An Iranian pastor has been freed after spending nearly five years inside one of the country’s most brutal prisons because of his Christian faith.
Farshid Fathi was recently handed down an extra year in prison not too long ago, but an early Christmas miracle seems to have been granted to the preacher.
Via the ACLJ:
Christian Pastor Farshid Fathi has been released from an Iranian prison after spending almost five years in jail for his Christian faith.
World Watch Monitor announced this morning that the Iranian pastor was freed yesterday, despite having recently had his sentence extended:
An Iranian pastor has been released early from prison, just six months after he failed to appeal a sentence to an extra year in jail and 74 lashes for allegedly possessing two litres of alcohol in his prison cell.
Farshid Fathi was serving a six-year prison sentence – extended to seven years – for “action against the regime’s security, being in contact with foreign organizations, and religious propaganda”. Due to be released in Dec. 2017, he was then told by prison officials in early July that he would be released this year – at that time they said on 10 Dec.
A church group working to secure his release said “We are overjoyed and celebrating!” at the news of Fathi’s release.
The married father of two was originally arrested on Dec. 26, 2010, with dozens of other Christians in the Iranian capital of Tehran.
Comment: What do you think of the pastor’s early release from an Iranian prison? Is this a Christmas miracle?
FB – Overjoyed and celebrating.
