Ebrahim Firouzi released on bail, but charges not dropped 28 February 2021 News Iranian Christian convert Ebrahim Firouzi has been released on bail after nearly three weeks in detention. The 34-year-old, who has already spent years in prison and is now living in exile, was detained on 8 February on new charges of “insulting the sacred” (blasphemy) and “propaganda against the Islamic Republic in favour of hostile groups”. Five days later he began an indefinite hunger strike to protest against the new charges, which he only ended after receiving assurances his case would be dealt with and also that he would be released. But despite these assurances, Ebrahim remained in prison until Saturday, 27 February, when bail of 50 million tomans (around $16,500) was posted for him. Since Ebrahim’s latest arrest, messages of support have flooded in from around the world, and the Council of United Iranian Churches (Hamgaam) has led calls for his release and for the authorities to “stop persecuting him”. “The Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic has not stopped harassing and persecuting Mr Firouzi, even in exile,” said Hamgaam in its statement on 22 February. “And by making new charges and confiscating his property, it has made life more inhumane and difficult for him in his exile in Rask.” Background Ebrahim has been living in exile 1,000 miles from his home, as a form of continued punishment following his release from years in prison in November 2019 – all for his peaceful Christian activities. And in exile he is set to remain until October 2022, having had his two-year sentence extended by 11 months last year for an “unauthorised” leave of absence. The latest charges against him were brought after six videos of Ebrahim were published online, in which he complained against the continued rights violations against him, including the confiscation of his property and harassment of his brother, who is not a Christian. Ebrahim said in the videos that he was “not afraid of being sent back to prison for telling the truth” or fighting for justice. But he added: “My prayer is that the authorities pursue true justice. The Iranian Church has never sought war with the government. We are believers in Jesus Christ the Lord and, according to the message of the Bible, we want to live a quiet and lawful life.”
Iran’s Catholics welcome new archbishop after six-year hiatus 26 February 2021 News Fr Dominique Mathieu (centre) at his consecration service in Rome on 16 February, the feast day St Maruthas, patron saint of Iran. (Photo: www.ofmconv.net) Iran’s small Catholic community finally has a new archbishop. Fr Dominique Mathieu, 57, was consecrated last week as archbishop of the Tehran-Isfahan archdiocese – one of the smallest in the world, with just six parishes and an estimated 2,000-6,000 members, comprised almost entirely of ethnic Assyrians and Armenians, and expatriates. Fr Mathieu, who is from Belgium and speaks five languages, fills the role left vacant by Fr Ignazio Bedini, an Italian who led the Catholic Church in Iran for 25 years until his retirement six years ago, since when his responsibilities have been in the hands of a temporary “apostolic administrator”, Fr Jack Youssef. The Roman Catholic Church in Iran dates back 700 years, but there have been some significant gaps over that period, including in the years immediately after the revolution, when Ayatollah Khomeini expelled Fr Bedini’s predecessor, Kevin William Barden. According to the Catholic News Agency (CNA), Fr Mathieu said he is motivated by “keeping alive the historical Christian presence in Iran”. But in a nod towards the challenges he will face, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, in his commissioning speech, called on Fr Mathieu to “speak with life before words” by “being salt in that land and offer[ing] the gentle light of the Gospel”, of which “no-one should be afraid”. As noted by the CNA, like all other churches in Iran, “Catholic churches are closely monitored with surveillance cameras by the government and religious schools are limited in what they can teach. Conversion from Islam to Christianity can be a crime meriting a sentence of more than 10 years of imprisonment.” Some Catholics have been among the many converts arrested in recent years, though only one such case has been publicly reported: that of Anousheh Rezabakhsh, known as Veronica, and her son Soheil, known as Augustine, who were arrested in February 2017 in Orumiyeh, north-western Iran, and later sentenced to five years in prison for “acting against national security by conducting evangelistic activities”. But while the Catholic Church, like other denominations in Iran, is repressed, the arrival of a new archbishop at least strengthens its hand, while also offering an extra voice on behalf of Iran’s persecuted Christians. In the past, Vatican spokespeople have been instrumental in securing the release of imprisoned Christians including Mehdi Dibaj, who had been sentenced to death for apostasy and was killed shortly after his release, and Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh, who spent nearly nine months in Tehran’s Evin Prison. So while, as with his fellow clergymen across the spectrum of denominations, Fr Mathieu will not be able to go about his business freely, this can still be viewed as a positive development for the beleaguered Church in Iran.
Yasser Mossayebzadeh granted conditional release from prison 24 February 2021 News Left to right: Saheb Fadaie, Yousef Nadarkhani, Yasser Mossayebzadeh, and Youhan Omidi. Mohammad Ali (Yasser) Mossayebzadeh, who was serving a 10-year sentence as a result of his membership of a house-church, has been granted conditional release from prison. It is understood that his release is dependent on him having no further interaction with other Christians, nor engaging in any Christian activities. Article18 understands that Yasser’s 10-year sentence – on charges of “forming a house church” and “promoting Zionist Christianity” – was reduced to three years during a court hearing last month, and that he was subsequently released from prison on Monday, 22 February. Having begun his sentence in July 2018, Yasser’s release comes a few months ahead of schedule, and it is understood he was pressured to recant his faith in order to secure an early release. However, little else is known about his situation, as during his imprisonment Yasser distanced himself from the three fellow converts alongside whom he had been sentenced and incarcerated: Yousef Nadarkhani, Mohammad Reza (Youhan) Omidi, and Zaman (Saheb) Fadaie. All four men belonged to the same house-church in Rasht, northern Iran, and all were given 10-year sentences, though last year the sentences of the other three men were also reduced: Yousef and Saheb’s to six years, and Youhan’s to two. Youhan was released from prison in August 2020 and is now serving an additional two years in exile in Borazjan, western Iran. He and Saheb were also flogged last year in relation to a separate conviction for drinking wine with Communion. Saheb and Yousef remain in prison, having decided not to appeal for conditional release because to do so they would have to commit to engage in no further Christian activity, which is not something they are willing to do. But Yasser’s case highlights the grave challenges facing Christian converts in Iran following their arrest, interrogation and imprisonment, as they are routinely pressured to renounce their faith to regain their freedom. Many bravely withstand such pressures, but it is little wonder that others may find the challenge too great. Whether or not Yasser recanted his faith, it ought never to have been demanded of him. For the Iranian judiciary to frequently make such demands of Christian converts is a gross violation of their right to freedom of religion or belief, as enshrined in Article 18 of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, which Iran has ratified, without reservation, and is therefore legally obliged to uphold. Just yesterday, Article18 reported that Iran has been found guilty of arbitrarily detaining Yousef Nadarkhani, and within the petition that led to the guilty verdict it was noted that the pastor “was offered leniency if he renounced his religion, and while imprisoned in Lakan Prison, Government agents attempted to convert him to Islam”. It added: “Authorities also attempted to pressure Mr. Nadarkhani into renouncing his faith by arresting his family member.” Such pressure goes against not only the international conventions to which Iran is a signatory, but also Iran’s own constitution, which states in Article 23 that: “The investigation of individuals’ beliefs is forbidden, and no-one may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief.” Article18 calls on the Iranian government to adhere to its national and international obligations in this regard, and on the international community to make human rights concerns, including religious freedom, a central pillar of all political or economic dealings with Iran.
Iran found guilty of ‘arbitrary detention’ of pastor 23 February 2021 News The UN’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has ruled that the Iranian government is guilty of arbitrarily detaining Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, and called for his immediate release. In a damning verdict, the working group found Iran guilty on four counts – lack of legal basis for detention, detention resulting from “legitimate exercise” of freedoms, lack of fair trial and due process, and “discrimination based on religious beliefs” – and called not only for Yousef’s immediate release, but for compensation and “other reparations” to be given to him, and for Iran to conduct an independent investigation into his arbitrary detention and hold accountable those responsible. The working group’s conclusions were reached in November 2020, but only now made public on the website of Washington DC-based rights group Freedom Now, which lodged the case in April last year in consultation with legal firm Dechert LLP. Freedom Now’s petition provided a detailed explanation of all Yousef has been through in the past 15 years, amounting to “harsh persecution” in the view of the working group. “It is difficult to explain his numerous arrests, detention and imprisonment since December 2006 other than through such religiously motivated persecution,” the working group concluded. The verdict also included the short response from Iran’s High Council for Human Rights – a subdivision of the judiciary – which confirmed some of the dates on which Mr Nadarkhani was prosecuted, and the charges against him. But the judiciary’s rebuttal was dismissed by Freedom Now as a “superficial, summary” description “of the Government’s own version of the entire 10-year history of Mr. Nadarkhani’s criminal prosecutions”, which “ignore [Freedom Now’s] detailed allegations of improper and illegal treatment of Mr. Nadarkhani for his legitimate exercise of his religious and other rights under Iranian and international procedural and substantive law”. This is an opinion that seems to have been shared by the working group, which repeatedly reiterates in its judgement that the burden of proof rests with the government, and states that “mere assertions by the Government that lawful procedures have been followed are not sufficient to rebut [Freedom Now’s] allegations”. Indeed, as part of its decision the working group reminds Iran that it has now been found guilty of violations of its international human rights obligations in about 40 cases over the past 29 years, “indicat[ing] a widespread or systemic arbitrary detention in Iran, which amounts to a serious violation of international law”. The working group goes so far as to say that such “widespread or systematic imprisonment or other severe deprivation of liberty in violation of the rules of international law may constitute crimes against humanity”. It refers the case to six rapporteurs – including the rapporteur for freedom of religion or belief, Ahmed Shaheed, and rapporteur for human rights in Iran, Javaid Rehman – and calls not only for Yousef’s immediate release and reparations, but also for Iran to report on the results of its investigation into the matter. For any “difficulties” Iran has in implementing these recommendations, the working group says it can provide “technical assistance” or even a country visit. Background Yousef’s latest imprisonment dates back to July 2018, but as Freedom Now noted in its petition, he has endured a “long history of persecution and prosecution” dating back to 2006, “all resulting from his adherence to Christianity”. Three other members of Yousef’s house-church were sentenced alongside him in his latest prosecution, one of whom, Zaman (Saheb) Fadaie, remains in Tehran’s Evin Prison alongside him, while another, Mohammadreza (Youhan) Omidi, is now in internal exile. Both Saheb and Youhan were also flogged last year for drinking wine with Communion. Yousef is also due to endure two years’ internal exile in a remote southeastern city following his eventual release – currently set for 2024. Six UN special rapporteurs, including Mr Shaheed and Mr Rehman, have already expressed concern about Yousef’s case – as well as those of 23 other Iranian Christians – in a letter submitted to the Iranian government in November of last year, but only made public last month. The Iranian government again denied any discrimination on religious grounds in its belated response, and instead claimed the Christians in question were guilty of crimes “against national security” and belonged to “enemy groups”. While the letter was a chance for UN rapporteurs to raise concerns, the working group’s verdict is a direct call to action – not only to Iran, but also to the rapporteurs to whom Yousef’s case has now been specifically referred.
Ebrahim Firouzi still in prison as church council voices concern 22 February 2021 News A photograph of Ebrahim Firouzi, above the logo of the Hamgaam council of churches. The Council of United Iranian Churches (Hamgaam) has called on the Iranian authorities to “immediately and unconditionally” release Christian convert Ebrahim Firouzi, and “stop persecuting him”. The 34-year-old remains in prison in Zahedan, far southeastern Iran, despite receiving assurances last week that he would be released by Saturday 20 February. Indeed, as Article18 reported, it was only on this proviso that Ebrahim ended his indefinite hunger strike. Hamgaam’s statement, published earlier today, calls for Ebrahim’s “immediate and unconditional release”, and for Christians and rights organisations around the world to continue to advocate for him until he is freed. “The Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic has not stopped harassing and persecuting Mr. Firouzi, even in exile,” the statement says, “and by making new charges and confiscating his property, it has made life more inhumane and difficult for him in his exile in Rask.” Ebrahim has been living in enforced exile 1,000 miles from his home, as a form of continued punishment following his release from more than six years in prison in November 2019 – all for his peaceful Christian activities. And in exile he is set to remain until October 2022, having had his two-year sentence increased by 11 months early last year for an “unauthorised” leave of absence. Still, Ebrahim at least had that date to look forward to in the hope of finally regaining his freedom, but the new charges against him have further crushed his spirits. The charges – of “propaganda against the Islamic Republic in favour of hostile groups” and “insulting the sacred” (blasphemy)” – were brought two weeks ago after six videos of Ebrahim were published online, in which he complained against the continued rights violations against him, including the confiscation of his property and harassment of his brother, who is not a Christian. Then, having gone to answer the charges on 8 February, Ebrahim was immediately detained, and taken to Chabahar Prison, over 100 miles south of Rask. It was then that he declared his intention to begin an indefinite hunger strike on 13 February, which he would only end if the charges against him were dropped or he at least had the chance to defend himself in court against properly-documented charges. Ebrahim ended his hunger strike three days later, after receiving assurances from two visiting intelligence agents, and was then transferred to Zahedan Prison, some 400 miles north of Chabahar. However, despite those assurances, it is there he remains. Article18’s advocacy director, Mansour Borji, last week cautiously welcomed reports that Ebrahim would soon be freed, and thanked Christians around the world for sending in their messages of solidarity. But, as Mr Borji noted at the time, there remains concern for Ebrahim “until his actual release”.
Iran passes bill that threatens further repression of Christian converts 19 February 2021 News Hassan Rouhani (Photo: dolat.ir) Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has signed into law two controversial amendments to the Penal Code, which it is feared will be used to further clamp down on unrecognised religious minorities, including Christian converts. The amendments affect two articles of the Penal Code that are routinely used in the prosecution of converts: Articles 499 and 500. Indeed, every one of the more than 20 Christians currently in prison on charges related to their peaceful religious activity were prosecuted under either or both Article 499 or 500, which relate respectively to membership or organisation of “anti-security groups”, and “propaganda” against the state or in support of opposition groups. Of the two amendments, it is the amendment to Article 500 which will most concern advocates of freedom of religion in Iran – including the freedom to change one’s belief and to propagate it, as enshrined in Article 18 of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a signatory, without reservation, and therefore legally bound to uphold. ARTICLE 19, an organisation dedicated to the protection of freedom of speech, called the changes to Article 500 “a full-on attack on the right to freedom of religion and belief”. The amended version of Article 500 provides for up to five years’ imprisonment for “any deviant educational or proselytising activity” by members of so-called “sects” that “contradicts or interferes with the sacred law of Islam” through “mind-control methods and psychological indoctrination” or “making false claims or lying in religious and Islamic spheres, such as claiming divinity”. Given that Iran’s judiciary, in its response to a UN letter of concern about alleged persecution of Christians, recently referred to imprisoned house-church members as belonging to “cults”, it is easy to see how the new provisions may be used to further clamp down on them. The same is true of the amendment to Article 499, relating to membership or organisation of “anti-security groups”; in its response to the UN, the Iranian judiciary called house-churches “enemy groups” with “anti-security purposes”, while claiming “nobody is prosecuted on religious grounds”. The new amendment to Article 499 provides for up to five years’ imprisonment for “anyone who insults Iranian ethnicities or divine religions or Islamic schools of thought recognised under the Constitution with the intent to cause violence or tensions in the society or with the knowledge that such [consequences] will follow”. As ARTICLE 19 noted in its analysis, the vaguely-worded amendment “grant[s] extensive interpretive discretion to the prosecutorial and judicial authorities, providing a fertile ground for arbitrary arrest and detention” and will “further tighten the already shrunken space for freedom of expression in the country”. In both cases, the punishment can be doubled to up to 10 years’ imprisonment if the groups in question have received either financial or organisational help from outside the country. Background The amendments were first proposed in Iran’s parliament in May last year, but were twice rejected by the Guardian Council, which must approve all bills. In July, the council sought eight clarifications, the majority of which related to overly “ambiguous” language. Then, in November, it returned a second version to the parliament for further changes. But throughout the process, it seemed a question of when, not if, the bill would pass into law. The main changes to the originally proposed bill are to Article 499. The original version imposed punishments on “anyone who insults Iranian ethnicities with the intent to cause discord, violence or tensions in the society, or with the knowledge that such [consequences] will follow, or, with the same intention or knowledge, directs explicit curses at divine religions recognised under the Constitution”. The final version gives more detail: “Anyone who insults Iranian ethnicities or divine religions or Islamic schools of thought recognised under the Constitution, with the intent to cause violence or tensions in the society, or, with the knowledge that such [consequences] will follow, will be sentenced to a degree-five imprisonment and/or fine if the [offence] does not fall under hudud [punishment fixed by God] and causes violence or tension. Otherwise, (s)he will be sentenced to a degree-six imprisonment or fine.” But while this provide some extra clarity, it still offers the judiciary plenty of room for manoeuvre. Article18’s advocacy director, Mansour Borji, called the amendments “a catastrophe” and “disservice to justice”. “These amendments will bring more ambiguity to an already ambiguous set of charges,” he said, “and decrease the chance that a judge may act in a more tolerant way towards house-church members, by providing greater scope within the law to bring charges on these vaguely-defined grounds. “This news will be celebrated by Iran’s intelligence agencies, who are always in the background in court cases against Christians, pressuring judges to impose the harshest possible sentence.” Human rights lawyer Hossein Ahmadiniaz previously warned that the bill, if passed, would “facilitate the repression and punishment of Christian converts and others belonging to unrecognised religious groups”. “The law should protect citizens, including Christian converts and Baha’is, against the government,” he said. “But in Iran the law has become a tool to justify the government’s violent treatment of converts and other unrecognised minorities.” Meanwhile, Hamid Gharagozloo from the International Organisation to Preserve Human Rights (IOPHR) cautioned: “By making it a crime to be part of a sect, and banning a group as a ‘sect’, it gives them an open hand to crush any form of uprising or dissatisfaction with the government… Any form of defiance will be labelled as a ‘sect’, and then it will be punishable by law.”
Ebrahim Firouzi promised release, ends hunger strike 16 February 2021 News Imprisoned Christian convert Ebrahim Firouzi has ended his hunger strike after receiving assurances he will soon be released and the case against him dismissed. The 34-year-old has been in prison for the past week on charges of “insulting the sacred” (blasphemy) and “propaganda against the Islamic Republic in favour of hostile groups”. He began an indefinite hunger strike on Saturday, 13 February, vowing not to eat again until the charges were dropped. Article18 now understands that Ebrahim has broken his fast following a visit by two intelligence agents, who assured him his case would be “dealt with”. Our sources report that Ebrahim has been transferred to another prison, in Zahedan – some 400 miles north of Chabahar, where he was originally incarcerated – and is due to be released by the end of the week. Messages of support have poured in since Article18 published news of Ebrahim’s incarceration and hunger strike last week. Article18’s advocacy director, Mansour Borji, thanked those who have spoken out in Ebrahim’s defence, saying: “We welcome the news of Ebrahim’s impending release and are extremely encouraged to see that his call for justice was heard and echoed by so many people from different faiths across the globe. “However, we remain concerned for him until his actual release. Ebrahim represents many other Iranian Christians who have been unjustly treated, and some, like Ebrahim, have been behind bars for years, including Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, Yousef Nadarkhani, and Saheb Fadaie.” Background Even before this latest imprisonment, Ebrahim had already spent nearly seven years in prison and has lived in internal exile in the remote southeastern city of Rask, 1,000 miles from his home near Tehran, since his release from prison in October 2019. And he is still not due to complete his term in exile until October 2022, after his initial two-year term was extended by 11 months because of an “unauthorised” leave of absence. Meanwhile, Ebrahim has complained of continued harassment by intelligence agents even in exile, including the confiscation of his property, a previous court summons in September 2020, and the harassment also of his brother, who is not a Christian. Indeed, it was Ebrahim’s complaints that seemed to lead to his latest imprisonment: he was summoned for questioning the day after the publication of the last of six videos in which he spoke out against the continued rights violations against him. Article18’s latest annual report documents the myriad ways in which Iran violates its obligations to provide full religious freedom to its citizens – including the freedom to change religion – as defined by Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a signatory, without reservation, and therefore legally bound to uphold. Six UN experts recently wrote to the Iranian government, asking for it to answer to allegations of “systematic persecution” of Christians. Iran denied the claims, saying “nobody is prosecuted on religious grounds” and legal action is taken only against members of “enemy groups” and “private churches” (house-churches) belonging to a “Zionist Christian cult” with “anti-security purposes”.
Ebrahim Firouzi to begin hunger strike after latest imprisonment 12 February 2021 News Exiled and now newly imprisoned Iranian Christian convert Ebrahim Firouzi has declared that he will begin a hunger strike tomorrow and won’t eat anything again until the latest charges against him are dropped. The 34-year-old, who has already spent nearly seven years in prison and 15 months in exile because of his Christian activities, was taken to Chabahar Prison, in southeastern Iran, on Monday, 8 February, after being summoned to answer new charges of “propaganda against the Islamic Republic in favour of hostile groups”. The new allegations came after six videos of Ebrahim were shared on the Facebook page of a Switzerland-based activist, in which Ebrahim complained about the continued rights violations against him. Ebrahim received the summons on Sunday 7 February, the day after the last of these six videos was released. He was told he must report to the prosecutors office in Sarbaz – about an hour and a half’s drive from his city of exile, Rask – within five days. Ebrahim decided to answer the summons the very next day, Monday 8 February, after which he was sent directly to Chabahar Prison, 250km south of Sarbaz. He was offered temporary release on bail of 50 million tomans (around $1,650) but refused, saying that he would rather stay in prison and fight the charges against him. However, there are concerns for his health and safety, even before he begins his hunger strike. Continued harassment Ebrahim has been on the radar of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence for the past decade – his first arrest took place in 2011 – and has since spent the majority of his time in either prison or exile. Last year, Ebrahim’s two-year term in exile was extended by a further 11 months because of an “unauthorised” leave of absence. And even in exile, Ebrahim has reported continued harassment – not only of him but also his family. In the videos released last week, Ebrahim complained about the harassment of his brother – who, he noted, is not even a Christian – as well as the continued confiscation of his property, and the discovery that one of his “friends” was actually an informant of the Ministry of Intelligence. He also described the events leading up to his previous summons, in September 2020, which came after he received an unexpected package containing some Bibles. “It appears the Ministry of Intelligence had asked the post office to inform them before I received this package so that they could be there,” Ebrahim explained in one video. “When I went to pick it up, the intelligence agents were waiting for me. Then they came to my house in a police car, without a warrant or any official charge, and confiscated my laptops, mobile phones, and textbooks I needed for my online theology lessons, even though these books had been published with the permission of the Ministry of Guidance. “They also wanted to confiscate some of my Bibles, but I didn’t let them, explaining I had been recognised as a Christian by the judiciary, and saying, ‘You have entered the house of a Christian, and I have the right to have a Bible’.” Ebrahim added that he was still awaiting the return of his property, despite frequent requests. “They tell me, ‘We have not yet examined its contents,’” he explained. “But by doing this, they are preventing me from continuing my education online. “I told them, ‘As an Iranian-Christian citizen, I want to enjoy my legal rights, and you have prevented me from studying by confiscating my electronic devices, as you do with Baha’is who wish to continue their studies at university.’” ‘Not afraid of prison’ Ebrahim said in another video that he chose to go public with his grievances because he was recently informed that his case was still “open”, having previously been led to believe that it had been “closed”. “I decided to release these videos so the truth would be known,” he said. “I have said many times that if I am accused of something, bring me to the court, and, if not, declare my case closed.” In a stinging attack on the judiciary, Ebrahim noted that the Iranian constitution forbids any “inquisition” into a person’s beliefs, before adding: “A system that violates its own laws does not have the authority to deal with criminal cases, let alone with me, who is not guilty of any crime. “Unfortunately, the judiciary fully supports the Ministry of Intelligence, even if its actions are illegal, and my case has been left undocumented.” Ebrahim also explained that the new case against him could lead to another three years in prison but said he was “not afraid of being sent back to prison for telling the truth” or fighting for justice. “My prayer is that the authorities pursue true justice,” he said. “The Iranian Church has never sought war with the government. We are believers in Jesus Christ the Lord and, according to the message of the Bible, we want to live a quiet and lawful life.” He added: “The power of Christ’s love for us is such that no power can distract us from what we believe. They may be able to hurt us [physically], but they can’t do damage to our souls.”
UN rapporteur tells Iran to ‘release all imprisoned for exercising right to religious freedom’ 10 February 2021 News Javaid Rehman has been the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in Iran since July 2018. (Photo: UN) The UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in Iran has reiterated his “deep concerns” over “persisting” discrimination against religious minorities in the country. In his latest report, published ahead of the 46th session of the Human Rights Council later this month, Javaid Rehman says “the imprisonment of individuals from ethnic and religious minorities for practising their culture, language or faith is an ongoing concern” and calls on Iran to “release all those imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief” and “eliminate all forms of discrimination against them”. While there is no specific mention of Christians in the report, Mr Rehman recently joined five other UN rapporteurs in writing to the Iranian government, demanding a response to allegations of “continued systematic persecution” of Christians. The rapporteur also previously dedicated one of his reports, in July 2019, to the challenges facing unrecognised religious minorities in Iran, including Christian converts. The main focus of Mr Rehman’s new report is discrimination against women and girls in Iran. He also highlights Iran’s: continued refusal to allow him to visit the country.harassment and arbitrary detention of human rights defenders and other rights activists, as well as lawyers, journalists, and dual and foreign nationals.lack of fair-trial provisions, and use of arbitrary detention and torture.“inadequate” and “opaque” response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including lack of suitable protective equipment and segregation within “overcrowded” and “unhygienic” prisons.failure to conduct an impartial, independent and transparent investigation into the “excessive and lethal force” used in response to the November 2019 protests, and failure to bring those responsible to justice.high execution rate, including imposition of the death penalty for protesters, and legal provisions for the execution of under 18s. “repeated disruption” of telecommunications, including Internet shutdowns and censorship of social-media platforms such as Telegram, Twitter and Facebook.
Exiled Iranian Christian convert summoned to explain ‘propaganda’ 8 February 2021 News A screenshot of one of the six videos of Ebrahim Firouzi released over the past week on the Facebook page of Switzerland-based activist Milad Baharian. An Iranian Christian convert who has spent years in prison and is now in internal exile has been summoned to respond to fresh allegations of “propaganda against the Islamic Republic in favour of hostile groups”. Ebrahim Firouzi, who has spent the last 15 months in exile 1,000 miles from home in the remote southeastern city of Rask, was told yesterday he must report to the prosecutor’s office in Sarbaz, the regional capital, within five days. The summons came just one day after the release of the last of six videos in which Ebrahim protested against the continued rights violations against him. In the videos, published by a Switzerland-based activist, Ebrahim complains about the harassment of his brother – who, he notes, is not even a Christian – as well as the continued confiscation of his property and the discovery that one of his “friends” was actually an informant of the Ministry of Intelligence. The 34-year-old also describes the events leading up to his last summons, in September 2020, which came after he received an unexpected package containing some Bibles. “It appears the Ministry of Intelligence had asked the post office to inform them before I received this package so that they could be there,” Ebrahim explains in one of the videos. “When I went to pick it up, the intelligence agents were waiting for me. Then they came to my house in a police car, without a warrant or any official charge, and confiscated my laptops, mobile phones, and textbooks I needed for my online theology lessons, even though these books had been published with the permission of the Ministry of Guidance. “They also wanted to confiscate some of my Bibles, but I didn’t let them, explaining I had been recognised as a Christian by the judiciary, and saying, ‘You have entered the house of a Christian, and I have the right to have a Bible’.” Ebrahim adds that he is still awaiting the return of his property, despite frequent requests. “They tell me, ‘We have not yet examined its contents,’” he explains. “But by doing this, they are preventing me from continuing my education online. “I told them, ‘As an Iranian-Christian citizen, I want to enjoy my legal rights, and you have prevented me from studying by confiscating my electronic devices, as you do with Baha’is who wish to continue their studies at university.’” ‘Not afraid of prison’ Ebrahim explains in another video that he chose to go public with his grievances because he was recently informed that his case was still “open”, having previously been led to believe that it had been “closed”. “I decided to release these videos so the truth would be known,” he says. “I have said many times that if I am accused of something, bring me to the court, and, if not, declare my case closed.” In a stinging attack on the judiciary, Ebrahim notes that the Iranian constitution forbids any “inquisition” into a person’s beliefs, before adding: “A system that violates its own laws does not have the authority to deal with criminal cases, let alone with me, who is not guilty of any crime. “Unfortunately, the judiciary fully supports the Ministry of Intelligence, even if its actions are illegal, and my case has been left undocumented.” Ebrahim has been on the radar of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence for the past decade – his first arrest took place in 2011 – and has since spent nearly seven years in prison and 15 months (so far) in exile. Even were no new official charges to be brought against him, Ebrahim is not due to complete his exile until October 2022, after his initial two-year term was extended by 11 months because of an “unauthorised” leave of absence. Ebrahim says the case against him could lead to another three years in prison but that he is “not afraid of being sent back to prison for telling the truth” or fighting for justice. “My prayer is that the authorities pursue true justice,” he says. “The Iranian Church has never sought war with the government. We are believers in Jesus Christ the Lord and, according to the message of the Bible, we want to live a quiet and lawful life.” He adds: “The power of Christ’s love for us is such that no power can distract us from what we believe. They may be able to hurt us [physically], but they can’t do damage to our souls.”