Youssef Nadarkhani, Imprisoned Pastor in Iran, Goes on Hunger Strike
Youssef Nadarkhani, an imprisoned pastor and member of Iran’s church, has begun a hunger strike in protest of schools’ refusal to register his children.
An informed source told Voice of America that Youssef Nadarkhani, an imprisoned pastor currently serving a 10-year sentence in Evin Prison, began a hunger strike on Monday, September 1, in protest of the suspension of his children’s education and schools’ refusal to register them for the new academic year.
According to the informed source, Youssef Nadarkhani announced that “he will continue his hunger strike until the obstacles preventing his children from continuing their education are removed.”
This imprisoned pastor has three children who, given their family’s Christian faith, have refused to participate in religious and Quran classes at school. Consequently, they have not received grades for these two subjects, and despite regular attendance in other classes, they have not been issued passing transcripts from ninth grade onwards.
Youssef Nadarkhani, a pastor who has been arrested multiple times by the Iranian government, was convicted by Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mashalah Ahmadzadeh, on charges of “acting against national security through promoting Christianity” and sentenced to 10 years in prison and two years of exile to Nikshahr in Sistan and Baluchestan Province.
This imprisoned pastor and member of Iran’s church was arrested on September 22, 2018 at his personal residence in Rasht to execute his sentence, and after being transferred to Branch Two of Rasht’s Revolutionary Court, was moved to Evin Prison.
Youssef Nadarkhani, who converted to Christianity at age 19, was previously arrested in 2009 on charges of “apostasy,” “inviting other Muslims to Christianity,” “establishing a secret church in his home,” and “openly expressing opposition to Islam.” He was sentenced to death for apostasy but was released from prison in 2012 after serving three years of his sentence.
In the current year’s spring, in the latest report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, it was announced that arrests of Christians in Iran increased sharply in 2018, with at least 171 Christians arrested that year, whereas only sixteen Christians were arrested in 2017.
The United States has repeatedly condemned the suppression of followers of religious and faith minorities, including Christian converts, Baha’is, Dervishes, and even Sunni Muslims, by the Islamic Republic regime.
Source: Voice of America
