HRANA – The revolutionary court  of  Mashhad while threatening the families of Christian  detainees,  has  told them in the event these individuals do not adhere back to Islam they  will  be  sentenced for  “apostasy”.
According to HRANA reporters,  On Sunday,  during a  meeting with the families of  the detainees that have been held since July 7th 2010 for adhering to Christianity  the judge for branch 901 of revolutionary court of  Mashhad announced that in spite  of the fact that the authorities have spent 50 days, nevertheless these individuals have not given any guarantees to recant from their Christianity.  After these statements while threatening the families of the detainees, the court authorities and intelligence officers asked them in  a meeting that they will arrange with the detainees, they have to request their loved  ones to recant from their Christian beliefs and return to  Islam.  The authorities have demanded that the families of the these individuals to provide ample warnings about the  re-precautions of insisting  upon  their  Christian beliefs.

The judicial  and  security authorities of Mashhad while making threats, have also stated in the event you did not succeed, we will  consider “apostasy” charges against  them and these three individuals will  be  prosecuted in the court with such charge.
Mr. Ehsan Behrouz  along  with someone named Reza who is said to be the servitor for a house church in  Mashhad along with his  wife and eight other fellow country Christians living in Mashhad were going to participate in a Christian ceremony, were detained by the intelligence forces,  blind-folded and handcuffed and were transferred to an undisclosed location.
Having spent one week  in  detention, eight of them  were released,  but three of them are still  being held in custody.
The official  meaning of “apostasy” charge request for someone in Iran, means requesting “execution”  for him.  Therefore, officially based upon  the punishment in  accordance  to  the  Sharia  law of  the  Islamic  republic of Iran the punishment  of  a male  individual who  has  been  charged  with apostasy will be  death by  hanging if  the  charge  is  proven  to  be  a fact.