Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, the Christian sentenced to death by Iran, is to be given a retrial. The decision was announced by Iran’s Supreme Court, which says there are unspecified concerns about the original investigation.
There was an international outcry earlier this year when it was revealed that Youcef Nadarkhani was to be executed unless he recanted his Christian faith. The Iranian authorities have struggled to get their story straight, saying at various times that he has been convicted of apostasy, sex crimes, rape or crimes against the state.
The case has now reportedly reached the highest levels of the Iranian government, and some observers believe this is a sign that international pressure over the case has begun to pay off. It remains to be seen how the retrial is handled, but Youcef Nadarkhani’s supporters claim that there is now a chance that he could be spared death and possibly even freed
You need to be a member of Guardians Prayer Request to add comments!