|PIC1|Two Iranian women - 27-year-old Maryam Rustampoor and 30-year-old Marzieh Amirizadeh - were arrested on 5 March for leaving Islam. They were put in the notorious Evin prison where they are reportedly deprived of medical attention and often blindfolded for interrogations for several hours.

They were brought before the court on 9 August and told to recant their faith which they refused to do and were then sent back to the prison where they face charges of apostasy - punishable by death in Iran.

“Maryam and Marzieh are being held simply because they have changed their belief. The UN Declaration on Human Rights says people everywhere should be free to do this and the Iranian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion,” Bishop Nazir-Ali was quoted as saying by The Times.

“I appeal to the Iranian President to have mercy and to release these two young women forthwith so that they can receive the medical treatment which they so desperately need,” said Dr Nazir-Ali, who is stepping down soon as a diocesan bishop to concentrate on helping persecuted Christians around the world.

Elam Ministries, a ministry that specialises in serving the growing church in Iran, reported on 10 August that “though great pressure was put on them, both women declared that they would not deny their faith” when they appeared before the court.

The report said the chief interrogator had recommended a verdict of apostasy but no verdict was pronounced and they were instead asked if they were Christians to which they answered that they were. They were then told to renounce their faith verbally and in writing which the two women said they would not do, because they “love Jesus”.

The prosecutor told them to think about the options they were given and come back to him when they were ready to comply. The women reportedly said they had already made up their mind not to recant their faith in Christ.

International Christian Concern (ICC) also appealed to the Iranian officials to free the women.

“We ask Iranian officials to free Maryam and Marzieh. Iran must respect their right to follow the religion of their choice. In this century, it's unconscionable for any country to force its citizens to adhere to any particular religion,” said Jonathan Racho, ICC’s regional manager for African and the Middle East.

In an interview on Monday, Bishop Nazir-Ali also told ENI: “It is very important that we speak out on this issue and ask: What crime have these women committed? We are told that there is religious freedom in Iran. I hope so.”

The bishop urged Christians to send protest letters to the Iranian ambassador in London, to newspapers and to human rights organisations and officials at the United Nations.

“And of course pray," he added. "The power of prayer is enormous.”