Regular readers of this blog know that I've been following the case of Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh, two Iranian Christians imprisoned in notorious Evin Prison.Last week, a judge presiding in Iran's revolutionary court acquitted Maryam and Marzieh of anti-state activities, one of three charges for which they have been being held. According to Elam, a ministry that serves the growing Christian church in Iran, acquittal for this charge is a rare occurrence.
Next, Maryam and Marzieh's case will be transferred to the general court for consideration of the remaining two charges: propagation of the Christian faith and apostasy. According to shariah law, the crime of apostasy, that is, converting to another religion from Islam, is punishable by death, provided that the accused is given an opportunity to recant and return to Islam. In a previous hearing, the prosecution demanded that Maryam and Marzieh renounce Christianity both verbally and in writing, but they refused, saying, “We love Jesus,” and "“We will not deny our faith."
As word gets out, support for Maryam and Marzieh is growing, and with it, avenues by which you and I can offer some measure of assistance. A group of American supporters have launched a Web site, FreeThemm.com, at which nearly 6,000 people have committed to pray daily for Maryam and Marzieh, and more than $21,000 has been raised to support efforts to free them. WorldNetDaily recently posted a petition for the release of for the two young women, which at this writing has nearly 1,000 signatures. Quick links are provided for sending the petition to friends via email and social networks.
From one of the blog posts at FreeThemm.com:
The testimony of these two Christians continues to spread across the world. Their unwavering faith has challenged countless believers. Because of Maryam and Marzieh’s example, many Iranian Christians have become even more courageous as they follow Jesus in a hostile environment.
Maryam and Marzieh are aware that Christians all over the world are praying for them. They are encouraged to realize they have not been forgotten, and they have a message for you:
“Thank you for praying for us. We are humbled and strengthened by your prayers and we are determined to remain faithful to Jesus even unto death.”
Our liberties as Americans rest on the fundamental freedoms of religion and conscience, freedoms that we must preserve and protect. The fact that Maryam and Marzieh are enduring imprisonment and facing capital punishment for the mere act of practicing Christianity begins to explain the seriousness with which we must view the fears of teenager Rifqa Bary, another former Muslim who converted to Christianity and whose fate is in the hands of a different pair of judges, not in Iran, but in Florida and Ohio, where we can easily make our voices heard.
Let us not forget these young women.
__________
Related posts:
- Rifqa Bary Meets Hamlet. Result: Alas or Huzzah?
- Judge Keeps Rifqa Bary Temporarily in Florida--Again
- Meditation: 187 Candles Plus 1, Updates on Maryam, Marzieh, and Rifqa
- Mediation: Londoners Hold Prayer Vigil for Maryam and Marzieh
- Aqsa, Amina, Sarah, Rand
- Meditation: Will Florida Protect the Lives and Speech of Christians?
- Meditation: Maryam and Marzieh Face Death But Refuse to Renounce Christianity
- Meditation: Pray for the Release of Maryam and Marzieh
- Maryam and Marzieh: Convicted of Being Christian
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