Two young women spending nearly nine months in Iran's notorious Evin Prison became the face of persecuted religious minorities in the Islamic state after authorities arrested the Christians on March 5. Officials charged Maryam Rustampoor, 27, and Marzieh Amirizadeh, 30, with apostasy against Islam, proselytizing, and "acting against state security." In August, a judge pressured the two Christians to recant their faith and return to Islam. They refused and returned to jail.A court acquitted the women in October of anti-state crimes, and after a long, international campaign for their freedom led by Christian groups like Open Doors USA, Iranian officials released the women on Nov. 18. The U.K.-based Elam Ministries reported that the women were recovering from health problems suffered during their prison term, but the Christians expressed thankfulness for their freedom in a statement released by Elam: "Words are not enough to express our gratitude to the Lord and to His people who have prayed and worked for our release."
Elam, a ministry to Iranian Christians, asked supporters to continue to pray for the women in a country extremely hostile to religious minorities, and emphasized the pair may still have to fight criminal charges.
