Iran― Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh stood trial for their faith in an Iranian court on August 8.
Imprisoned since March 5, both women have suffered deteriorating health. They have endured interrogation and a lack of medical attention at the infamous Evin prison. Nevertheless, the women witnessed boldly for the Gospel at their trial, said Todd Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs.
“They were instructed very clearly to renounce their faith; in fact, they were told that they needed to renounce Christianity verbally, and they also needed to write it out and sign it. They both replied ‘No, we will not deny our faith,'” said Nettleton. “And interestingly, ‘We have no regrets’ is another thing they said in the courtroom, knowing full well that for somebody who was a Muslim and then became a Christian in Iran, that’s apostasy. And the penalty for that can be pretty severe.”
The women were arrested because of their work in Iran’s house church movement and because they were raised in Muslim families. In their trial, however, they argued that being raised in Muslim families did not make them Muslim – therefore they are not apostates from Islam.
“They made a distinction between being born in a Muslim family and actually making a conscious decision to follow Islam, to follow the teachings of Mohammad,” Nettleton said. “The judge and the prosecuting attorney didn’t really go for that because, in their minds, if your parents are Muslims, then you’re a Muslim; it’s not a conscious decision.”
At one point in the trial, according to International Christian Concern, a prosecutor made the statement, “It is impossible for God to speak with humans.” Marzieh asked in reply, “Are you questioning whether God is Almighty?” The prosecutor said, “You are not worthy for God to speak to you.” Marzieh then said, “It is God, and not you, who determines if I am worthy.”
Now the women are back in prison, waiting to hear the verdict of the judge. The large number of arrests made during the election protests could delay the verdict, which could be very severe.
“One of the penalties for apostasy within the Iranian court system is the death penalty,” Nettleton said. “Typically that is not given to women, but it is one of the possibilities for an apostate. So what is probably more likely than the death penalty is perhaps a long imprisonment.”
VOM has received reports that the women were suffering from health problems, and an infection was spreading in their prison and in the cell where they live with many other women. If they receive a long prison sentence, VOM hopes the Iranian government will provide them with medical care.
“If you are going to keep them in prison, at least provide adequate medical care for their needs. That seems to be a basic human right, but it’s not something that they’ve been afforded up to now,” Nettleton said.
The women will have the option of appealing their verdict, but it’s not likely the verdict could be changed, since the mullahs hold the political power in Iran. Christians in the country seem to be facing rising persecution. Dozens were arrested and interrogated recently, though most were then released.
“This trial is one part of a strategy by the Iranian government to really put some pressure on evangelical Christians in the country,” Nettleton said. “The government there, and particularly the religious leaders, sees…literally thousands of Muslims choosing to follow Jesus. And they want to stop that…so they respond with this type of crackdown; they respond with arrests, interrogations, trials.”
The church is growing in Iran partly because of the close relationship between Islam and the government.
“Because [Iran] is run by the mullahs, when there’s dissatisfaction with the government, it produces dissatisfaction with Islam, because they see Islam and the government as being one and the same,” Nettleton explained. “The people of Iran are not satisfied with their government. We saw that when they took to the streets after the election and marched and demanded change. That same sentiment is also producing fertile fields for planting the Gospel, because they’re dissatisfied with Islam as well.”
Pray for health and strength for Maryam and Marzieh as they await the outcome of the trial. Pray too that they will receive justice from the legal system. Nettleton also encouraged Christians to pray for the salvation of Muslims and government leaders.
“Even president Ahmadinejad: let’s pray that he will…have a time where he comes to know Jesus in a personal way, because that could radically change that country,” Nettleton said. The church in Iran also needs prayer.
“We need to pray thatbelievers won’t be intimidated, that they will answer the call, that they will continue to be bold witnesses for Christ — in spite of persecution, in spite of this kind of pressure being brought to bear against them,” Nettleton said.
(Source: Mission Network News)