Iranian lay pastor, Hamid Pourmand, is scheduled to appear before an Islamic Sharia court by April 14 at the latest, according to reports received from Iranian Christians. Pourmand faces charges of apostasy from the Islamic faith, and, if convicted, he will likely be sentenced to death.
Pourmand converted to Christianity from Islam twenty-five years ago. Until he was arrested in September 2004, he was a colonel in the Iranian army. In February he was convicted of deceiving the military by not proclaiming his Christian faith, despite evidence that he had made his beliefs clear. Non-Muslims are not allowed to serve as military officers in Iran. Pourmand was sentenced to three years in prison and his wife and two children were left homeless when they were removed from military housing.
Three other Christian leaders have been convicted of apostasy in the past sixteen years. Pastor Hussein Soodman was hanged in 1989. Deacon Maher was spared the death penalty by recanting of his faith in 1992. Pastor Mehdi Dibaj was sentenced to death in December 1993, but released after intense international pressure. He was murdered six months later.
Pray for that Hamid Pourmand will be spared the death sentence. Pray that he will stand firm in his faith, knowing the presence of God's Holy Spirit with him. Pray for comfort and strength for Hamid and his family.
For more information on the suffering facing Christians in Iran, click here.
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