After twenty-two months of imprisonment, Iranian Christian Hamid Pourmand has been released by Tehran prison authorities, according to a September 12 report from Compass Direct. Pourmand, a former army colonel and lay pastor in the city of Bandar-I Busheher, Iran, was released on July 20. Thus far, no explanation has been given for his release.
Pourmand was arrested on September 9, 2004 and sentenced six months later to three years in prison for allegedly concealing his conversion from Islam to Christianity.
Upon release, Pourmand was warned, however, that attending church services could revoke his release orders and force him to serve the remaining fourteen months of his three-year prison sentence.
Thank God with us that Brother Hamid was released. Thank you to all who wrote letters and prayed on his behalf.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Iran, click here.
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