A Christian pastor in Iran is being sentenced to death for what is being called a "thought crime."

There are others in his assembly who are imprisoned, and his own wife is being threatened with life imprisonment. They have two young children.

According to web-blogs following the case, Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, responsible for one of the largest Protestant communities in Iran, "has been" sentenced to death for apostasy Saturday, October 2 by the 11th Chamber of The Assize Court of the province of Gilan.

This information was given to his lawyer Nasser Sarbaz. It was communicated to him verbally, news sources said.

Pastor Youcef was transferred after the verdict from Lakan prison to another place of detention, which is under the direction of the Political Police of The Islamic Republic.

Pastor Youcef was arrested in October 2009 for protesting against a decision of the Corporation to impose Koranic teaching to his son.

Iran adheres, at least officially, to the Charter of Human Rights and the Iranian Constitution recognizes the right to religious freedom and according to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad there is no thought crimes law in Iran.

There is a petition to the Iranian Government in several languages www.petitiononline.com/IRANPET/petition.html to have them released.

Source (found).

Ahmadinejad wrote recently to the Pope asking him for help in combatting Islamophobia. Iranian President should begin by respecting other people's faiths if he wants the rest to respect his.