14th May, 2012

The British Foreign Office has called on Islamic Republic of Iran to turn down the sentences issued against Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani and his lawyer, Mohammad-Ali Dadkhah.

Mohabat News reports that in a statement, Alistair Burt, British Foreign Office Minister, expressed his concern over the issuance of a nine year sentence against the lawyer Mohammad Ali Dadkhah for his struggles to defend political prisoners and human rights activists.

Burt has opposed the verdict against Nadarkhani and appealed for its cancellation.

In his statement, Burt called the sentences "unjust."

Burt also pointed to the arrest of two Iranians for their conversion to Christianity and referred to it as an obvious sign of violation of Human Rights and as a crackdown on freedom of religion and speech in Iran.

- MICHAEL IRELAND, Assist News Service