From Death Row in Evin Prison to Global Voice: Marziyeh Amirizadeh’s Unbreakable Faith
The Iranian regime tried to silence her forever. Instead, Marziyeh Amirizadeh’s story has become a powerful testimony that continues to inspire millions around the world.
Alongside her close friend Maryam Rostampour, Marziyeh spent 259 days in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison—a detention center feared for its torture, executions, and brutal crackdown on political and religious dissent. The two women were arrested in 2009 for converting from Islam to Christianity and sharing their faith. Their punishment? A death sentence by hanging.
Their alleged “crime”: distributing around 20,000 New Testaments across Iran and helping lead underground house churches. In the Islamic Republic, apostasy and evangelism are capital offenses.
Faith That Could Not Be Broken Behind Bars
While Evin Prison is designed to break prisoners through isolation, interrogation, and horrific conditions, Marziyeh and Maryam refused to be silenced. Even under threat of execution, they continued to share messages of hope and Christianity with fellow inmates—including prostitutes, addicts, and others trapped in the prison’s darkness.
According to reports, their courageous witness touched the lives of hundreds of prisoners and even some guards. What the regime intended as a place of punishment became, for them, an unlikely mission field.
International Pressure Secures Their Freedom
As news of their arrest and death sentences spread, global outrage grew. Human rights organizations, governments, and Christian advocates around the world raised their voices, mounting pressure on Iranian authorities.
In November 2009, after 259 grueling days, Marziyeh and Maryam were released. They were eventually cleared of all charges and allowed to leave Iran.
Today, both women live safely in the United States, far from the persecution they once endured. Yet their mission to expose religious freedom violations in Iran remains as urgent as ever.
From Prisoner to Published Author and Speaker
Marziyeh has turned her pain into purpose. She co-authored the bestselling book Captive in Iran: A Remarkable True Story of Hope and Triumph Amid the Horror of Tehran’s Brutal Evin Prison, which chronicles their harrowing yet faith-filled experience. She has also written a second book, A Love Journey with God.
Through public speaking, interviews, and writing, Marziyeh continues to reveal the reality of Christian persecution in Iran—and the high personal cost of faith under the Islamic Republic.
She remains hopeful about Iran’s future, believing the country will one day experience genuine freedom and transformation, where belief is no longer a crime punishable by death.
The Regime’s Failed Attempt to Silence Her
The Iranian regime tried to make an example of Marziyeh Amirizadeh by sentencing her to death for distributing a single book—the Bible. Instead, her voice has echoed far beyond Evin’s walls, reaching audiences across the globe.Her story stands as a powerful reminder of resilience, courage, and the enduring strength of faith in the face of oppression.
