(Last updated: December 2025)

Summary

Iranian-Armenian couple Joseph and Lida Shahbazian and Christian converts Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, Aida Najaflou and another woman whose name cannot be publicised were sentenced to a combined over 50 years in prison in October 2025 on charges related to ordinary Christian activities such as praying and celebrating Christmas.

Case in full

Joseph and Nasser, who were previously “pardoned” and released after a combined six years in prison on charges related to their leadership of house-churches, were re-arrested by intelligence agents at their homes in the Tehran region on the morning of 6 February 2025, and taken back to Evin Prison.

A number of other Tehran Christians, including Aida and the unnamed woman, were arrested at the same time.

Nasser was previously released in October 2022 after nearly five years in Evin, while Joseph was released in September 2023 after spending just over a year in the prison.

Following their re-arrest, Nasser went on a 35-day hunger strike, leading to a stroke.

The Christian convert was found facedown in his solitary-confinement cell on 17 March 2025, in Ward 209 of the prison, which is under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS).

He was rushed to the nearby Bani-Hashem Hospital, where he was treated and provided with a range of exercises to help him seek to regain movement in the left-hand side of his body.

Two days later, Nasser was returned to the general ward of the prison.

A month after their re-arrest, they continued to be denied access to a lawyer or to be informed of any official charges.

Meanwhile, several of the dozens of Christians first arrested alongside Joseph in the summer of 2020 were summoned again for questioning or visited by officers of the MOIS, in an attempt to find evidence of the pastor’s continued involvement in house-churches – the reason for his initial arrest and subsequent 10-year prison sentence.

“They tried to force us to cooperate with the MOIS by luring us and even threatening us,” one of the Christians told Article18. “They wanted me to say something untrue against Brother Joseph, so they could build a case against him. The interrogator said, ‘If you don’t help us, we’ll have to resume our unfinished investigation against you!’”

On 9 April 2025, Joseph’s 79-year-old mother, Jhasmen, for whom he was the primary caregiver, passed away, but he was denied permission to attend her funeral.

Joseph’s wife, Lida, was also unable to attend the funeral on 14 April 2025, having been arrested two days prior, following a fresh raid on the couple’s home by agents of the MOIS.

Lida was held in solitary confinement in Evin Prison until her release on bail equivalent to $50,000 on 13 May 2025.

Meanwhile, Aida remained in prison, having been unable to afford the extremely high bail set for her – equivalent to $130,000.

On 10 June 2025, ordinary Christian acts such as praying, performing baptisms, taking Communion and celebrating Christmas were cited as evidence of alleged crimes in the indictment against the five Christians, who were charged with “gathering and collusion” and “propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

The 26-page indictment by the Evin Prosecutor’s Office also referred to the Bible as a “prohibited book”.

Aida faced two additional charges – “propaganda activity against the Islamic Republic of Iran in the cyberspace” and “propaganda in favour of groups or organisations opposed to the Islamic Republic of Iran” – due to allegedly posting on social media in support of the “Women, Life, Freedom” protests and against the former leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah.

The indictment, signed by Prosecutor Mojtaba Jaberian, began by quoting the infamous October 2010 speech by Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, when he identified the “promotion of house-churches … by the enemies of Islam” among the “critical threats” facing the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Following a court hearing at the 15th Branch of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran on 21 October 2025, the Christians were sentenced by notorious judge Abolqasem Salavati to a combined more than 50 years in prison. 

Nasser, Joseph, Aida and the unnamed woman received 10-year sentences under the amended Article 500 of the penal code, while Joseph and Aida received additional five-year terms for the second charge of “gathering and collusion”. 

Aida also received an additional two-year sentence on “propaganda” charges related to social media posts. 

Lida was sentenced to eight years.

On top of the prison sentences, the Christians’ personal property, including Bibles and other Christian literature, was confiscated by the state for the “research” purposes of the Ministry of Intelligence.

On 31 October 2025, Aida suffered a spinal fracture after falling from her prison bunk bed.

Aida was taken to Taleghani Hospital for an X-ray, but despite the severity of her injuries and ongoing health problems, she was denied proper medical treatment and returned to prison the same day – on a stretcher and still in severe pain.

This decision provoked protests from other political and religious prisoners in the women’s ward, prompting prison authorities to eventually transfer her to another Tehran hospital, Shahid Tajrish, after both intelligence agents and the presiding judge had initially refused to issue permits for her hospitalisation.

Doctors recommended that Aida received urgent surgery to repair the fracture to her T12 vertebrae, followed by a long recovery period requiring specialised care and regular physiotherapy — treatment rarely available to prisoners in Iran.

Prior to the accident, Aida had repeatedly warned prison officials that climbing to the top bunk was dangerous for her, as she suffers from rheumatoid arthritis. However, despite these warnings, her requests to be transferred to a lower bed were ignored.

The Christian convert had previously endured several major surgeries and was still in recovery from a nine-hour operation when she was arrested in February.

On 16 November 2025, Aida was rushed back to hospital after catching an infection in prison. 

She was returned to Evin Prison on Saturday 22 November.

Aida’s lawyer warned that she was at risk of paralysis if not properly treated, and on 21 December 2025 she was given a three-month medical furlough, after posting bail equivalent to over $75,000.

Recommendations

• Release immediately and unconditionally and drop all charges against Joseph, Nasser, Lida, Aida and all other Christians and religious or belief minorities detained or facing trial on charges related to their beliefs or religious activities.
• End the criminalisation of house-church organisation and membership, and allow registration of official places of worship for Christians of ethnic and language groups other than the Armenian and Assyrian communities, permitting Christians of all linguistic and ethnic backgrounds to worship freely and collectively. 
• Cease using provisions such as Articles 498, 499, 500 and 513 of the penal code and Article 167 of the Iranian constitution to unjustly detain minority-faith or belief adherents. 
• Uphold Article 10.1 of the ICCPR – “All persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person” – and hold accountable state authorities who violate this provision.

Background

Iranians who are considered by the authorities to be “ethnically Christian” – i.e. of Assyrian or Armenian descent – are permitted a degree of freedom to worship, although it is illegal for them to conduct church services in Persian (the national language and common language of converts). 

The growing community of Christian converts, meanwhile, are not permitted to attend the recognised churches and therefore instead gather for worship in their homes, in what have become known as “house-churches”, which although no different from any other church group around the world have been labelled as “enemy groups” by the authorities. Members are regularly targeted and arrested on charges of “acting against national security”, and often sentenced to lengthy imprisonment.

Those detained or charged often have to obtain and hand over exorbitant sums for bail, which are often later forfeited as many choose to flee the country in the knowledge that they are very unlikely to receive a fair trial and just verdict. Those awaiting trial who flee the country are tried in absentia. Many face a gruelling legal process, and until their case is heard, which could take several years, their lives are in limbo. 

Those who remain in Iran and serve prison sentences are released with severe warnings and threats against any further Christian activity, then closely monitored and at risk of re-arrest and imprisonment if they engage, or are suspected of engaging, in any further Christian activity.