“We pray for the rulers who tortured us,” say Christians who fled from Iran
For being a member of a house church in Iran, 3 Christians were sentenced to 10 years in prison, and although they fled the country they are praying for each person who tortured them while in detention.
Kavian Fallah-Mohammadi, Amin Afshar-Naderi and Hadi Asgari, were sentenced without a formal trial to 10 years in prison. All their appeals have been rejected and each of the charges led them to “The Torture Factory”, the worst prison in Iran.
It was in 2017 that the three Christians were sentenced for “acting against national security by leading and organizing house churches.” All were charged with blasphemy against Islam without the right to a fair defense of their innocence.
The escape of the Christians occurred two weeks after Pastors Victor bet-Tamraz and his wife Shamiram Issavi left the country clandestinely after receiving sentences of the same kind.
“It took two years [after my arrest] in all before they summoned me for my last defense, when they made other serious accusations against me, which made my case even more severe,” Kavian said. “Then, finally, the following year, they sentenced me to the 10 years in prison, and the delay in the process puts huge psychological pressure on you.”
“Of course, we appealed the verdict, but, finally, after another three years, when no official trials took place, the appeal court approved the verdict—very strangely without a face-to-face hearing that my lawyer could have attended.”
The appeals of the five believers, the three men and the couple of shepherds, were rejected in July, for which reason they all fled an unjust fate by the Iranian authorities.
And although they miss their country very much, as Aim Afshar said, they assured a local news media that their relocation has been safe.
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“Before prison, I had travelled to foreign countries many times, but I never decided to emigrate. Today, I am very sad that I have been forced to seek refuge in another country, no matter how much better the conditions may be there,” he said.
“I say with tears that, according to the teachings of the Bible, we tried to be good citizens in Iran and not to act against the law. But the government inflicted serious injuries upon us with an iron fist and such cruelty.”
Likewise, the three Christians, led by Amin, said they always pray for those who tortured them so much during that difficult time of persecution, and more importantly, they forgive them with all their hearts.
“We pray for the rulers, for those who harassed us, insulted and slandered us, humiliated and ridiculed us, tortured and destroyed us, harmed us and our families, confiscated our property. We pray for them and forgive them.”
We have word that three more Christians have fled #Iran after their appeals were rejected. Their crime: participating in a house church. Read their story and pray with with these believers by n…#onechurchonefamily #christiansiniran #christianpersecution https://t.co/3MzsAQRzot
— Open Doors USA (@OpenDoors) September 21, 2020
