Fears that Amir Mesrinejad, a Moore College student held in Villawood Detention Centre, may die if deported to Iran, have intensified with news that a Iranian lay pastor has been charged with apostasy and will go before an Islamic Court within days to face the death sentence.
Hamid Pourmand is the lay pastor of a Protestant church in Bandar-i Bushehr, Iran.

He is the first Iranian convert since 1993 to be charged with apostasy and preaching to Muslims.
Iran's Sharia law proscribes the death sentence for Muslims who convert to Christianity.

However, the Australian government has maintained that the law has not been enacted in Iran for years and is pushing ahead with plans to deport Amir Mesrinejad.
Mr Poumand has been in prison since he was arrested on September 9 last year, along with 85 other members of the Assemblies of God Church in Iran.

The others were all released within a few days.
On February 16 he was convicted of deceiving his employer, the Iranian army, about his conversion to Christianity and sentenced to three years in jail.

Christians are not allowed to serve as officers in the Iranian army.
Asylum seeker Amir Mesrinejad converted to Christianity while held in Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney.

He has become a leader of the Christian group within Villawood, has been studying theology at Moore College and has been offered a job as part of the ministry team at St Paul's, Carlingford.