TEHRAN — Iranian pastor Yusef Nadarkhani should face the death penalty for being a traitorous “Zionist” and committing “security crimes,” not for apostasy, an official said Friday according to Fars news agency, amid a Western outcry over his sentence.
Nadarkhani’s lawyer told AFP that the remarks by Gholam-Ali Rezvani, deputy governor general of the northern province of Gilan, where the pastor’s case is being reheard, were the first time security offences had been mentioned.
Rezvani’s comments were also the first public remarks by an Iranian official about Nadarkhani’s case.
“The issue of crime and of capital punishment of this individual is not a question of faith or religion — in our system, one cannot be executed for changing their religion,” Fars quoted Rezvani as saying.
Nadarkhani was, however, “a Zionist, a traitor and had committed security crimes,” said Rezvani, who is responsible for security and political affairs in the province.
Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, Nadarkhani’s lawyer, told AFP that Rezvani’s remarks were the first time authorities had cited “security offences” against his client.
“On the apostasy, that is exactly what we were told in front of the court,” he said. “However, there was no mention of security offences during the trial. These new accusations should be examined by the courts.”… >>>
