Yousef Nadarkhani and family
 I am going to post an article issued by Fox News on July 15, 2011, because it is of vital importance that the truth come out.  

Fox News 7/15/11 (excerpts):  Iran's Supreme Court says an evangelical pastor charged with apostasy can be executed if he does not recant his faith, according to a copy of the verdict obtained by a religious rights activist group.  Christian Solidarity Worldwide says Iranian born Yousef Nadarkhani, who was arrested on October 13, 2009, and given the death sentence late last year, could have his sentence suspended on the grounds that he renounce his faith.  

CSW.org.uk 7/13/11 (excerpts):  Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, a leader in the evangelical Church of Iran denomination, was arrested in his home city of Rasht on October 13, 2009, while attempting to register his church.  His arrest is thought to have come after he questioned the Muslim monopoly on religious instruction for Iranian children.  He was initially charged with protesting, however the charges against him were later changed to apostasy and evangelizing Muslims.  

The Supreme Court has asked the court in Rasht to reexamine a few procedural flaws in the case, but has ultimately given local judges a free hand to decide whether to release, execute or retry Mr. Nadarkhani in October.  Since the court in Rasht had based its original verdict by fatwas by such important religious figures as Ayatollahs Khomeini, the father of Iran's revolution in 1979, Khomeini, the supreme leader of Iran, and Makarem Shirazi, currently the most influential religious leader in Iran, the Supreme Court may have been reluctant to overturn the verdict for fear of inviting controversy, even though THERE IS NO DEATH SENTENCE FOR APOSTASY IN IRANIAN CIVIL LAW.  The decision also contradicts article 23 of the Iranian constitution which states that no one should be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief.

The death sentence for the charge of apostasy is not codified in Iranian law.  The ruling has deeply worrying implications for all Christians in Iran, and is yet another indicator of the regime's disregard for basic human rights and freedoms.  Of particular concern is the fact that the Iranian regime often enacts death sentences without advance notice to prisoners' families, lawyers, or even the prisoners themselves.  Consequently, the international community must urgently apply pressure on the Iranian regime to rescind this unjust decision.  

Commentary:  I believe a key word in this article is "fear."  Even the Supreme Court of Iran will not overturn a verdict handed down by a lower court in Rasht because of the devout Muslims in the nation that might even kill them, if they do go against the verdict.  Obviously, the article 23 law is only applied to protect Muslims, definitely not Christians, since they are persecuted on a regular basis in Iran.  It is difficult to know how many Christians have been killed in Iran already for "apostasy" or "blasphemy," as Muslims interpret these terms.  What blows me away is how our nation is a member of a Muslim-dominated United Nations who extends the "right hand of fellowship" to Mahmoud Ahmadinajad, the President of Iran.  There is no question to him whatsoever about the religious persecution going on in his country; no question to him about the crimes against humanity in his country, while people are literally being tortured for being Christians in that nation.  In fact, we should not only not be a member nation of the UN, while they turn and look the other way and welcome Iran and say nothing about the atrocities there (no doubt, because about one-third of the other member nations do the same things, torture women and Christians)!  We should have NO dealings with such people at all.  Not only does our nation "rub elbows" with these devilish fiends who commit such crimes, but we are, with open arms, inviting the same criminals into the United States to commit their acts of crimes against humanity here as well!  When will the madness stop; when will our nation stop looking the other way and address their atrocities against other human beings?  "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" Proverbs 14:34.  "Woe to them who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" Isaiah 5:20.  "The time will come when they will not be able to endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears" 2 Timothy 4:3.  "Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" 2 Timothy 3:7.