by Pastor Nadarkhani’s lawyer; however, it was dated June 2011. Contradicting a verbal verdict received earlier, the written verdict upheld the death sentence , but included a provision for its annulment if Pastor Nadarkhani renounced his faith. The Supreme Court also asked the court in Rasht to re-examine whether or not Pastor Nadarkhani had been practicing Islam as an adult prior to adopting Christianity.

June 2011 - The appeal was heard by the Supreme Court of Iran and verbal notification of a lifting of the death sentence was given.

December 2010: Nadarkhani’s lawyer filed an appeal.

November 2010: the written verdict from the September trial was received by Pastor Nadarkhani’s legal team, confirming the verbal notification of a death sentence for apostasy,

September 2010 - Pastor Nadarkhani was tried and found guilty of apostasy (abandoning Islam) by the Assize court of Gilan province in Rasht, and received verbal notification of a death sentence, despite the fact that death for apostasy is not codified in the Iranian Penal Code. The court used a loophole in Iran’s constitution, basing their verdict on fatwas (religious rulings) by Grand Ayatollah Khomeini, the “father” of the Iranian Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, and Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, currently the most influential religious leader in the country

October 2009 - Pastor Nadarkhani was arrested, soon after questioning of the Muslim monopoly of the religious instruction for children of Iran, which he felt was unconstitutional.