IRAN-A Retired Christian woman is intimidated and her pension withheld !

Mrs. "Fatemeh Pauki", a 58 years old retired school teacher from the province of Western Azerbaijan, has been denied from receiving her pension income, according to an order from the 4th district court of the city of Ouroumieh (North West Iran), dated March 2, 2009.
According to the iran pursuant to the court order obtained by the district attorney representing the 4th district court of Ouroumieh on March 2, 2009, a letter was sent from the Ministry of Education informing Ms. Pauki of the court’s order and that her pension income would not paid to her as of April 5, 2009.

The persistent inquiry of this retired teacher as to the real causes of such decision and her being denied of her rightful pension income has not been answered by any officials.

It seems that the government authorities are using this tactic to intimidate people who have converted to the Christian faith to lose interest in their newly found faith.

This 58 years old retired woman has, in the past years, been called and detained by the officials of the Ministry of Information. She has not only been threatened, but has been forced to promise not to contact any Christians, attend any Christian meetings, and cooperate with the security officials in spying for them.

It is important to mention that Ms. Pauki’s husband, the late Majid Mahmoodi Tabrizi, who himself was a newly converted Christian was threatened on many occasions to renounce his faith and was finally pursued by unknown assailants and gruesomely murdered on July 30, 2005.

The coroner’s report, which was issued on August 2, 2005, indicated that the cause of death was massive internal hemorrhaging that resulted from severe trauma to the heart and the lungs by a sharp knife-like object and the fracture of all rib cage bones.

The family of the late brother Majid filed a complaint to the judicial authorities and the police to initiate appropriate investigations in order to identify and apprehend those responsible for this ruthless murder. In response, and more than 4 years after the incident, many threatening letters have been written to the family of this martyr in which they have been threatened and advised not to pursue this matter any longer.

The Christian committee of the Human Rights activists of Iran expresses grave concern about this method of intimidation and pressure employed by the provincial authorities of Western Azerbaijan province. This is a clear violation of the three most vulnerable strata of the Iranian society, namely the women, the teachers, and the retired people. This Christian lady is paying a heavy and unjust price for her faith in Christ.

This action is inexcusable at any time and anywhere, but more so now that the economic and financial condition of people, who are all suffering in this world-wide recession, has worsened will have dire consequences on this woman and her family. She served the children of this nation faithfully and with utmost integrity and such action is absolutely against all moral and human right principles.

Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will

sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall”