Iran Officials Step Up Torture against Soon-to-Be-Released Pastor

Iranian secret police are reportedly beating imprisoned Iranian Pastor Benham Irani as he nears the end of his prison sentence.

Present Truth Ministries reports the 43-year-old pastor has recently seen an increase in brutal beatings by police, which Iranian Christians say is not unusual.

Prison officials think they'll be able to break their Christian inmates by torturing them and convince them to convert to Islam.

Following two arrests in December 2006 and April 2010, Irani was convicted and sentenced to six years in prison for holding house services and leading Muslims to Christ.

Iranian authorities call such activity "crimes against national security." Under Sharia (Islamic) law it's punishable by death.

His sentence will end late this year.