Iran: Persecution of religious minorities
International Liberty Association: In May 2021, the persecution of Iran’s religious minorities continued; Members of religious minorities were sentenced to long prison terms on trumped-up charges and in some cases were summoned and detained. Iran has particularly stepped-up pressure on the Baha’i community in Iran, making many... Read More
Christian Convert Released with Leave Until the End of His Sentence
David- Suzanci International Liberty Association: Majid (David) Suzanchi Kashani, a Christian convert, told Minority News Agency that, “I will not return to prison due to the length of this leave, and in fact it is a leave leading to release and the end of the sentence.”Majid Suzanchi Kashani has been imprisoned since 2017. During... Read More
Iran: Christian convert on Hunger Strike
International Liberty Association: Iranian Christian convert Ebrahim Firoozi has gone on hunger strike since 13 Feb, demanding a “Absolute acquittal” of the “false allegations”, which he believes is made by the Ministry of Intelligence against him.He had previously announced that he would go on a hunger strike to protest... Read More
Iran: Christian woman denied jobs
International Liberty Association: A Christian woman has been deprived from getting employed for converting from Islam to Christianity, by the Iranian Intelligence services.A former prisoner of conscience, Mary Mohammadi (Fatemeh) wrote in a post that nearly one year since she was released from Qarchak Prison in Varamin, she has been... Read More
Christian Convert Mohammad Reza Omidi Receives 80 Lashes for Drinking Holy Communion Wine
International Liberty Association: The clerical regime lashed Iranian Christian convert Mohammad Reza Omidi 80 times for drinking communion wine. The sentence was carried out on Wednesday, 14 October 2020, at the Prosecutor’s Office of Rasht. Mr. Mohammad Reza (Yuhan) Omidi finished his 2-year sentence on 14 September after which he... Read More
Woman Christian convert was released on bail pending trial
International Liberty Association: A Christian convert “Maliheh Nazari” was released on bail from Qarchak prison pending the trial.Ms Maliheh Nazari was arrested by the security forces in plain clothes at her home in Tehran and was transferred to Evin Prison, on 30 June 2020.After her arrest, for several weeks her family did not know... Read More
A toddler with heart disease is separated from her Christian parents
International Liberty Association: A court issued an inhuman ruling to separate a 2-year-old toddler from her Christian parents in Iran, despite her “strong emotional bonds” The little girl was subsequently separated from her parents and handed over to the Welfare Organization.The 2-year-old toddler called Lydia was born Muslim but... Read More
Demanding heavy bail and putting pressure on the families of Christian prisoners
Mohabat International Liberty Association: The Revolutionary Courts have recently issued the heaviest possible sentences for a number of Christians, and at the same time set unbelievable and strange bails for their temporary release, which ranged from 500 million Tomans to three billion Tomans. It is not clear what the basis for... Read More
The Revolutionary Court upheld a 15-year prison sentence for a “Christian couple”
International Liberty Association: According to the Reports from Iran, Assyrian pastor and his wife have been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. The report from Iranian Christian indicates that “Victor Bet Tamraz ” has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and his wife “Shamiram Isavi” has been sentenced to 5 years in... Read More
Four Christian Converts Sentenced to 13 Years Behind Bars
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... Read More
Joseph Shahbazian, still in Detention
International Liberty Association: After the court requested a bail of 3 Billion Tomans for the temporary release of Christian convert Maliheh Nazari, a bail of 3 Billion Tomans was also set for “Joseph Shahbazian” one of the leaders of the house church. Reports from Iran indicate that the Investigation Branch of the Tehran... Read More
Iranian Christians Persecuted for Practicing Their Religion
International Liberty Association: According to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, Iran has nearly 300,000 Christians, including adherents of apostolic Churches—Latin Catholic, Armenian and Assyrian/Chaldean—and newer Protestant and evangelical churches. The Catholic hierarchy consists of one Latin... Read More
Iran Arrests Christians Converts
Mohabat News reported that two Christian converts Shima and Shokoufeh Zanganeh, who were arrested about two weeks ago in the city of Ahvaz, were beaten during interrogations. These two sisters had been arrested in their homes on Sunday, 2 September and taken to an unknown location. Also, their Bibles and other religious literature were... Read More
Christian Converts Calls Intercepted By Iran Intelligence
Two Christian converts in Iran, have been recently arrested in the cities of Karaj and Mashhad. Behnam Ersali, who was visiting a friend in a northern city, and Davoud Rasouli, was arrested just outside his home in Karaj, west of Tehran. They had arranged to meet in Mashhad, according to advocacy organization Middle East Concern (MEC),... Read More