Religious freedom in Iran remains under severe threat, as recently, in the case of 12 Christian converts who are facing charges for practicing their faith. Arrested and accused of “propagating a religion contrary to Islam” and “collaborating with foreign governments.”
The Christian Converted group, comprising men and women who accepted Christianity, was initially arrested last Christmas in the northern cities of Nowshahr and Chalus. While some were released on bail, their trial did not end. Three members—Jahangir Alikhani, Hamed Malamiri, and Gholam Eshaghi—were re-arrested by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in September, enduring nearly two months of detention marked by both physical and psychological torture. They were forced to renounce their faith and write letters of remorse.
On November 17, just after their release on bail, another member of the group, Javad Amini, was arrested alongside his uncle in a dramatic IRGC operation. The agents confiscated Javad’s keys and raided his home without warning, terrifying his wife and 10-year-old daughter. Javad’s wife was also interrogated, further showcasing the systemic harassment faced by the families of converts.
Legal and Religious Discrimination:
The group’s court summons and indictment reveal the precarious legal status of Christian converts in Iran. Despite constitutional claims that Christians are a recognized religious minority, the government refuses to acknowledge converts as legitimate Christians. Instead, they are labeled apostates and treated as threats to national security.
In their indictment, the prosecutor cited their self-identification as Christians and the possession of Christian literature and Gospels as evidence of their alleged crimes. This highlights the authorities’ zero-tolerance policy toward religious conversion and any attempt to share or teach Christianity.
The charges are being pursued under Iran’s amended Article 500 of the penal code, which has been criticized as a “full-on attack on religious freedom.” This law has been used to impose long prison sentences on Christian converts and other religious minorities.
International Condemnation: And Call For Prayer
The Nowshahr Twelve case exemplifies an ongoing pattern of persecution in Iran. Last week, a new United Nations resolution called on Iran to “cease monitoring people on account of their religious identity” and release all those imprisoned for their religious beliefs. The resolution highlights Iran’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees the freedom to adopt, practice, and change one’s religion.
Despite these international efforts, the Iranian government continues to suppress religious minorities, mainly converts, through surveillance, arrests, and intimidation.
We Request you all to let us come together in prayer for the persecuted Christians in Iran. May God’s protection shield the innocent, His peace calm the chaos, and His grace strengthen those who are enduring unbelievable hardships. Let us unite in prayer for hope and healing to flourish in a nation fractured by Islamist hatred.
Original Source: https://ecspe.org/irans-war-on-christianity-12-converts-face-brutal-persecution/
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