HRWF (16.04.2020) – Iranian Christian Fatemeh Bakhteri, 35, who is a member of the Church of Iran, was released from prison on 12 April. After a final appeal at the end of May 2019, she had been sentenced to 12 months in prison and barred from social activities for two years. During the trial, the judge told her that her charges would be dropped if she returned to Islam, but she rejected this proposal.
On 15 March, Ms Bakhteri was granted temporary release from Evin prison, following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Iran’s prison system. On 12 April she was told by the authorities did not have to return because she had been pardoned for Persian New Year.
HRWF is pleased to remove her name from its Database of FORB Prisoners.