Iran: Alleged Christian Converts Deny Apostasy, Released
PAYVAND: Mahmoud Matin and Arash Basirat have been acquitted of the charge of apostasy by Branch 5 of the Fars Criminal Court in Shiraz, south west Iran, on 25 Sep 2008. They have since been released.

The Court ruled that they were not presented with any reason and evidence to confirm the offence of apostasy was committed by Mahmoud Matin and Arash Basirat. Both had denied that they had converted to Christianity, and said that they remain Muslim and accordingly the court found no further evidence to the contrary.

Mahmoud Matin and Arash Basirat were arrested on 15 May 2008 by Ministry of Intelligence officials in Shiraz, southwest Iran, where they were having a meeting with 13 other people, who were also interrogated but released. They were held in a detention centre in Shiraz which is controlled by the Ministry of Intelligence. They were in solitary confinement for two months before being placed in a cell together around 15 July. Their lawyer was initially informed of their charge of apostasy in early August, which if they had been convicted could have carried the death sentence. [Source: Payvand] | October 22, 2008

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Iranians Strongly Stand Against Enemies’ Propaganda
IRNA: Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that Iranians, the youth in particular, would strongly stand against enemies' anti-Islamic and anti-Iranian propaganda.

The ayatollah made the remarks addressing a large number of members of the Islamic Revolution's Guards Corps (IRGC) as well as Basij (Volunteer) forces in the city of Shiraz, capital of Fars province, in southern Iran.

Supreme Leader arrived in Shiraz on April 30 to meet provincial residents, visit various provincial cities, hold separate meetings with families of martyrs, local officials, elites, university students and clerics.

"The world expansionist and hegemonic powers are strongly against justice-loving and independence-seeking aspirations of the Iranian people," the Supreme Leader noted.

He added that although foreigners continue their massive anti-Islamic and anti-Iranian propaganda under any pretext, the intelligent people of Iran, particularly young generation, strongly resist against enemies.

Ayatollah Khamenei recalled courageous acts of Iranian youth during the eight-year Iraqi imposed war against Iran (1980-1988) and said reliance on the Almighty God and the power of the Iranian nation were two major factors for development of the Islamic Iran.

Referring to the great scientific, cultural and social achievements of the Iranian youth in recent years, the Supreme Leader said the country always is in need of its faithful and talented young generation who has repeatedly proved its commitment to the sacred aspirations of the Islamic Revolution. [Source: Leader: Iranians Strongly Stand Against Enemies Propaganda] | May 4, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – USA)
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Deadly Blast Strikes Iranian City of Shiraz
BBC: At least eight people have been killed and more than 50 wounded in an explosion in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz, Iranian media reports say.

The blast occurred in a mosque in the city either during or after evening prayers, the reports said.

Iran's Fars news agency was quoted as saying that the explosion was caused by a bomb. It said at least three of the wounded were seriously hurt.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast[.]

Fars said the death toll was expected to climb. [Source: Deadly Blast Strikes Iranian City] | April 12, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback - UK)
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Hardback - UK)