Tag: Morteza Hajeb Mashhood-Kari

Four Christian Converts Arrested by IRGC Intelligence Agents

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Ahmad Sarparast, Ayoub Pourrezazadeh, Babak Hossein-Zadeh, Behnam Akhlaghi, Iranian Christians, IRGC intelligence agents, Morteza Hajeb Mashhood-Kari

On Sunday, May 8, 2022, IRGC intelligence agents arrested four Christian converts, Behnam Akhlaghi, Babak Hossein-Zadeh, Ayoub Pourreza-Zadeh, and Ahmad Sarparast in Rasht City, and transferred them to an unidentified location. Security agents’ attempt to arrest Morteza Hajeb Mashhoud failed as he was not at his home.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Sunday, May 8, 2022, four Christian converts were arrested by IRGC intelligence agents in Rasht.

Attorney Iman Soleimani told HRANA, “the authorities informed Mr. Hajeb Mashhoud that he would be arrested if he failed to come to the IRGC Intelligence’s Office. When he appeared at the office, he found out that a new legal case  had been opened against all the individuals.”

Behnam Akhlaghi, Babak Hossein-Zadeh had faced other arrests and convictions. Earlier, Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced them to five years imprisonment on the charge of “acting against national security and promotion of Evangelical Christianity and Zionism”.  In March of 2022, the Branch 34 of the Court of Appeals acquitted them of the charges.

In April of 2022, Ahmad Sarparast, Ayoub Pourrezazadeh and Morteza Hajeb Mashhood-Kari were sentenced to five years imprisonment on the charges of “holding home church services, propaganda against the regime, association with Zionism and Branhamist sect”. They have also been fined in the amount of 18 million tomans. On May 23 of this year, Branch 18 of the Court of Appeal of Gilan Province will hold the first session to re-examine their case.

Despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority under Iranian law, security forces 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 Total of 15 Years in Prison

Posted on by A MN
News, Religious Minorities
Ahmad Sarparast, Ayoub Pourrezazadeh, Christian converts, Morteza Hajeb Mashhood-Kari

Recently, the Revolutionary Court of Rasht City sentenced three Christian Converts, Ahmad Sarparast, Ayoub Pourrezazadeh and Morteza Hajeb Mashhood-Kari each to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of 18 million tomans.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the Revolutionary Court of Rasht notified lawyer Iman Soleimani about the verdict against his clients. According to this verdict, Ahmad Sarparast, Ayoub Pourrezazadeh and Morteza Hajeb Mashhood-Kari have been sentenced to five years imprisonment on the charges of “holding home church services, propaganda against the regime, association with Zionism and Branhamist sect”. They have also been fined in the amount of 18 million tomans.

In an interview with HRANA, attorney Iman Soleimani said, “This trial did not go through a legal process as the judge was affected by judicial officers’ efforts to ensure the conviction, unlike the fact that the defendants did not commit any crimes punishable under Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code. Rather, the defendant exercised their rights to freedom of opinion. The conviction stands at odds with the prohibition of inquisition and the principle of resolution of ambiguities in favor of defendants. These individuals would not have been  convicted in a fair trial.”

On September 5, 2021, these three Christian converts were arrested by security forces in Rasht. Thirteen days later, in a phone call to their families, Ahmad Sarparast and Morteza Hajeb Mashhood-Kari mentioned their relocation to Lakan Prison. On September 22, 2021, they were released on bail of 400 million tomans until the end of legal proceedings. One day later, Ayoub Pourrezazadeh was also released on bail of the same amount.

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.