Convictions against Three Christians Upheld on Appeal

Convictions against Three Christians Upheld on Appeal

The Court of Appeals upheld a ten-year prison sentence and other convictions against Christian Citizen Anoushavan Avodian. Additionally, in this legal case, two other Christian converts, Abbas Soori and Maryam Mohammadi had been fined 50 million tomans, which all were upheld on appeal.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Article 18, the convictions against three Iranian Christians were upheld by the Court of Appeals.

In May of 2022, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Judge Afshari, sentenced Anoushavan Avodian to 10 years in prison, paying a fine and restrictions of rights for 10 years. Two other defendants of this case, Abbas Soori and Maryam Mohammadi were fined 50 million tomans, prohibited from membership in political groups, banned from leaving the country, and residing in Tehran Province and neighboring provinces. Also, they were ordered to appear once every three weeks at the Supervision and Follow Up office of the Judiciary for two years.

The above individuals have been convicted on the charge of “organizing and running evangelical “Zionist” home church with the intention to act against national security,” and, ” owning satellite dish and receivers.”

Their Attorney Iman Soleimani told HRANA: “All arguments provided by the defense lawyer in the court have been ignored and the verdict was issued based on the judicial officers’ workflow.”

The prosecution of Christian converts stands in blatant violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which state that every individual has the right to freedom of religion and belief and freedom to express it openly or secretly.

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