Iran: religious persecution and issues – Monthly Digest June 2025
Christians
Prisoners including Christians transferred after strike on Evin
Article 18 (24.06.2025) – Busloads of prisoners have been transferred from Evin Prison to other prisons in the Tehran region after an Israeli strike yesterday targeted the gates to the notorious prison, where at least 11 Christians were among hundreds of prisoners of conscience.
According to Article18’s sources, some of the Christians have been transferred to the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary, where they are being held in unsanitary conditions in overcrowded cells, with as many as 40 prisoners in each. Female prisoners, meanwhile, were transferred to Qarchak women’s prison, where they are reportedly being held in the gymnasium owing to a lack of space elsewhere.
New alliance aims to give Iranian Christians a ‘unified voice’
Article 18 (20.06.2025)- An Iranian Christian alliance formed earlier this year has published its founding declaration, outlining core principles including to “represent and defend the rights of Iranian Christians”, “promote justice, freedom, equality, and human dignity”, and “continuously support the right to religious freedom of Iranian Christians”.
The World Iranian Christian Alliance, which includes Article18 director Mansour Borji among its board members, published the declaration on its website today, two months after its formation following a gathering of nearly 200 Iranian Christian leaders in the UK in April.
Christians’ trials postponed amid calls for prisoners’ release
Article 18 – At least three trials involving Iranian Christians charged in relation to their religious faith and activities have been postponed amid the ongoing conflict with Israel.
Court hearings were due to take place in three cities, including Tehran, in recent days but were postponed indefinitely. Article18 is unable to provide further details.
Meanwhile, there are concerns for the Christians currently detained, including at least 11 in Tehran’s Evin Prison, which is located close to one of the areas that was told to evacuate earlier this week.
Christian convert can’t afford bail, remains in Evin Prison months after arrest
Article 18 (19.05.2025) – A Christian convert arrested over three months ago remains in Evin Prison, having been unable to afford the extremely high bail set for her.
Aida Najaflou, 43, was arrested at her parents’ home in Tehran on 6 February and taken to Ward 209 of the prison, which is under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence.
After weeks of interrogations, she was transferred to the women’s ward of the prison, where she remains because her family can’t afford the bail set for her – equivalent to $130,000.
UN report: ‘Discrimination against religious minorities in Iran has persisted in law and practice’
Article 18 (18.06.2025) – Discrimination against religious minorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran has “persisted in law and practice”, the UN Secretary General notes in his latest report.
The report, presented today at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, calls on the Islamic Republic to “protect the rights” of religious minorities and ensure an end to “all forms of discrimination against them, without delay”.
The report highlights the continued arrests of Christians, including Jahangir Alikhani, Hamed Malamiri and Gholam Eshaghi, who it notes were subjected to “prolonged interrogations and coercive pressure to recant their faith”, before being released on bail ahead of their trial, which is ongoing.
Pastor’s wife released on $50,000 bail after month in Evin Prison
Article 18 (13.05.2025) – An Iranian-Armenian pastor’s wife detained in Evin Prison for the past month on unknown charges has been released on bail equivalent to $50,000.
Lida Alexani, 56, was released earlier today, one month and one day after her arrest at her home in Tehran.
Lida is the wife of Iranian-Armenian pastor Joseph Shahbazian, who remains in Evin Prison more than three months after his re-arrest. The pastor was previously sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a house-church, and spent over a year in Evin before his release in September 2023.
It is understood that Lida may be facing “propaganda” charges related to her involvement in house-churches, but throughout her detention she was never informed of any official charge, in violation of Iran’s own laws, under which detainees must be informed of any charges within 48 hours.
Prayer, baptism and celebrating Christmas cited as examples of Christians ‘crimes’
Article 18 (12.06.2025) – Ordinary Christian acts such as praying, performing baptisms, taking Communion and celebrating Christmas have been cited as evidence of alleged crimes in the indictment against five Christians charged with “gathering and collusion” and “propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran”.
The five include former prisoners of conscience Joseph Shahbazian and Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, and the indictment also refers to the Bible as a “prohibited book”.
Joseph’s wife, Lida, Christian convert Aida Najaflou and another convert who cannot be named are the other three Christians named in the 26-page indictment by the Evin Prosecutor’s Office, dated 10 June.
Christian converts sentenced to 12 years in prison for bringing Bibles into Iran
Article 18 (06.06.2025) – Two Christian converts have been sentenced to 12 years each in prison on charges related to their possession of multiple copies of the Bible.
Mehdi Rahimi, 49, and Kia Nourinia, 55, who have both fled the country, were sentenced in April at an Islamic Revolutionary Court in their home city of Tabriz, northwest Iran.
On top of the prison sentences, they received fines equivalent to over $1,000 each, as well as being told they must pay the court 10 times the value of the Bibles in their possession.
Former asylum-seeker released after 15 months in Evin Prison
Article 18 (04.06.2025) – A Christian convert and former asylum-seeker who was sentenced to two years in prison on her return to Iran has been released conditionally after over 15 months in jail.
Laleh Saati, 46, was released from Tehran’s Evin Prison on Saturday, 31 May, on the condition that she refrains from speaking with any media or other contacts abroad, according to the Persian-language website Human Rights in Iran.
Laleh was also reportedly informed that her two-year travel ban, which was part of her sentence, will now come into force.
Baha’is
Iman Rahmat Panah, Baha’i Citizen, arrested in Shiraz
Iran Press watch (27.06.2025) – On Sunday, June 22, Iman Rahmat Panah, a Baha’i citizen residing in Shiraz, was arrested by security forces and transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in the city, known as “Plaque 100.”
Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Rahmat Panah was arrested at 11 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, by eight security agents at his private residence, in the presence of his children. The agents also searched the premises and confiscated several personal belongings, including mobile phones, a laptop, and his Baha’i books.
A source close to the Rahmat Panah family confirmed the news to HRANA, stating: “Following repeated inquiries by the family to judicial and security authorities, it was eventually confirmed that Mr. Rahmat Panah had been transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Shiraz, known as Plaque 100.”
Nazanin Abedini, Baha’i Citizen, arrested in Qaemshahr
Iran press watch (27.06.2025) – On the morning of Wednesday, June 25, Nazanin Abedini, a Baha’i citizen residing in Qaemshahr, was arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location.
According to HRANA, Nazanin Abedini was arrested by security forces in Qaemshahr, Mazandaran province, without the presentation of a judicial warrant. Agents reportedly entered her home by climbing over the wall and breaking down the front door. After searching the house, they transferred her to an unknown location.The reasons for her arrest and the charges against her remain unknown at the time of this report.Nazanin Abedini is a children’s music instructor.
Six Bahá’í citizens, including five women, sentenced to prison by the revolutionary Court in Karaj
Iran Press Watch (15.06.2025) – Naghmeh Mirza-Agha, Mahin Sa’adatmand, Mahshid Sefidi, Samar Masoudi, Mona Zaka’i, and Naser Rajab — six Bahá’í citizens residing in Karaj — have each been sentenced by Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Alborz Province to 10 months of imprisonment and a two-year ban on leaving the country.
This ruling was recently issued by Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court in Karaj and officially communicated to these individuals. According to the verdict, each of the six — Naghmeh Mirza-Agha, Mahin Sa’adatmand, Mahshid Sefidi, Samar Masoudi, Mona Zaka’i, and Naser Rajab — has been sentenced to 10 months in prison and a two-year travel ban. The charge brought against them is “propaganda activity against the regime.”
Iran Supreme Court orders retrial of 26 Baha’i citizens after acquittal overturned
Iran press Watch (04.06.2025) – The Islamic Republic’s Supreme Court has ordered a retrial of 26 Baha’i citizens from Shiraz after the Fars Province Chief Justice objected to their acquittal, with the defendants summoned to appear in court on July 1.
HRANA, a human rights news agency, reported that the 26 individuals received official summonses to appear before Branch 2 of the Fars Province Court of Appeals following the Supreme Court’s decision to refer their case to a parallel court branch.
Seyed Kazem Mousavi, Chief Justice of Fars Province, filed an objection to the acquittal under Article 477 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Branch 1 of the Supreme Court subsequently referred the case to Branch 2 of the Fars Province Court of Appeals for reconsideration.
