[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Sept. 23



IRAN:

Christian convert risks death penalty


Iranian Christian convert Ramtin Soudmand faces the death penalty after
being jailed for the crime of 'ertedad' or abandoning the Muslim faith.

Ramtin's father Hossein Soudmand, a Protestant pastor, was executed almost
20 years ago for converting to Christianity and refusing to deny his new
faith.

Married with 2 children, Soudmand was detained by security officials in
Mashad about a month ago.

"The authorities have not yet charged my brother with any crime, but we
fear that his charges will be formalised after the execution of the
sentence, like what happened with my father," said Ramtin's sister, Rashin
in an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI).

The Iranian Parliament is currently considering a law to make apostasy or
the renunciation of the Muslim faith a crime. It is expected to be passed
soon.

"The thing that bothers us the most is the silence by political and
religious authorities of Christian countries, and not the attitude of the
Islamic Republic that does not recognise the freedom of its citizens to
choose their own faith," Rashin said.

Rashin said her brother had been allowed limited contact with his family
since his arrest.

"Since Ramtin was taken by some undercover police, he was allowed to talk
to his wife and our mother on only 2 occasions, but never for more than a
couple of minutes," Ramtin's sister, Rashin, told AKI.

Hussein Soudmand, an Assemblies of God pastor and a Muslim convert to
Christianity, was executed in December 1990.

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Death penalty for man accused of homosexuality


Nemat Safavi, arrested almost three years ago at the age of 16, has been
condemned to death by a court in Ardebil, in the northwest Iranian
Azerbaijan region.

Nemat has not killed anyone, stolen anything or even carried out any
political activism.

Nemat has been accused of having homosexual relations.While that was not
stated during the court case, he was accused of "sexual relations that
were not admitted".

A year ago, on a visit to Colombia University in New York, Iran's hardline
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said "there were no homosexuals" in Iran in
response to a question from a student.

(source for both: AKI News)