Iran’s rulers have spent over three decades terrorizing their neighbors, the entire world, and even their own people. Whether it was the violent crackdown following illegitimate elections in 2009 or the daily repression that has become routine, the Iranian people deserve America’s support.
I am deeply distressed by news accounts regarding Iranian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, who is facing imminent execution for apostasy (abandoning Islam) and failing to recant his Christian faith. Pastor Nadarkhani is 34 years old, has a wife and two young children, and is the pastor of an evangelical church in Iran.
Equally troubling are the facts that his wife was imprisoned to force him to recant, and his lawyer has been sentenced to prison and banned from practicing or teaching law. This is an unjust violation of the religious freedom that is a universal right of every human being.
According to international legal experts, the death penalty is not even codified in the Iranian Penal Code. Yet the Iranian courts claim that the writings of Islamic scholars and the “fatwas” of the Ayatollahs take precedence over the Iranian Constitution or law. Under Sharia law, the pastor can be executed after refusing three times to recant his Christian faith.
In recent years, there has been a very troubling increase in religious persecution in Iran. This is true for anti-Christian efforts, but it has also been evident in the repression of non-Shiite Muslims. While there has been some good documentation of this by a few in the media and in the human rights arena, there has unfortunately been a cowardly silence by the United Nations and most of the international community in this case and others.
Our own State Department should call for his immediate release. These are the moments when the government of this great nation must not be silent, and must be a voice for freedom for those who are defenseless.
In free and civilized societies, the freedom to practice one’s religion is a fundamental right. Once again, Iran’s government is proving to the world, and to the Iranian people, that it will spare no means to suppress their God-given right to freely express their ideas and worship.
As history has proven, countries that do not respect the rights of their citizens seldom respect the rights of their neighbors. The Iranian regime’s blatant disregard for its own citizens should raise alarms about its behavior in the region and the world should its illicit nuclear program be allowed to go on unchecked.
America’s commitment to the universal rights of man requires us to clearly speak out against their violations wherever they make occur. I urge the administration to relentlessly call for an immediate and unconditional release for Pastor Nadarkhani.
Amen, Sen Rubio. I hope Pope Benedict speaks out too.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSpeak out? Feh. If you think Khamenei cares about the U.S. "speaking out" against a nation it's sanctioned for 30+ years, you're naive. The time for 'speaking out' is long past. Let's either acknowledge that we don't care how those savages order themselves domestically--and, having been to that part of the world very recently, I can tell you this is the most pragmatic course--or let's commit to doing something a bit more conclusive than "speaking out."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOur own State Department should call for his immediate release. These are the moments when the government of this great nation must not be silent, and must be a voice for freedom for those who are defenseless.
There is a distressing lack of appreciation of the dangers of employing rhetoric that has no back up in power. If SD "calls for release" and the pastor is still executed then this will be worse than doing nothing. I repeatedly calling x y and z "unacceptable" while accepting it destroys any power of words that they could possibly have.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo we shouldn't.
I thought I liked Marco Rubio but this is GWB turned up to 11.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWe don't have to threaten them with war, economic sanctions, or anything else. But it is time that we actually spoke the truth: The behaviour of Iran is appalling in its barbarity and has no place among the ranks of civilized nations. That's it. Say it often enough, on an official enough level, and nations do start to react. Why is it that everyone seems to think that the only choices are between all-out intervention/nation building and complete silence. Just tell the truth, do it consistently, and let it exert its own influence over time.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe answer is to apply sanctions to the UN that is aiding and abetting these brutal regimes. We need to stop funding this sham of a peace-keeping organization.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRINO! This proves he and Rick Perry want illegal Iranian immigrants to take every American job!
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Our own State Department should call for his immediate release. These are the moments when the government of this great nation must not be silent, and must be a voice for freedom for those who are defenseless.
***
America’s commitment to the universal rights of man requires us to clearly speak out against their violations wherever they make occur. I urge the administration to relentlessly call for an immediate and unconditional release for Pastor Nadarkhani."
Sen. Rubio:
And if Iran doesn't comply with our "relentless call" we will, uh, what: "relentlessly call" even more loudly and vigorously?
The United States of America according to Senator Rubio: The Dachsund of Democracy.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAgree fully, Senator. I hope you will express similar views about our "allies" Saudi Arabia, who does not allow any religion but Islam, and Pakistan, who executes non-Muslims under specious charges of blasphemy
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOr maybe we should just focus on the plethora of problems facing our own country and not pointlessly meddle in the affairs of a sovereign nation.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHeaven forbid. How does Sr. Rubio feel about importing more people from that part of the world, or letting them be smuggled across our border? While Iran is a horrible place, he and others should concern themselves more with assaults on freedoms and the people in America.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThat's making the assumption that it's one initiative or another rather than simultaneously focusing on improving ALL aspects of life. Ignoring what goes on across the globe does not keep it from affecting our lives!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAmerica needs to denounce Sharia, in all nations, not just Iran.
If Islam is this great religion of peace, and Sharia is not really compatible with Islam or the Koran, then it will take an Islamic reformation to see such changes - not just shouts by the political leaders of The Great Satan.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo longer can Islam claim to be a religion of peace. The fatwas of the three most prominent religous leaders of Iran show that. It is sharia law that they are using to condemn him. If they followed Iranian law he would not be under the threat of death. The true extreme fringe groups in Islam are the ones that believe in peace.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt is not even Shariah that Iran uses, as Shariah law would recognize the al-Qaim promised by Jesus ('One like unto the Son of Man') Who came May 23, 1844... He it is, and His Coming, that frightens, angers and frustrates clergy, especially in Iran. And while we're looking at people about to be executed on trumped-up charges, please pray for The Naran (6 Followers of the Glory of God) who are in the Iranian kangaroo-court process prior to execution.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI wonder if Rev.Nadarkhani will be released after some "bail" (i.e. extortion) is paid, just like it was for those American hitchikers. Please pray for this man.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseShariah law has been abrogated by the al-Qaim, (the One like unto the Son of Man, promised by Jesus) Whose Coming May 22, 1844 ended the day of priests and kings. No more kingly caste and no more ecclesiastics running the ordered lives of humans...
It is al-Qaim's Coming that the Iranian clergy fear so much, and to postpone admitting that He CAME to live among humankind from 1844 to July 9, 1850, would require humility, overcoming one's pride, submission to the Will of God... all of which are sadly missing among today's clergy, who "scoff and deny our Lord Who redeems us" has returned.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThanks Marco. We have two wonderful guys representing
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseFlorida. If all people in DC were like Marco Rubio and Allen West....maybe we could have more hope for America's
future. We need to be concerned for christian persecution
here in the USA,and in the rest of the world. Thanks Marco and Allen!