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.
Iranian Christian released
An Iranian Christian has been released from prison in the southern city of Shiraz, reports Middle East Concern. Soroush Saraei had been in prison since July 2014 and was serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence for “action against national security” and “propaganda against the order of the system”. He was arrested alongside […]
Saeed Abedini completes third year in prison
Saeed Abedini has served three years of an eight-year jail sentence for alleged anti-state activities. The American-Iranian pastor, who lived in the US with his wife, Naghmeh, and their two children, was detained in October 2012 during a visit to see his family. After a recent visit to see him […]
8 Iranian Christians arrested
Armed plain-clothed security officers raided a house church in Iran and arrested eight people, according to Mohabat News. The report says the 7 August arrests and search of the premises in Karaj, 50km west of Tehran, were made without the production of a court order. A personal computer, Bibles and […]
Iranian Christian released, but 90 still in prison
An Iranian Christian has been released from prison after a three-and-a-half-year sentence for “propaganda against the regime” and “acting against national security”. Alireza Seyyedian, a Church of Iran member, was originally sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, 90 lashes and a fine, reports Middle East Concern, but his sentence was reduced […]
Iran releases Christian prisoner
A Christian imprisoned in Iran for 40 months has been released, according to MEC Homayoun Shekohi was arrested on 8 February 2012 in Shiraz as part of a raid on a house church. He and three others were sentenced to three years, eight months in prison for participating in house-church […]
Iran pastor Fathi’s appeal fails, against extra year in prison and 74 lashes
An Iranian pastor serving a six-year prison term has failed in his appeal against a further sentence of 74 lashes and an additional year in jail – for the alleged possession in his cell of two litres of alcohol. This latest news about Farshid Fathi was first reported by Iran-focused […]
On trial in Iran for celebrating Christmas
An Iranian pastor is expected to stand trial in Iran soon, five months after his arrest by security forces for “participating in an illegal gathering” as he celebrated Christmas. Victor Bet-Tamraz led the Tehran Pentecostal Assyrian Church before it was shut down by Iran’s Ministry of Interior in March 2009. […]
Iran jails another 18 converts
Another 18 Iranian converts to Christianity have been jailed during the past two months for “evangelism and establishing house churches”, reports Mohabat News. Between them, their sentences amount to 23 years and nine months in jail. Mansour Borji, spokesman for rights group Article 18, told Mohabat News that, although the […]
Iranian President’s broken promises to minorities
Christians in Iran are still regularly arrested, imprisoned and harassed despite President Hassan Rouhani’s promise of “justice” for religious minorities, according to a report launched March 10 at the UK Parliament. “All Iranian people should feel there is justice. Justice means equal opportunity. All ethnicities, all religions, even religious minorities, […]
Iranian pastor released from prison but others arrested same day remain
After spending more than one year in prison, for ‘collusion against the [Iranian] government’ and ‘evangelism,’ Iranian pastor Rasoul Abdollahi has been released from prison. Abdollahi, a leader in Iran’s house church movement, was arrested Dec. 26 2010 and released last week, Feb. 16. His arrest was the same day […]