Editor's Note: Students in Journalism were asked to read Maziar Bahari's memoir, Then They Came for Me, a story of how the Newsweek journalist was arrested and held for 118 days in an Iranian prison for espionage. Students were then asked to write an article inspired by the memoir. One submission appears below.
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| Maziar Bahari's memoir recounts his 118 days in Iran's Evin Prison. The movie, Rosewater, based on the memoir and directed by Jon Stewart will be released in 2014. photo by Abby Gillis |
by Kellie Herbert
Like Maziar Bahari, two women
from Iran were sent to Evin prison for crimes against the Muslim god Allah.
These women though were sent to the torture prison for spreading the word of
Jesus and Christianity. Maryam Rostampour and Marzieh Amirizadeh were captured
and sent to Evin and kept there for 259 days.
Both
women are originally from Iran and grew up under Muslim faith but converted to
Christianity as young women. Rostampour and Amirizadeh were part of a Christian
group that preached Christianity to the people of Iran and handed out pamphlets
and bibles. They started safe houses for prostitutes and ran an underground
chapel.
Iran
was not happy with these women praising another god other than the Muslim Allah
and especially not happy with them trying to evangelize Muslims. After the
women’s houses were raided and their Christian possessions detained and they were
both in custody they were charged with "apostasy", "propagation
of the Christian faith" and "engaging in anti-government
activities". These charges made the women eligible for long prison
sentences and possibly death. Elam Ministries, an Iranian group that supports
the growing Christian church in Iran tells BosNewsLife about the conditions
Rostampour and Amirizadeh faced while in Evin which sounds a lot like Bahari
went through during his time in Evin.
"They faced
repeated interrogations, weeks in solitary confinement, and unhealthy prison
conditions. Both became seriously sick during their imprisonment and did not
receive the treatment they needed which greatly increased their suffering.
Senior judges and officials also intimidated them," Elam Ministries told
BosNewsLife.
Even though
these women went through this torture they still managed to believe in their
god. Rostampour and Amirizadeh were blunt and firm in their response to the
judge who was overseeing their case.
“We love Jesus.
We will not deny our faith,” professed Rostampour and Amirizadeh.
Both women
believed that this ordeal was only a part of their god’s plan for them and did
not doubt their god at all. Romstampour states this belief.
"I believe
our arrest, imprisonment and subsequent release were in the timing and plan of
God, and it was all for His glory. But the prayers of people encouraged and
sustained us throughout this ordeal," said Rostampour.
These women are not the only ones to
fight for their religion in Iran, at least prominent Christians have been
killed in Iran since 1979, Elam Ministries estimates.
After their 259
day horrid experience the women fled Iran and took refuge in an unnamed
country. They were received by joyful and relieved family and friends. The two
women were met at the undisclosed airport by Sam and Lin Yeghnazar, founders of
Elam Ministries. L. Yeghnazar describes the homecoming.
"It was
very emotional when we first saw them," said Lin Yeghnazar. "Now, we
want to see them rest and recover."
Happily away
from Iran and able to spread their religion freely, the women are spreading
their experience with many people. They have been on many news shows and have
held many seminars. They also have written a book about their time Evin called Captive in Iran. They still are in danger and fret for their
lives. Bahari and these women are great examples of how to count your blessings
every day.
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