Imprisoned for over five months, Maryam Rusampoor (27) and Marzieh Amirizadeh (30) were brought to an Islamic Court early on Sunday morning (August 9th) and accused of apostasy. They were asked by the deputy prosecutor, Mr Haddad, if they were Christians. They replied, ‘We love Jesus’. Asked again, they said, ‘Yes, we are Christians.’ Mr Haddad then told then they should renounce their faith verbally and in writing. Their response was emphatic: we will not deny Christ. The women were told to consider their ‘options’, but they said they had already done their thinking. Maryam and Marzieh are now back in Evin prison, awaiting the verdict of another judge. In prison they have both suffered from ill health without medial treatment; solitary confinement in suffocatingly small cells; and interrogations for many hours while blindfolded. This trial has underlined that the only reason for such cruel treatment is that they were born into Muslim families, and have now chosen as adults to be Christians. Their courageous attitude to this unjust trial also underlines the dynamism of Iranian Christians who refuse to be silent about Jesus. They are a people who make the good confession…and so despite this suffering, the church is growing. Pray for Maryam and Marzieh: That they keep on shining for Christ in prison That they are released For wise men in Iran to be ashamed for allowing people to be treated in this way just for exercising their freedom to choose their own religion.