Maryam and Marzieh Have Been Released

Two Iranian women who have been in jail since last spring have been released. Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh were arrested in Iran for converting to Christianity. They were held at the infamous Evin Prison. Over the past 200+ days their health had deteriorated. They have been released for now, but the charges have not been dropped.

The two women, whose health deteriorated while in detention at the notorious Evin prison in Tehran, are at their homes recovering from their nine-month ordeal. They still could face charges of proselytizing and "apostasy," or leaving Islam.

The women were released at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 18.

‘Words are not enough to express our gratitude to the Lord and to his people who have prayed and worked for our release,’ they said.

‘But it’s not over yet,’ warns Andy Dipper of Release International, which supports persecuted Christians worldwide. ‘Maryam and Marzieh are under surveillance and still face trial. Pray that the charges would be dropped.’

The Iranian Parliament recently voted overwhelmingly in favor a mandatory death sentence for any man who leaves the Islamic faith. The Islamic Penal Code Bill would have imposed a life sentence on women leaving Islam – such as Maryam and Marzieh.