Ethnic Iranians are seen as being Muslim, and carrying out any Christian activities in their Farsi language is illegal. An Iranian man who leaves Islam can be sentenced to death and a woman to life imprisonment, although such sentences haven’t been carried out for more than 20 years. However, in 2017 over a dozen Christians – most of them converts to Christianity – were given prison sentences of between 10 and 15 years for “acting against national security”. According to religious freedom watchdog Article 18, such political charges attempt “to avoid international outcry at religiously motivated charges”. Several imprisoned Iranian Christians have undertaken hunger strikes in protest.
Rash of sentences ‘shows government’s fear of growth of Christianity in Iran’
Four more Christians received lengthy jail sentences in Iran last week, it has emerged, taking the total number sentenced in the last month to 12. Yasser Mossayebzadeh, Saheb Fadaie, Mohammad Reza Omidi and Youcef Nadarkhani were each sentenced to ten years in prison. Omidi and Nadarkhani – a pastor who […]
Jailed Iranian Christian asks authorities: ‘Why do you hate me?’
An Iranian convert to Christianity, sentenced last week to 15 years in jail, has written an open letter to the authorities, asking what he has done to “make you hate me this much” and declaring that he has decided to “terminate my life slowly” through a hunger strike. Amin Afshar-Naderi […]
Third Iranian convert given lengthy sentence alongside pastor
More details have emerged about the sentencing of four Iranian Christians earlier this week. On Wednesday (5 July)*, World Watch Monitor reported that three Christians – a pastor and two converts to Christianity – had been given lengthy jail terms, but now it emerges that a fourth man, another convert, […]
Iran sentences four more Christians to 10 years in jail for ‘missionary activities’
One Iranian and three Azerbaijani Christians have been found guilty of “missionary activities” and “actions against national security” in Iran and sentenced to 10 years in prison. World Watch Monitor understands that the three Azerbaijanis – Eldar Gurbanov, Yusif Farhadov and Bahram Nasibov – are unlikely to serve their sentences […]
As ‘Free Iran’ movement gathers in Paris, young Iranian Christians share challenges
Over 90 European and US faith leaders have signed a petition urging Western governments to make the plight of religious minorities central to any deal with Iran. The letter comes ahead of the annual Iranian opposition rally in Paris tomorrow (1 July), where tens of thousands of Iranians are expected […]
Why Iranian Christians are pinning hopes on ‘moderate’ Rouhani, despite human rights failures
As Iranians head to the polls today (19 May) to vote for their next President, World Watch Monitor takes a look at President Hassan Rouhani’s first term in office and the potential impact of the election result for the country’s Christian minority. Hassan Rouhani was voted in four years ago, […]
Iranian converts: one needs urgent care, another denied chance to see mum with cancer
The health of Iranian Christian convert, Maryam Naghash Zargaran, continues to decline, sources told Mohabat News. It was reported that over the past week her condition worsened and she is again in need of urgent medical care. According to a prison mate, Zargaran is also suffering from severe weight loss. The stressful […]
Iranian mother and son Christian converts arrested
An Iranian mother and son who converted to Christianity have been arrested in the north-western province of West Azerbaijan. Anousheh Reza-Bakhsh (known as Veronika) and her son Soheil (known as Augustine) were arrested on 20 February at their home in Urmia, the provincial capital. Mohabat News reports that it is […]
Iranians end hunger strike
Amin Afshar Naderi, left, and Hadi Asgari began their hunger strike on 5 February.Article 18 UPDATE (17 Feb) Two imprisoned Iranian Christians have ended their hunger strike after being promised medical care and progress in their case. Amin Afshar Naderi and Hadi Asgari, both of whom had reportedly suffered […]
Women ‘central’ to spread of Christianity in Iran
Women are playing a central role in the underground churches of Iran despite the risk of rejection by their families and imprisonment by police, research by the global charity Open Doors has found. An Iranian woman lights a candle during the Christmas Eve mass at the St. Gregor Armenian Catholic […]