Marziyeh Amirizadeh, sentenced to death by hanging in Iran and saved by the intervention of Benedict XVI. In the interview, she expresses regret for never having been able to thank him.

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It is an incredible and unpublished story that almost no one knows.

Benedict XVI intervened in 2009, saving the lives of two young Christian women imprisoned in Evin Prison (Iran) and about to face the death penalty for blasphemy.

The story is told by one of them, Marziyeh Amirizadeh, now director of “New Persia“, a ministry dedicated to supporting persecuted Christians worldwide, particularly in Arab countries.

An intervention by Pope Ratzinger that Marziyeh considers «decisive» for saving her life, leading to her release due to the diplomatic pressure that the letter created.

The woman, author of Captive in Iran (Tyndale Momentum 2014), tells us she never imagined that a Pope would get involved for «ordinary Christians like us». She never managed to thank him, but «I prayed for him in prison, asking God to bless him and to return all the kindness he showed us».

 

The Interview with Marziyeh Amirizadeh

QUESTION – Marziyeh, when was your arrest in Iran and for what reason?

ANSWER – As I wrote in my book, my friend and I returned to Iran in October 2005 after completing a course in biblical theology in Turkey, and we began our ministry until March 5, 2009, the day of our arrest.

We led several home churches aimed at youth and women and tried to evangelize during the day. At night, we distributed Bibles by placing them in mailboxes. We distributed 20,000 throughout Tehran and some other cities.

One day I received a call from the police station. They told me there were legal problems with the car documents and asked me to go there to resolve the issue. When I arrived, they arrested me.

 

QUESTION – For what reason?

ANSWER – They had seen me handing out Bibles to people and talking to them about Jesus.

We were sent to Evin Prison on charges of apostasy, blasphemy, anti-government activities, and promoting Christianity. We were sentenced to death by hanging for apostasy (conversion from Islam to Christianity).

 

QUESTION – During the 259 days in prison, what gave you the strength to resist?

ANSWER – My faith in Jesus Christ, my unique and personal relationship with Him, sustained me during that terrible time in prison.

I felt that God spoke to me through dreams, and I knew He had a purpose in sending me to prison. Also, suffering for my faith was a true honor. In the Gospels, Jesus warned us about suffering and persecution.

 

QUESTION – Did you suffer torture and persecution?

ANSWER – Yes, I lived under constant physical and mental pressure and received threats.

I was sentenced to death by hanging; in every hearing and interrogation, they threatened me, saying that if I persisted in my faith and did not ask for forgiveness by converting back to Islam, I would be tortured and executed.

They used various tactics to make me understand the consequences of my resistance.

 

QUESTION – What kind?

ANSWER – For example, they sent me to the section for murder convicts, among dangerous prisoners. They kept me in a cell and, after I had made friends with some inmates, they executed one to show me what would happen if I continued to believe.

They also threatened my family. I was sick for months, and they refused to give me medicine. Because of my refusal to renounce Jesus, they prohibited me from attending certain classes or participating in other activities in prison that were otherwise allowed for other inmates.

However, thanks to broad international support, the defense from many Christian activists, and human rights organizations, they did not rape or physically torture us, unlike what happened to many other female prisoners. This happened, for example, to my best friend, Shirin Alamhooli, who was later executed.

 

The Intervention of Benedict XVI

QUESTION – What do you know about Pope Benedict XVI’s involvement in your case?

ANSWER – In the last months of imprisonment, the Attorney General of Iran, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, came to prison and secretly met with me and my friend.

He asked us if we had ever been in contact with the Vatican. We answered no. Then, angry, he asked: “Then why did the Pope send a letter to the government on your behalf and intervene in your case?”.

At that moment, we realized that Benedict XVI had intervened on our behalf. When we were released, our lawyer in the United States and at the United Nations confirmed and shared the news with us.

Our cellmates later told us that no prisoner had ever been visited by such a high authority of the regime inside the prison. It meant that they were under strong international pressure regarding our case.

 

“Benedict XVI Saved Me”

QUESTION – Do you believe Benedict XVI’s intervention was decisive for your survival?

ANSWER – Yes, I firmly believe it had a great impact.

After that visit, I noticed a significant change in the behavior of the interrogators and prison authorities. They almost completely stopped harsh treatment and interrogations. Soon after, they were forced to release us.

 

QUESTION – How did it feel knowing that the leader of the Catholic Church was supporting your release?

ANSWER – It was a great honor and an enormous encouragement.

I never imagined that such a high spiritual authority would get involved in the case of ordinary Christians like us, nor that he would send a letter to an evil regime on our behalf.

It was immense joy to see how much the Pope cared about the persecution of Christians in Iran.

 

“I Never Thanked Him in Person”

QUESTION – If you could say something to Pope Benedict XVI today?

ANSWER – I would have loved the honor to meet him and thank him in person for his support. I admire his humility, courage, and commitment demonstrated in our case.

I would thank him for caring about our persecution and for not remaining indifferent to our suffering. I have never met a Pope in my life, but it would have been a tremendous honor to thank him in person before he passed away.

I prayed for him in prison and asked God to bless him and return to him all the kindness he showed by supporting us.

As a Christian, I believe that we are all children of God, regardless of denomination, and we should always be united and support each other, especially the oppressed and those persecuted for their faith.

 

The Situation of Christians in Iran

QUESTION – You said that Iran could export missionaries instead of terrorism. Is such a transformation possible?

God in the Bible prophesies God’s judgment on Elam (modern Iran), promising to destroy its rulers, restore its fate, and establish His throne there (Jer 49:38-39). And, as I said, He spoke to me through some dreams.

From my personal experience living in Iran, I know that the majority have turned their backs on Islam and are very open to Christianity and the message of love. Iran has the fastest-growing churches among all Muslim countries; out of 75,000 mosques, 55,000 have been closed. Iranians are tired of Islam and no longer want it.

For example, in this video from 2023, during Christmas, hundreds of Iranians gathered outside an Armenian Apostolic cathedral, asking Jesus to open the door and let them in.

Before 2009, when I lived in Iran, no one would ever dare to go to church in public or in such a large crowd. This shows me how thirsty Iranians are for Christianity and how brave they have become in expressing their desire to participate in Church life.

Most Iranians are Muslims only in name; they hate the evil of the Islamic regime, hate Islam, and do not want to be compared to Arabs.

 

QUESTION – Do you still have contacts in Iran?

ANSWER – Yes, I constantly receive news.

There are many underground churches, but due to the security of the Basij secret police and other repressive agencies, it is difficult to know exactly how many people have converted to Christianity so far. It is certainly still dangerous.

 

QUESTION – In the West, we take freedom for granted, and many ignore the persecution of Christians. What is your message?

ANSWER – Since moving to the United States, I have never stopped defending persecuted Christians.

I have spoken in hundreds of churches worldwide, urging people never to remain silent. I have personally met many government representatives in their offices to discuss this issue. I also spoke at the U.S. State Department, in front of hundreds of leaders from different countries.

I ask Western Christians not to be passive and to feel responsible for supporting their brothers and sisters suffering for their faith in Muslim countries like Iran. I usually tell them never to take their freedom for granted and to remain vigilant in defending Judeo-Christian values.

Otherwise, we risk losing those same values and that freedom that we now take for granted, but that many in the world have never had. We can all make a difference — and we must — in the name of our persecuted brothers and sisters.

 

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