Iran: Three Christians sentenced to 80 lashes by Sharia court for drinking communion wine. (Express).
Yaser Mosibzadeh, Saheb Fadayee and Mohammed Reza Omidi will be flogged in public after being arrested at a house church gathering in Rasht, Iran, earlier this year.
The trio spent weeks in prison before finally being released on bail, but will now be subjected to the cruel and degrading punishment after being found guilty by Islamist judges.
Security agents also raided the home of their pastor Yousef Nadarkhani and his wife Fatemeh Pasandideh and arrested them at the same time, but they were not detained.
It is not illegal for Christians to drink alcohol in Iran but under Islamic law, Muslims are forbidden from drinking and it is illegal for Muslims to convert.
The trio’s conversion from Islam to Christianity is not recognized by Iranian authorities who subscribe to Sharia law.
Many people faint after eight strokes due to the severe pain of the barbaric corporal punishment, which was commonplace in the Middle Ages.
The group, alongside Nadarkhani, are also due to be sentenced for “action against national security” at a later date at the Revolutionary Court in Rasht.
Lawyers for the Christians are planning to appeal the flogging punishment, according to Middle East Concern.
Release Chief Executive Paul Robinson said: “Why should Christians be lashed for taking communion?
“Why is Iran refusing to allow its own citizens that most basic of all freedoms, the freedom to choose their own faith?
“These men have chosen to call themselves Christians. The state should respect that.”
Release Chief Executive Paul Robinson said: “Why should Christians be lashed for taking communion?
“Why is Iran refusing to allow its own citizens that most basic of all freedoms, the freedom to choose their own faith? “These men have chosen to call themselves Christians. The state should respect that.”
http://www.christianophobie.fr/breves/iran-trois-chretiens-condamnes-a-80-coups-de-fouet
http://www.christianophobie.fr/breves/iran-le-pasteur-nadarkhani-libere-mais#.WDBS6H1rX2Y
The sentence of 80 lashes, is much more than is reported here. For many people, 80 lashes is a DEATH SENTENCE. When I lived in Saudi Arabia, it was common to hold public floggings and executions on Fridays, following Mosque services. The common flogging sentence was 50 lashes for some violation of the Shari'a. However, many men so sentenced DIED before the 50 lashes were completed. The pain and suffering inflicted by the whip, laid on the back of a man is noting to sneeze about! It is a serious, serious infliction of mortality to flog a man with 80 lashes! Once again, the OBVIOUS barbarity and cruelty of Islam, is overlooked so as not to "offend" Muslims!
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