Four Christian Converts Sentenced to 13 Years Behind Bars
Published by Ali on August 14, 2020
International Liberty Association: Four Christian converts were sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison. Ramin Hassanpour, Hadi Rahimi, Cathrine Sajjadpour, and Sakineh Behjati, were from Rasht, the capital of Gilan Province.
Ramin Hassanpour was sentenced to five years in prison, and his wife, Cathrine (Saeedeh) Sajjadpour, sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.
Moslem (Hadi) Rahimi sentenced to four years in prison. Sakineh (Mehri) Behjati was also sentenced to two years in prison.
These four Christian converts have been accused of “acting against national security”, “participating in meetings in house churches”, and “proselytizing Zionist Christianity.”
They were interrogated in February after Intelligence Department agents raided their home. Their personal belongings were confiscated and they were told that they would be summoned, shortly.
In April, the four Christian converts were summoned through a phone call to the Branch 10 of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht. They were asked for a bail of 500 million tomans for each. Since they did not afford to pay the bails, they were transferred to the Lakan Prison of Rasht on 14 May 2020.
ILA: Christianity is recognized as a minority religion under the Iran Constitution. But the Iranian intelligence services are very sensitive to Muslims converting to Christianity and deal with them violently, as they are considered renegades.
