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Fatemeh Bakhteri - Photo: Middle East Concern www.meconcern.org
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 throughout Iran to be reached via satellite with the "Good News" of Jesus' tremendous love for them. VOMC is also working with ministry partners to provide the Theology of Persecution course in the Farsi language so Iranian believers can be taught an accurate theological perspective and, therefore, gain a better understanding of persecution from a Biblical point of view.

Project Fund: Underground Church

Country Information

Designation
Persecuted

Population
85,888,910 (July 2021 est.)

Ethnicity
Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen and Turkic tribes

Religion (%)
Islam (99.6), other, including Christian (0.3), Unspecified (0.2)

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.

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