Follower of Christ Released from Prison!

Middle East Concern 05 March 2015

Rajai Shahr Prison (also known
as Gohardasht Prison)
where Rasoul was held.
(Flickr / Ensle & Matthias)

Rasoul Abdollahi, a Christian man who was imprisoned in December of 2010 and handed a three-year sentence, was released on February 15th! However, strict conditions have been imposed with his release which prohibit him from participating in any Christian activities. Violation of these conditions could result in his re-arrest.

Rasoul was arrested along with Farshid Fathi and numerous other believers, and then later charged with "collusion against the government" and "evangelism." While many of those arrested in 2010 have since been released, Farshid, who remains imprisoned, recently had his six-year prison term increased by one year. (For more information on Rasoul's arrest, you can read our previous prayer alert.)

Praise God for the encouraging news of Rasoul's release! As the freed prisoner now recuperates from his time behind bars, pray that the Lord will grant him full restoration. Despite the conditions now forbidding him from participating in Christian activities, pray that there will be a way made for him to fellowship with other believers. Please also remember in prayer Farshid Fathi and the many other Iranian Christians who remain imprisoned because of their faith in our Risen Lord.

For more information on Iran's persecuted church, please read our Country Report.

2015-03-05

Current Ministry Fund
By funding television broadcasts, VOMC is making it possible for a vast audience of viewers to be reached throughout Iran with the "Good News" of Jesus' love via satellite.

Project Fund: Underground Church
Country Information
Designation
Persecuted

Population
87,590,873 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity
Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen and Turkic tribes

Religion (%)
Islam (98.5), Christian (0.7), Baha'i (0.3), agnostic (0.3), other (0.2)

Leader
Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-Khamenei (1989)

Government type
Theocratic republic

Legal system
Religious legal system based on secular and Islamic law

Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Iran
As the Gospel message goes forth over the airwaves, may the growth of the church continue to multiply despite persecution. Pray that the Iranian government will be open to change, allowing full rights and protection for its non-Muslim citizens as well. In the meantime, may those who are forced to flee the country find safe refuge and help so they can live in peace and worship the Lord with freedom.

Iran News

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Mehran Shamloui
Photo: Article 18

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Read more...
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A map of Iran, marking the arrests
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(Click on the image for a larger view.)
Photo: Article18

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Mehran Shamloui
Photo: Article 18

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Laleh Saati
Photo: Article18

Laleh Saati is a Christian convert and former asylum-seeker who was incarcerated in February 2024 and sentenced to two years in prison. (For more information on the imprisonment of this 46-year-old Iranian follower of Jesus, visit this page.) Throughout Laleh's time in custody, concerns have been raised about her physical health and psychological well-being. Most recently, it was reported that the Christian woman was denied needed medical treatment for a hand injury that had occurred as a result of a fall.

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