Source(s): Middle East Concern, Release International
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Photo: Middle East Concern
Fatemeh Bakhteri has begun a one-year prison sentence in the infamous Evin Prison because she refuses to renounce her faith in Christ. Fatemeh (also known as Ailar) was first informed of her sentence for "acting against national security" in September 2018.
In an appeal hearing this past January, Fatemeh and co-defendant Saheb Fadaie were pressured by presiding judges to renounce their faith, which they refused to do. The decision upholding the verdict was announced in May, and Fatemeh presented herself to the prison in Tehran on August 31st. Saheb was already serving a ten-year sentence for his work in establishing a house church. To learn more about the persecution of Christians in Iran, go to our country report.
Continue to remember the many in Iran who are being imprisoned for merely refusing to renounce their faith in Christ, including Fatemeh and Saheb. Praise God for the ongoing strengthening of the Holy Spirit, who is not only serving as their Advocate, but also enabling these Christians to stand firm and not deny their Lord. Also pray for their safety and well-being -- especially those who, like Fatemeh, are serving time in the notorious Evin prison.
Current Ministry Fund
By funding television broadcasts, VOMC is making it possible for a vast audience of viewers to be reached throughout Iran with the "Good News" of Jesus' love via satellite. VOMC is also working with partners to provide the Theology of Persecution course in Farsi to train Iranian believers to provide a proper theological perspective and understanding of persecution from a Biblical point of view.
Ethnicity Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen and Turkic tribes
Religion (%) Islam (99.4), other, including Christian (0.3), Unspecified (0.3)
Leader President Ebrahim Raisi (2021)
Government type Theocratic republic
Legal system Religious legal system based on secular and Islamic law
Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Iran
As the Gospel message goes forth over the airwaves, may the growth of the church continue to multiply despite persecution. Pray that the Iranian government will be open to change, allowing full rights and protection for its non-Muslim citizens as well. In the meantime, may those who are forced to flee the country find safe refuge and help so they can live in peace and worship the Lord with freedom.
In the Persecution & Prayer Alert that VOMC published on September 30th, it was reported that three Christians had been arrested while attending a prayer meeting in Rasht, Iran, on September 5th. The report had mentioned that two of the believers were r
Morteza, Ahmad and Ayoub Photo: Middle East Concern
Three Christian converts were arrested while attending a prayer meeting in the Iranian coastal city of Rasht on September 5th. Intelligence agents raided the meeting and took Morteza Mashhoudkari, Ayoub Poor-Rezazade and Ahmad Sarparast for interro
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President Ebrahim Raisi Photo: Mehr News Agency (cc)
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