Converting to Islam, the only way to escape the death penalty for the Christian woman
sep /10/2007
FCNN_ According to Radio Vatican, a Christian woman who was an university student few years ago, was imprisoned and tortured in age of sixteen and was sentenced to death in an Islamic court in Iran. The only way to her freedom was to marry her Muslim prison guard.
" It was truly a horrifying nightmare", she said , because the prison guard was the same person who had been torturing me . In fact , his job was to torture the prisoners . It was clear that he enjoyed torturing the prisoners! "
After 1997 , when Mohammad Khatami became the president of Iran , many in the west developed the idea of improvement in condition of Human Rights in Iran.
The reforms that took place during Khatami’s presidency resulted in Shirin Ebbadi ( a lawyer and a human right activist ) to receive a Noble Prize , that drew the world’s attention to Iran again.
But according to Marina, despite the rise of individuals like Khatami and Shirin Ebbadi , no changes have been taken place in Iran.
" Nothing has changed in Iran . People know if they protest they will end up in Evin Prison. In fact , Iran has turned to a nation of terror . People have come to this understanding that they should keep their mouth closed. The condition in Evin Prison has been the same for years."
"There are many intellects , writers, news paper editors , clergies and dismissed government ministers in Evin Prison right now.
Some sections of Evin is overloaded with Elite, living under terrible condition. These individuals are mostly not guilty of any crime according to western standards . Their crimes , in fact , are very small , like : shaking hands with women , lack of proper Hijab, criticizing the governments in news paper articles , participating in small demonstration against government , etc.
There are many executions taking place in Evin , including stoning people for adultery accusations."
Marina Nemat spent two years in Evin. She has reported all she had been through in her Biography , published in 2007 in Germany.
It seems none of her fellow prisoners are still alive . During Shah’s reign there were only 50 prisoners in that section , but during Marina’s imprisonment there were more than 650 prisoners in the same section.
Marina believes that there will be no changes in Iran unless the world public opinion puts pressure on the Iranian government.
" For the International response is a very important and significant fact. Iran's government knows that they can not remain indifferent to the world public opinion."
" Catholics and all christians should know how life is in Middle East .Christians should be informed about our life’s condition. I believe that the Catholics and all Christians should not close their eyes on realities, and should have a clear judgement , and speak it out loud.
MARINA WAS BORN IN 1965 IN TEHRAN. SHE WAS BORN A CHRISTIAN. WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL SHE RESISTED AGAINST PRESSURES OF OTHERS TO CONVERT HER TO ISLAM. SHE THEN, STARTED A LOCAL PAPER . FOLLOWING THIS ATTEMPT, ONE NIGHT , THE AGENTS INVADE HER PLACE AND ARREST HER . AFTER INTERROGATING AND TORTURING HER , SHE IS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY A FORMAL COURT. MOMENTS BEFORE EXECUTION , HER PRISON GUARD AND TORTURER , ALI , FORCED HER TO MARRY HIM IN ORDER TO SCAPE THE DEATH PENALTY . LATER ON , ALI WAS MURDERED BY "SEPAH PASDARAN". MARIA , SOMEHOW MANAGED TO FREE HERSELF AND ESCAPED THE COUNTRY.
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