IRAN: CHRISTIAN CONVERTS BEING TARGETED AND HARSHLY SENTENCED

A Christian convert in Iran has been given a 15-year prison sentence for ‘undermining national security and promoting Zionist Christianity’.

Yasin Mousavi from Izeh, south west of the capital Tehran, has been accused of two ‘crimes’. The first is ‘membership in disruptive groups’, which centres around his involvement in a Christian organisation; the sentence for this is ten years. The other five years is for ‘anti-regime propaganda’, which is for actively participating in protests in 2021 over deteriorating living conditions.

Yasin was amongst those arrested in a crackdown on Christian activities over Christmas last year. He spent 20 days in solitary confinement, followed by five months in Sheiban Prison. He was released on bail on 1 May, before being sentenced on 27 May. Yasin has previously spent time in prison in 2017 and 2021.

Multiple Christians being targeted

Several other Christian converts arrested in Izeh last year have also received harsh sentences. Hamid Afzali has been sentenced to 10 years, Nasrollah Mousavi and Bijan Qolizadeh to five years each, Zohrab Shahbazi to nine months, and Iman Saleh to five years. Two other unnamed converts have each been sentenced to two years.

Meanwhile, family and friends are deeply concerned about the welfare and whereabouts of Farrokh Kakaei, a 54-year-old Christian convert who has been detained without formal charges for 24 days.

On 26 May, Farrokh’s home was searched by security agents and several items – including his phone and a photo featuring an image of Jesus – were seized. He was taken to an undisclosed place. Whilst Farrokh has made two brief phone calls to his wife and two children, he has not been able to provide his location.

These cases are a sobering reminder of the dangers facing our brothers and sisters in Iran. The strongly Islamic regime sees Christianity – which continues to grow at an extraordinary rate in the country – as a threat to its authority. It’s resulting in a crackdown that’s unpredictable and brutal. Please continue to keep the country and its faithful believers in your prayers.

Source: Mohabat News