David Allen Green

A critical and liberal look at law and policy

Nadarkhani: The Iranian Embassy makes a statement

Iranian Court of Appeal still to issue final verdict.

By David Allen Green Published 30 September 2011 18:47

The Iranian Christian Yuseuf Nadarkhani still awaits the decision as to whether he will be hanged for apostasy.

The background to this horrific case is that Nadarkhani was arrested in 2009 following his attempt to register a Christian Church. In September 2010 he was sentenced to "hang until somehow his soul is taken from him". The Iranian Supreme Court largely upheld this ruling in July 2011.

Nadarkhani has now been given four opportunities to recant his Christianity; on each of those occasions he is reported to have refused. It is now understood that the sentence is being reconsidered. The sentence has been condemned by both the US State department and the UK Foreign Office.

Following a protest at the London Embassy earlier today, the following official statement has now been released:

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in London renounces the published news regarding the death penalty for Mr Yousof Nadarkhani and announces that the Court of Appeal in the Islamic Republic of Iran has not issued any verdict on his case.

Accordingly, the allegations to the issue of the death penalty for the above mentioned, is unsubstantiated.

It is not clear what published news is being renounced, and it seems that the message is that we should wait and see what the Court of Appeal will decide (presumably on their second consideration).

But what is clear is that the London Embassy is taking the campaign against the hanging sufficiently seriously to make a formal statement. It also appears that the various representations being made to the London Embassy are being passed on.

The CSW campaign website against this pending execution is here.

David Allen Green is legal correspondent of the New Statesman

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9 comments

Sat, 2011-10-01 11:45 — sven king (not verified)

David Green you Islamaphobic bigot, how dare you bring this to our attention.

We on the left and Muslims in general dont like to hear about these events as it distracts from Israel/Palestine - which keeps us from really exploring and understanding the terrible nature of Islam.

Sat, 2011-10-01 12:01 — sven king (not verified)

Iran: Pastor facing execution as apostate from Islam now branded "Zionist" and "traitor"
Pressure and bad publicity are mounting for Iran as Yusef Nadarkhani faces execution at any time for refusing four times to recant his conversion to Christianity and return to Islam. And so they have piled on more allegations, and more excuses to kill him, as Nadarkhani's lawyer says the deputy governor's remarks were the first time "security"-related allegations had arisen.

If one charge doesn't stick, they have other ways to keep abusing him. "Iran pastor guilty of being a 'Zionist, traitor': official," from Agence France-Presse, September 30:

Iranian pastor Yusef Nadarkhani should face the death penalty for being a traitorous "Zionist" and committing "security crimes," not for apostasy, an official said Friday according to Fars news agency, amid a Western outcry over his sentence.
Perhaps authorities sense discomfort within segments of Iranian society (or even somewhere within their own consciences) over the utter absence of logic in killing a man simply for what he believes, and suppose that padding the case with these charges might make it easier to sell.

Nadarkhani's lawyer told AFP that the remarks by Gholam-Ali Rezvani, deputy governor general of the northern province of Gilan, where the pastor's case is being reheard, were the first time security offences had been mentioned.
Rezvani's comments were also the first public remarks by an Iranian official about Nadarkhani's case.
"The issue of crime and of capital punishment of this individual is not a question of faith or religion -- in our system, one cannot be executed for changing their religion," Fars quoted Rezvani as saying.
Sure.

Nadarkhani was, however, "a Zionist, a traitor and had committed security crimes," said Rezvani, who is responsible for security and political affairs in the province.
Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, Nadarkhani's lawyer, told AFP that Rezvani's remarks were the first time authorities had cited "security offences" against his client.
"On the apostasy, that is exactly what we were told in front of the court," he said. "However, there was no mention of security offences during the trial. These new accusations should be examined by the courts."
Nadarkhani, now 32, converted from Islam to Christianity at the age of 19 and became pastor of a small evangelical community called the Church of Iran.
He was arrested in October 2009 and condemned to death for apostasy under Islamic sharia law, which allows for such verdicts to be overturned if the convicted person "repents" and renounces his conversion.
After his conviction was upheld by an appeals court in Gilan province in September 2010, Nadarkhani turned to the supreme court.
In July, the supreme court overturned the death sentence and sent the case back to the court in his hometown of Rasht, in Gilan province.
Dadkhah said on Wednesday he was "optimistic" Nadarkhani could be set free.
"Our last court session was held on Wednesday. Mr Nadarkhani did not repent and the last court verdict said he would face a death sentence if he did not," he said.
"However, we offered our explanations and I think the court was convinced. I am optimistic there is a 95 percent chance he will be released in the final ruling, which I expect by the end of next week," Dadkhah added.
Several Western countries have condemned the death sentence against Nadarkhani and called for his release, including the United States, Britain, Germany, France and Poland, current chair of the European Union.

Sat, 2011-10-01 16:34 — swatantra nandanwar

It would be great to hear condemnation from Syria and Iraq as well. Its highly likely that he will be released by the Civil Appeal Courts as a death sentence would invoke the same reaction as 'The Death of Princess' did.

Tue, 2011-10-11 15:50 — Olijaan

The translation's a bit garbled, but Nadarkhani's death sentence has been revoked by the High Court: http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=fa&ie=UTF-8&u=http...

However, the case has been passed back to the Lower Court for retrial, which could result in a different or indeed the same sentence.

Tue, 2011-10-11 15:59 — Olijaan

Oh well. Go here: http://www.divanealee.gov.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=225&articleType=ArticleV... click on the British flag, and then click on "Notifications".

Sun, 2011-10-02 10:09 — Ansell (not verified)

We should do the same. Get hold of a couple of bearded sheiks, imams etc and threaten to have them executed unless they recant their twisted Islamist beliefs and openly convert to Christianity or Judaism.

Thu, 2012-03-22 07:39 — ChurchillDexter

Pressure and bad publicity are mounting for Iran as Yusef Nadarkhani faces execution at any time for refusing four times to recant his conversion to Christianity and return to Islam. And so they have piled on more allegations, and more excuses to kill him, as Nadarkhani's lawyer says the deputy governor's remarks were the first time "security"-related allegations had arisen. http://www.helpwithbaby.com/

Fri, 2011-09-30 19:48 — Roy Galutia (not verified)

it is important that everyone that has facebook share the link to this story on your Wall ...it improves the chances of his release.

Sun, 2011-10-02 15:05 — swatantra (not verified)

As predicted the Courts will not hang him. Iran is not a babaric society and we should respect their Legal System even though it is unlike our own. The Islamic Courts are a different matter.