Tag: Christianity

Two Christian Converts, Behnam Akhlaghi and Babak Hosseinzadeh, Summoned to Court for a New Legal Case

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Babak Hosseinzadeh, Behnam Akhlaghi, Christian convert, Christianity, religious freedom, Religious Minorities, Zionism

On Wednesday, February 9, 2022, two Christian converts, Behnam Akhlaghi and Babak Hosseinzadeh, were summoned by Branch 3 of Evin Prosecutor’s Office in regards to a new legal case opened against them.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists,  Akhlaghi and Hosseinzadeh were asked to appear at the court within 5 days.

On February 23, 2019, they were arrested during a home church gathering in Rasht City. Security forces searched Akhlaghi’s house and confiscated some of his personal belongings. According to an informed source, during the search, the agents broke and damaged objects associated with the Christian faith.

After 12 days of interrogation in a security detention centre in Rasht City, they were transferred to Rasht Prison. On March 18, 2019,  they were released on bail of 150 million tomans until the end of legal proceedings.

On July 24, 2019, the first trial was held by Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran. During the court session, the judge increased the bail up to 1.5 billion tomans. Since they could not afford to provide the increased bail, they were detained and sent to Ward No 4 of Evin Prison.

Ultimately, they each were sentenced to five years imprisonment on the charge of “acting against national security and promotion of evangelical Christianity and Zionism”. This verdict was upheld by Branch 36 of the Court of Appeal of Tehran.

Subsequently, their request for a retrial was accepted in Branch 28 of the Supreme Court based on the argument that preaching Christianity and promoting Zionism at home cannot be related to the charge of assembly and collusion in purpose to disturb national security. Therefore, the Supreme Court delivered the case to Branch 34 of the Revolutionary Court which will be held on February 22 of this year.

However, recently a new legal case has been opened against them for which they have been summoned by Evin Prosecutor’s Office.

Despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority under Iranian law, security forces nevertheless harass and prosecute Muslims who convert to Christianity.

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.

Christian Convert Sekineh Behjati Summoned to Serve Her Two Year Sentence

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Christian convert, Christianity, religious freedom, Religious Minorities, Sekineh Behjati

Christian Convert Sekineh Behjati was summoned to appear at Branch 1 of the Public and Revolutionary Court in Tehran within 30 days to serve her two year sentence. She was convicted in August of 2020.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, security forces raided and interrogated Behjati in August of 2020 at her house, accusing her of “propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion against national security.” They also searched the house and confiscated some of her personal belongings. She was told that she will be indicted soon.

In May of 2020, she was arrested after being summoned by Branch 10 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht City. On May 14, 2020, she was sent to Lakan Prison after failing to provide a bail of 500 million tomans. Finally, she was released six days later after reducing the bail to 200 million tomans.

Despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority under Iranian law, security forces nevertheless harass and prosecute Muslims who convert to Christianity.
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.

Three Christian Converts Sentenced to a Total of 15 Years in Prison and a Fine

Posted on by admin-hr
Freedom of Expression, Prisoners, Religious Minorities
Alireza Nourmohammadi, Amin Khaki, Christian converts, Christianity, Citizens arrested, Citizens detained, Karaj, Milad Goodarzi, Religious persecution

Amin Khaki, Milad Goodarzi, and Alireza Nourmohammadi were sentenced by the Fourth Branch of the Revolutionary Court of Karaj to five years each in prison and a fine of 40 million tomans.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the website Article 18 , the three christian converts were sentenced for “Propaganda and educational activities contrary to the holy Sharia of Islam”.

The citizens had been released on bail of 250 million tomans each in November 2020 after being summoned to judicial authorities and filing a case.

Despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority under Iranian law, the security services nevertheless pursue the issue of Muslims converting to Christianity with particular sensitivity and deal harshly with activists in this field.

The Iranian regime targets Christian converts despite 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.

Christian Convert Reza Zaeemi’s Prison Sentence Reduced to Nine Months by Appeal Court

Posted on by admin-hr
Freedom of Expression, Prisoners, Religious Minorities
Christianity, Karaj, Karaj Revolutionary Court, Religious persecution, Reza Zaeemi

The sentence of Reza Zaeemi, a Christian convert, was reduced by the Alborz Court of Appeals to 9 months in prison and a two-year ban from leaving the country. 40-year-old Zaeemi was sentenced by the Karaj Revolutionary Court to one year and six months in prison and a two-year ban from leaving the country in early February.

According to the HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Article 18, Reza Zaeemi was sentenced by the Alborz province court of appeals to nine months in prison and a two-year ban from leaving the country, a significant reduction from his previous sentence.

In January 2021, Mr. Zaeemi was sentenced to one year and six months in prison and a two-year prohibition of leaving the country by Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Court of Karaj, presided by Judge Shabani. Mr. Zaeemi was charged with propaganda against the regime through propagation of evangelical Christianity.

Zaeemi was arrested in November 2020 by undercover forces near his residence  in Karaj. He was transferred to an IRGC intelligence detention center from an unknown location, four hours later, and denied access to a phone for the eight day duration of his detention, during which time his home was searched by security forces.

After ten days, Zaeemi was transferred from the IRGC Intelligence Detention Center to Ghezel Hesar Penitentiary by the order of the Judge of the Revolutionary Public Prosecutor’s Office in Karaj and was released on bail of 60 million Tomans after one week.

Reza Zaeemi is a Christian convert from Karaj.