[5] His lawyer Mohammad Ali Dadkhah stated that an appeals court upheld his sentence after he refused to renounce his Christian faith and convert to Islam[6] In early September 2012, Nadarkhani was acquitted of apostasy, but found guilty of evangelizing Muslims, though he was immediately released as having served prison time.
[13] In 2009, Nadarkhani discovered a recent change in Iranian educational policy that required all students, including his children, to take a course in Quran study in school.
After he heard about this change, he went to the school and protested, based on the fact that the Iranian constitution guarantees the freedom to practice religion.
[13][14] On 21–22 September 2010, Nadarkhani appeared before the 11th Chamber of The Assize Court of the province of Gilan and received a death sentence for the charge of apostasy.
[20] In July 2011 Mr. Nadarkhani's lawyer, Mr. Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, a prominent Iranian human rights defender, received the written verdict of the Supreme Court of Iran, dated 12 June 2011, which upheld the death sentence.
On 29 October 2010, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom asked President Barack Obama to press Iran for Nadarkhani's release.
[14][16] On 28 September 2011, the Commission on International Religious Freedom stated: Despite the finding that Mr. Nadarkhani did not convert to Christianity as an adult, the court continues to demand that he recant his faith or otherwise be executed.
[24]President Barack Obama's 30 September 2011 statement read: The United States condemns the conviction of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani.
That the Iranian authorities would try to force him to renounce that faith violates the religious values they claim to defend, crosses all bounds of decency, and breaches Iran's own international obligations.
This demonstrates the Iranian regime's continued unwillingness to abide by its constitutional and international obligations to respect religious freedom.
I pay tribute to the courage shown by Pastor Nadarkhani who has no case to answer and call on the Iranian authorities to overturn his sentence.
[27]Amnesty International designated Nadarkhani a prisoner of conscience and urged his immediate release, stating, "It is shocking that the Iranian authorities would even consider killing a man simply for exercising his right to choose a religion other than Islam.
According to the government Fars News Agency in a 30 September story, Gholamali Rezvani, the Gilan Provincial Political/Security Deputy Governor, stated: Youcef Nadarkhani has security crimes and he had set up a house of corruption.
In reply, Nadarkhani's lawyer, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran: If he is under trial in another court on other charges, I am not aware.
The ruling also alleges that he also participated in Christian worship by holding home church services and baptizing himself and others, effectively breaking Islamic Law.
[30] As of June 2021, Nadarkhani was sentenced to six-years in prison, and his son who is supporting the family is facing military conscription, according to a religious rights website.