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.
‘Martyred’ Iranian pastor remembered 20 years on
Memorial services are being held in Tehran, London and California to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Haik Hovsepian, an Iranian pastor hailed by many Christians as a martyr. Hovsepian vanished on January 19, 1994, three days after his protests helped to secure the release of fellow Iranian […]
Farsi speakers banned from church
A church in Tehran has become the latest to close its doors to Farsi speakers. St. Peter’s Evangelical Church in the Iranian capital is preventing speakers of the country’s official language from attending following pressure from government officials, reports Mohabat News. Armenians and Assyrians will be permitted to attend the […]
Iranian converts arrested
Five Iranian converts to Christianity were arrested while celebrating Christmas together in Tehran, reports Mohabat News. Ahmad Bazyar, Fagheh Nasrollahi, Mastaneh Rastegari, Amir-Hossein Ne’matollahi and another man with the surname of Hosseini were arrested on Christmas Eve at Mr. Hosseini’s house and taken to an unknown location. Meanwhile Mohabat News […]
Retired Iranian pastor jailed
A retired Iranian pastor has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison. Rev. Vruir Avanessian, 61, who is of Armenian descent, was found guilty on 5 December of anti-government activities and promotion of ideas contrary to the sanctity of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The pastor, who is reported to […]
Iranians released two weeks early
Two Iranian Christians have been released from jail two weeks before the end of their sentences. Farhad Sabokrouh, pastor of the Assemblies of God Church in Ahwaz, and Naser Zamen-Dezfuli, were released on December 4, seven months after their incarceration for converting from Islam to Christianity, proselytising Muslims, and propagating […]
Iran’s nuclear programme ‘distracting’ world from rights abuses
Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on a tour of an Iranian nuclear facility.Pere Ubu / Flickr / Creative Commons An Iranian Nobel Prize-winner has warned EU and US officials that Iran’s nuclear programme is distracting them from addressing the country’s human rights abuses. Shirin Ebadi, now living in the UK, […]
Iranian Christian jailed for 10 years freed
An Iranian Christian sentenced to 10 years in prison has been released after three months. Mostafa Bordbar, 27, was released Nov. 3 from Tehran’s Evin Prison after charges of participating in an “anti-security organisation” and “gathering with intent to commit crimes against Iranian national security” were overturned. Bordbar was arrested […]
Iranians jailed for ‘house church’ attendance
Four Iranian Christians jailed for attending a ‘house church’ have lost their judicial appeals. Mojtaba Seyyed Alaedin Hossein, Mohammad-Reza Partoei, Vahid Hakkani and Homayoun Shokouhi were each sentenced in June to three years and eight months in prison. Shokouhi’s wife Fariba and son Nima both received suspended sentences of two […]
Iran ‘abuses’ Christians’ national and international rights
Iran’s continued mistreatment of its Christian minority was raised at a recent meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Attieh Fard, a lawyer specialising in human rights, urged President Hassan Rouhani to make good on his promises to the United Nations in New York by releasing the 42 Christians […]
Iran releases 2 Christians, but many more still imprisoned
Two Christian women were among a number of prisoners of conscience released in Iran, ahead of new President Hassan Rouhani’s first address to the UN General Assembly in New York next week. Since his election in June, Rouhani has projected a tone that is less strident than that of his […]