Urgent Prayer & Action: Final Verdict for Pastor Youcef... Death

Aimee Herd : Feb 22, 2012
Lisa Daftari - FOXNews.com

"The world needs to stand up and say that a man cannot be put to death because of his faith." -J. Sekulow, ACLJ

(Iran)?According to a FOXNews report today, the final verdict has been handed down on Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani's fate?death.

As Youcef's supporters all around the world feared, the Iranian trial court has decided that he will be executed on the charges that he left Islam to convert to Christianity.

These charges have stood in spite of the fact that it could not be proven that the 34-year-old father of two had been a Muslim during his adult years, which would prove apostasy. In addition, Youcef himself has always maintained his innocence saying that he was always a Christian as an adult.

He was given the chance to recant his Christian faith, but he refused, and he also refused to say that Muhammad was a prophet.

Jordan Sekulow, executive director of The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), said, "The world needs to stand up and say that a man cannot be put to death because of his faith.

"This one case is not just about one execution. We have been able to expose the system instead of just letting one man disappear, like so many other Christians have in the past."

According to the report, the final order was given just days after US Congress supported a resolution sponsored by Penn. Rep. Joseph Pitts, which denounced the charges and called for an "immediate release."

"Iran has become more isolated because of their drive for nuclear weapons, and the fundamentalist government has stepped up persecution of religious minorities to deflect criticism," Rep. Pitts told FoxNews.com. "The persecuted are their own citizens, whose only crime is practicing their faith."

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani's family and supporters are asking for urgent prayer by Believers worldwide, on his behalf, and for people to contact their legislators to ask for intervention.

For information on how to help, visit the ACLJ's website: http://aclj.org/