YOUR URGENT ACTION IS NEEDED!

Take Action on Behalf of Pastor Youcef Nadarkani!

Dear Friends:

Thank you for our active involvement in supporting the persecuted church.
VOM ministry partners have informed us that Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani's death sentence has been upheld by the Iranian Supreme Court. Your urgent action is needed!

Pastor Youcef, a leader in the Full Gospel "Church of Iran" was arrested in 2009, after protesting a decision by the government requiring that his son study the Quran. He was later sentenced to death by the Iranian regime for apostasy. Pastor Youcef appealed the decision and was waiting for the Supreme Court to review his case and decide whether to uphold the death sentence. A judicial execution of a Christian convicted of apostasy has not occurred in Iran in two decades.

Sources inside Iran have informed our ministry partners that there is no more action that can be done within the Iranian court system at this time to overturn this sentence which can be carried out at any time. The only option right now is to IMMEDIATELY and SWIFTLY raise international attention to this issue.

Please petition the Iranian leaders, United Nations and the European Union on behalf of Youcef Nadarkhani. US citizens may also wish to contact their US Representatives. Get others involved by forwarding this e-mail to everyone in your address book.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Iranian Head of Diplomatic Office
EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton
UN President, Ban Ki-Moon
Write Your US Representative

For help writing to officials click here.

Please pray that Pastor Youcef will be surrounded by God’s ministering angels in prison and that he will be filled with God’s perfect peace which surpasses understanding. Please remember his wife and children, as well. They have also suffered greatly through this ordeal.

Thank you for taking the time to get involved and inform others of this urgent situation.

Remembering the persecuted,
VOM Staff

A Voice of the Martyrs Volunteer

UZBEKISTAN: Christians Assaulted, Beaten and Threatened

June 22nd, 2011

The situation for Christians in Uzbekistan appears to be worsening, according to recent reports by Forum 18 News Service. Police officers assaulted a woman at her home while her parents were being interrogated over their religious activity at the local police station. Sources who asked not to be identified for fear of state reprisals said, "Officers kicked the woman and hit her on the head, giving her a severe concussion."

In Tashkent, a police officer threatened to kill a Protestant Christian if he continued to challenge a fine given to him for his religious activity. "I have prepared an axe for you, which will be flying after you, observing you, and if need be kill you," sources quoted the officer as telling him.

A Tashkent investigator threatened the son of a Baptist church member that he would "beat him up and put him in prison for three months" if he did not sign statements against the church's pastor and bookkeeper whom the investigator is seeking to prosecute.

Please pray for the worsening situation for Christians in Uzbekistan. Pray that they will stand firm in their faith and not lose heart. Pray for a spiritual awakening in Uzbekistan that turns hearts to Christ.
"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.... Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you."

(I John 3:1, 13)

VOM assists Christians in Uzbekistan through its Families of Prisoners Fund, and we provide legal and financial assistance for pastors.

A Voice of the Martyrs Volunteer