Tags

Iran

• Twelve Arrested in Coordinated Raids

  

  At least twelve Christians have been arrested by intelligence agents in a coordinated operation on June 30th and July 1st. Besides the arrests, dozens of others were ordered to provide contact details and told they would be summoned for further questioning.

• Appeal Hearing Postponed Indefinitely

  

  The appeal hearing for Pastor Victor Bet Tamraz and his wife, along with three other Christians, had been scheduled for June 1st but was cancelled with no new court date set. No reason was given for the delay, and the lawyers involved with this case were not allowed to approach the judge. Pastor Victor and the others each face sentences of at least ten years in prison. (Review the previously posted report.)

• Sentence Extended on Retrial

  

  When the judge requested a retrial for Ismaeil Maghrebinejad, there were hopes that justice would prevail. Ismaeil had received a two-year prison sentence on February 27th for his alleged "membership of a group hostile to the regime" (read more). This sentence was in addition to a previous decision that was made on January 8th, when he was sentenced to three years for "insulting Islamic sacred beliefs."

• Sentence for Mary Mohammadi

  

  Fatemeh (Mary) Mohammadi is a Christian convert and blogger who has spoken out about the oppression facing Iran's people. As a result, she has been arrested and imprisoned because of her faith and work as a social media advocate (read more).

  A hearing was held on April 14th, at which time a judge raised questions about her faith, even though it had no bearing on the charges she faced. On April 21st, she was notified of the outcome: one day in prison, a three-month suspension of her prison sentence, plus ten lashes for "disturbing public order."

• Two Prisoners Released

  

  In the endeavour to deal with the COVID-19 crisis, Iranian authorities released thousands of prisoners in mid-March to stop the spread within the country's prisons. It was noted, however, that many Christians detained for their faith were not included. We are pleased to report, however, that two Christian prisoners have gained their freedom.

• Exile Extended

  

  On October 31st, Ebrahim Firouzi was released from prison but then faced two years of exile in Sarbaz, near the Pakistani border. Although he began his exile on November 12th, in December, he requested leave to sort out some family matters. After waiting for several days and receiving no response, he went ahead with his trip.

• Hearings of Accused Christians Delayed

  

  In last week's Persecution and Prayer Alert, we wrote about Mary Mohammadi who was arrested and facing abuse while incarcerated. We are thankful to report that as of February 26th, she was released on bail. Although a court hearing had been scheduled for March 2nd, it was postponed indefinitely, apparently due to concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

• Christian Blogger Faces Abuse in Prison

  

  Fatemeh (Mary) Mohammadi, a Christian convert and outspoken critic of the oppression being experienced by the Iranian people, has had to endure imprisonment and abuse. Initially arrested in November 2017, she was sentenced to six months in prison for her "membership in proselytizing groups," as well as her participation in Christian activity and the spreading of propaganda. Although released in the spring of 2018, Mary was arrested again in July 2019 prior to being freed on bail. In December, she was unexpectedly banned from continuing her education at the Islamic Adad University.

• Recent Prisoner Updates

  

  Christians in Iran face constant danger when living out their faith. This is particularly true for those who convert from Islam. For many, faith in Christ leads to torture and imprisonment. More information, including various reports, can be reviewed at our country report.

  Ismaeil Maghrebinejad, 65, was taken into custody on January 25th of this year on charges of propaganda against the state (note previous report). In a hearing on October 22nd, charges of apostasy were added by the judge, even though Ismaeil had been a Christian for nearly 40 years. The next court hearing is expected in two months' time.

• Released from Prison

  

  Ebrahim Firouzi has been imprisoned since 2013 on charges including "actions against national security." He was originally sentenced to one year in prison, followed by two years of exile. However, after serving the first year, he was re-tried and sentenced to an additional five years.

  We are pleased to announce that Ebrahim was released from Rajaei Shahr prison on October 26th. While he still must serve two years of exile in the Sarbaz region of southeastern Iran, this Christian young man has been allowed temporary release to sort out his personal affairs.