Senator Eric Abetz

Reports that Iranian Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani is facing the death penalty are most disturbing, Opposition Leader in the Senate Eric Abetz said today.

“For somebody to face the death penalty for their religious beliefs is something that I’m sure all Australians abhor,” Senator Abetz said today.

“The fact that Pastor Nadarkhani is facing the death penalty is an indication of the extreme nature of the religious intolerance in Iran.”

Recently we were told by Australia’s new Grand Mufti Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamed that Sharia Law is about freedom and tolerance saying:

The sharia law also calls for freedom, justice, right of speech and this is something we are very fortunate to have.

“Given the reports out of Iran show the exact opposite, it would be useful and helpful for the Grand Mufti to add his voice on behalf of all Australian Muslims to those seeking to preserve the life of Pastor Nadarkhani.”

“I call on the Australian Islamic community to unequivocally condemn the threat of the death penalty that Pastor Nadarkhani faces. The Islamic community should be lobbying the Iranian regime to release Pastor Nadarkhani as this extreme religious intolerance has no place in this day and age,” Senator Abetz concluded.