Iranian Christians request prayer for Milad Gourdazi, Amin Khaki and Alireza Nourmohammadi, who have been summoned to prison to serve three-year sentences.
On 11 November 2020, Iranian intelligence agents raided the homes of Milad, Amin and Alireza, as well as those of several other converts, confiscating Bibles, cell phones and computers. No-one was arrested, but the converts continued to face harassment and were ordered to abstain from Christian activities – which they refused to do.
In June, Amin, Milad and Alireza were each given the maximum five-year prison sentence for “propaganda that educates in a deviant way contrary to the holy religion of Islam” and fined 40 million tomans (approx. US$1,600). On 25 August, the convictions were upheld on appeal, but the prison sentences reduced to three years each.
An initial prison summons for September was postponed due to an additional court hearing set for 16 December. However, the three have now been informed their presence is not required at that hearing and ordered to turn themselves in on 10 November to start serving their sentences.
Prayer Points
Prayer is requested that:
- God will encourage and strengthen Milad, Amin and Alireza as they prepare to go to prison on account of their Christian faith
- God will impart His peace to their families and provide for them throughout the prison term
- The hearing on 16 December will go well and the converts will be eligible for early release.
- The Iranian authorities will stop persecuting religious minorities for the peaceful expression of their faith.
