During a court hearing at Iran's Revolutionary Court on August 9, 2009, the two women were asked to renounce their faith. Prosecutor Haddad first asked the two young women if they were Christians. To which they replied: "We love Jesus". He repeated the question and they said again: "Yes, we love Jesus".
Then Haddad said: "You were Muslims and have now become Christians". Maryam and Marzieh replied: "We were born in Muslim families, but we were not Muslims". Haddad continued and asked if they regretted becoming Christians? They replied: "We have no regrets".
Then Haddad said emphatically, "You should renounce your faith orally and in writing." However, they stood firm and replied: "We will not deny our faith". In a tense moment during the interrogation, Maryam and Marzieh shared their belief that God had convinced them by the Holy Spirit. Haddad replied: "It is impossible for God to talk to people." Marzieh replied: "Are you questioning whether God is omnipotent?". Haddad said: "You are not worthy that God will speak to you". Marzieh said: "It is God and not you who decides whether I am worthy."
Finally, Haddad told the women to return to the prison and think about the opportunities they had been given and come back to him when they were ready [to give in to pressure from the authorities]. "We have already made up our minds," Maryam and Marzieh replied. After the court hearing, they also said: "If we are going to get out of prison, we want to get out with honor."
Will not deny Christ
After the hearing, according to Elam Ministries, the judge stated that the women 'did not cooperate'. This means that the women would not deny Christ, but were instead faithful witnesses. The 'non-cooperation' meant that after the hearing in August, the women remained in prison. It is normal practice to keep female converts in prison until they convert to Islam.
Maryam and Marzieh were held in solitary confinement and subjected to hours of blindfolded interrogation. During their time in prison, they were unwell, suffering from abdominal pain, severe headaches and weight loss. Marzieh had persistent problems with her spine, which caused pain, and one of her teeth was infected. It was two months before she received the medical care the prison had promised her, and what she did receive was inadequate.
Grateful
Maryam and Marzieh knew that their worldwide Christian family was praying for them during their imprisonment, and they said while they were still in prison: "We are humbled by your intercession, we are strengthened by it and determined to be faithful to Jesus even unto death." In Iran, their testimony meant that many Christians decided to be faithful to Christ and became more courageous in their following of Jesus.
On November 18, the women were released from prison without bail. However, prayers are still very much needed for Maryam and Mirzieh. Please pray for them:
- that their health may be restored after the hardships they have gone through in prison
- that God preserves and protects them
- that they are completely exonerated
