Christians
House church member released after serving reduced sentence
Article 18 (24.12.2024) A house-church member from the northern city of Rasht has been released after completing a two-and-a-half-year sentence for his peaceful religious activities.
Morteza Mashhoodkari, along with two other members of the “Church of Iran”, Ahmad (Youḥanna) Sarparast and Ayoub (Farzin) Poor-Rezazadeh, was initially sentenced to five years in prison in April 2022. The trio were convicted under the amended Article 500 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, which criminalises “deviant propaganda and educational activities contrary to the sacred Islamic faith”, citing their involvement in forming a house-church.
Pastor released from latest imprisonment but new charges filed
Article 18 (16.12.2024) – An Iranian pastor who has been in and out of prison since his first arrest in 2006 was released from his latest long incarceration on account of his religious beliefs and practices on Saturday.
Abdolreza Ali-Haghnejad, who is known as Matthias and will celebrate his 51st birthday later this week, had been serving a six-year sentence for “propagating Christianity” since January 2022, when his 2014 acquittal was overturned just two weeks after he had been released from a separate five-year sentence on similar charges.
Christian convert released on bail, wife interrogated and insulted
Article 18 (04.12.2024) – An Iranian Christian convert detained by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) last month has been released on bail.
Javad Amini was arrested on 17 November and released on 27 November, the day after he and 11 other Christians from Nowshahr, north Iran, were due to appear in court to face charges of “propagating a religion contrary to Islam” and “collaborating with foreign governments”.
Article18 can now reveal that two other Christian converts – both women – who had been arrested alongside Javad and over 20 other Christians at Christmas 2023 were also detained on 17 November and held for 10 days.
Iran’s Catholic archbishop admits churches ‘closed to almost everyone’
Article 18 (04.12.2024) – Iran’s Catholic archbishop has admitted that the doors to the churches he oversees are “closed to almost everyone”, and said he prays “one day perhaps the door can open to others”.
“Our doors … are open for [Catholics] but are closed to almost everyone else,” Fr Dominique Mathieu told EWTN News.
“We … also keep the doors open to our Assyrian or Armenian Church brothers and sisters — they can come, it’s not a problem, because we are not an ethnic Church. We maintain a door, praying from within, hoping that one day perhaps the door can open to others.”
The plight of Iranian Christians seeking international protection in Georgia
Article 18 (02.12.2024) – The Georgian immigration authorities consistently refuse the asylum claims of Iranian Christians, despite their well-founded fears of persecution should they return home.
That is the conclusion of a new joint report by Article18, CSW, Open Doors and Middle East Concern, based on in-depth interviews with the asylum-seekers and their legal representatives.
“The asylum-seekers therefore face an uncertain future, with little hope of being recognised as refugees but having few alternative options to access international protection,” the report says.
Baha’is
BIC New York: Rising support at UN General Assembly resolution criticizing Iran for persecution of Bahá’ís
BNWS (18.12.2024) – The United Nations General Assembly has rebuked the Islamic Republic of Iran for its human rights violations, including against the Bahá’í community, saying in a new resolution that Bahá’ís and others faced “ongoing severe limitations and increasing restrictions” on the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief.
Eighty countries voted in favor of the resolution, with 27 against and 68 abstentions.
Security agents raid the home of Omid Yazdan in Yazd
Iran bahai persecution (13.12.2024) – Yazd Province: On the evening of 13 December 2024, the home of Mr. Omid Yazdan, a Baha’i residing in Yazd, was raided by security forces while he was hosting a gathering of fellow Baha’is.
The security agents broke the door to enter the house and after searching the premises, they confiscated several religious books as well as the mobile phones of Mr. Yazdan and his son. The agents also attempted to seize the phones of the guests, but they had all left their devices at home, which provoked an aggressive verbal response from the agents.
Arshia Behin-Aien remains in detention and denied communication 13 days after arrest
Iranbahaipersecution (13.12.2024) – It was learned on 19 December 2024 that Mr. Arshia Behin-Aien, a Baha’i resident of Isfahan, remains in detention in Dastgerd Prison, 13 days after his arrest. He has been denied contact and visitation rights with his family, leaving his loved ones increasingly concerned for his welfare. This situation is in contradiction to earlier assurances by the case investigator that he could communicate with his family.
Mr. Behin-Aien, aged 36, was arrested on Friday, 6 December, during a Baha’i religious gathering in the outskirts of Isfahan and transferred to Dastgerd Prison.
At the time of writing, the reasons for his arrest and the nature of any charges against him are unknown.
Court of appeals issues sentences for 15 Baháʼí citizens in Isfahan Province
Iran Press Watch (10.12.2024) – The Court of Appeals of Isfahan Province has issued the sentences of 15 Baháʼí citizens residing in Baharestan, Isfahan Province.
The original sentences, which included imprisonment and monetary fines, were confirmed for Mojgan Pourshafe Ardestani, Nasrin Khademi Ghaqarakhi, Azita Rezvani Khah, Sholeh Ashouri, Boshra Motahar, Sara Shakib, Roya Azadkhosh, Nooshin Hemmat, Shurangiz Bahamin, Sanaz Rasteh, Maryam Khorsandi, Farkhandeh Rezvan Pey, and Firoozeh Rastinejad. However, Samira Shakib and Mojdeh Bahamin were only fined, with their prison sentences revoked.
Branch 37 of the Court of Appeals issued its decision on November 20. The final ruling, recently communicated to their attorneys, confirmed the original sentences for 13 individuals while modifying those of two others.
Anisa Fanaian, a Baha’i citizen in Semnan Province, sentenced to 8 years in prison
Iran press watch (08.12.2024) – Anisa Fanaian, a Baha’i resident of Semnan, was sentenced to 8 years in prison by Branch 7 of the Court of Appeals in this province.
In the court session presided over by Javad Raeisi on Wednesday, December 4, Ms. Fanaian was sentenced to 7 years in prison for “forming a group with the intent of disrupting national security” and 1 year for “propaganda against the regime.”
According to this report, received by Voice of America, Anisa Fanaian was arrested by the Islamic Republic’s security forces at her home in Semnan in August of last year. In March, she was sentenced to 16 years of imprisonment and other penalties.
Continued detention of 4 Baháʼí citizens in Shiraz
Iran Press Watch (02.12.2024) – Vahid Sabet, Vahid Masoumi, Rozita Eslami, and Elham Haghighatjou, four Baháʼí citizens residing in Shiraz, remain in limbo 20 days after their arrest. During this time, they have had only one brief phone call with their families.
Since their arrest, these individuals have only had a two-minute phone call with their families, and Ms. Eslami and Ms. Haghighatjou were permitted a short meeting with their children. A source close to the family of one of these Baháʼí citizens confirmed the report to HRANA, stating that the Intelligence Ministry’s intervention has restricted visitation rights. The lack of information regarding their situation has heightened the concerns of their families and loved ones.