Christian convert returned to prison without medical treatment 31 May 2016 News Christian convert Maryam (Nasim) Naghash Zargaran has been taken back to prison from hospital without receiving any medical treatment, despite falling unconscious during a hunger strike. Nasim was taken to hospital after falling ill on 29 May, the fourth day of her hunger strike in protest against the prosecutor’s refusal to grant her parole. Nasim qualifies for parole, having served over one-third of her four-year sentence. According to a report from the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Nasim’s blood pressure “suddenly dropped and she was transferred, while unconscious, from prison to the hospital”. But despite her condition, Nasim was returned to prison later the same day, having received no treatment. “It was a few minutes before she recognised her relatives who came to see her in the hospital,” the campaign group’s source reported. “She needed to stay, but they returned her to prison without proper treatment. “Maryam took pills for her heart disease before she was sent to prison, and doctors had told her to stay away from stressful situations. But after her imprisonment, stress and psychological pressures have made her condition much worse.“She has problems with her middle ear, and doctors have recommended surgery, but nothing has been done about it. She has lost so much weight that her family was shocked when they last saw her… We are worried for her health. Her life is in danger.” Nasim has been in prison since July 2013, serving a four-year prison sentence for “propaganda activities against the Islamic Republic and gathering and conspiracy against the security of the country” through “the expansion of house-churches inside the country”.
Saeed Abedini released in US prisoner swap 16 January 2016 News Saeed Abedini has been released after three and a half years in prison, as part of a prisoner swap with the United States. Saeed was released alongside three fellow Iranian-Americans: Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari, Amir Hekmati and Jason Rezaian. Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi confirmed the news, saying: “In line with the approvals of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran and the general interests of the regime, four Iranian dual nationals were released today in the framework of the prisoner exchange.” The news of the release of the four dual national prisoners comes as the implementation of the Iranian nuclear deal in Vienna is expected to be announced in the next few hours in the presence of the Iranian and US secretaries of state. The release of these dual nationals is part of an agreement between Iran and the United States to exchange prisoners. Twelve Iranians are being held in the United States on charges of “circumventing sanctions” and seven are said to be set to be released. Saeed was serving an eight-year prison sentence for “setting up house churches in order to disturb the security of the country” and “collusion to commit a crime”. He said that during his interrogations he’d also been threatened with death. He was arrested in September 2012 while on a visit from his home in America to Iran, where he was seeking to establish an orphanage. He was first sentenced to death in the early winter of 2012, but after an appeal was sentenced to eight years in prison by Judge Pir-Abassi of Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, in January 2013. His appeal was later rejected by Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals in Tehran. Saeed, who is 34 years old, has been suffering from urinary tract and kidney disease. He began his sentence in Tehran’s Evin Prison, but was later transferred to Rajaei Shahr Prison in Karaj. His wife, Naghmeh, has spoken out against the mistreatment of her husband in prison, saying he has been repeatedly beaten during interrogations and that he suffered internal bleeding but was denied treatment. Iran is 9th on the Open Doors’ World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. Iran’s ranking in this list has dropped from seventh in 2014 to ninth in 2015, despite the worsening situation of violation of religious freedoms in the country. The reason for the decline is the unprecedented escalation of anti-Christian actions in other countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Christian converts in Iran continue to be arrested and given prison sentences simply as a result of their religious activities. There are currently at least 103 Christians in prison in Iran.
Meysam Hojati released on bail 10 January 2016 News Meysam Hojjati, a 34-year-old Christian convert arrested two days before Christmas, was released on bail on Wednesday after 15 days’ detention. Meysam was arrested on Wednesday, 23 December, by four members of Isfahan’s Ministry of Intelligence, who slapped him in the face, in front of his parents, and confiscated personal items including his Bible, Christian pamphlets, computer, phone, and the Christmas tree. He was handcuffed and blindfolded, then taken to an unknown location, where he was kept in solitary confinement for 12 days in a small room (about 2×3 metres) that had no windows. He was interrogated for 10-12 hours daily and beaten and threatened when he failed to provide an acceptable answer. He was also forced to sign a commitment to have no further involvement in Christian activities. He was transferred to the prison’s “Alef Ta” ward for security prisoners two days before his release. After following up on his case, his parents were summoned to an Isfahan Revolutionary Court on 6 January, then Meysam was released after submitting a property deed to secure his 100 million toman bail (around $65,000). He has been charged with “baptism, propagating Christianity, teaching and distributing the Bible, and encouraging the establishment and organisation house-churches”.
Convert arrested two days before Christmas in Isfahan 31 December 2015 News Two days before Christmas, a Christian convert, Meysam Hojati, was arrested by intelligence agents in Isfahan, and no news has been available since that day. His family also remains unaware of his whereabouts. Four officials from the Isfahan Intelligence Ministry arrived at Meysam’s home on Wednesday morning, 23 December, and beat him in front of his parents. They then searched the home and took several items, such as his computer, phone, Bible, hymnbook and Christian pamphlets – and the Christmas tree. Meysam was placed in handcuffs and blindfolded, then taken to an unknown location. The agents also threatened Meysam’s parents not to say anything about their son’s arrest, and confiscated their mobile phones. Article18’s Advocacy Director, Mansour Borji, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran: “Agents of the Intelligence Ministry in Isfahan scolded him in front of his parents, slapped him on the face, searched his home and took his personal belongings. “The plainclothes officers, who introduced themselves as officers from the Isfahan Intelligence Service, entered his father’s house by showing a sheet of paper entitled ‘search and inspection warrant’. “According to the law, respect for legitimate freedoms and the protection of citizens’ rights, the agents should not beat the defendant during the arrest or confiscate items unrelated to the crime. These behaviours are a clear sign of disrespect for the followers of a religion.” The arrest is the latest targeting Christians at Christmas time. Last year, Victor Bet-Tamraz, former leader of the Assyrian Pentecostal Church in Tehran, along with two of his guests, was arrested at a Christmas gathering in Tehran. Borji commented: “By making these arrests around this time the government hopes to intimidate converts by threatening them with heavy punishments … so that they would either leave the country or stop their [religious] activities.” Meysam, whose friends know him as Soroush, has been arrested once before, in February 2012. That incident followed a wave of arrests of evangelical Christians in Isfahan, including Anglican pastor Hekmat Salimi. During his interrogation, he was accused of “attending house churches, spreading Christianity, keeping a Bible, and communicating with Christian organisation abroad”. He was released on bail after two months.
Farshid Fathi released after 5 years in prison 22 December 2015 News Prisoner of conscience Farshid Fathi has been released from Rajaei Shahr Prison in Karaj after five years’ imprisonment. Farshid has been in detention ever since his arrest on 26 December 2010, when he was one of dozens of Christians arrested during raids on house-churches across the country. A few days after his arrest, the governor of Tehran, Morteza Tamadon, likened the spread of Christianity to the “plague” and called Evangelical Christianity a “corrupt and deviant” sect. Farshid, who is 36 years old and has two children, spent 15 months in Evin Prison without any verdict until he was sentenced to six years in prison in March 2012 for “acting against national security, communicating with foreign organisations and promoting Christianity”. Farshid has spent time in both Rajaei Shahr Prison and Tehran’s Evin Prison and was among 30 prisoners of conscience badly beaten by prison guards in Ward 350 of Evin Prison in April 2014. At least four prisoners, including Farshid, suffered such serious injuries that they had to be transferred to hospitals outside of the prison. The attack was widely condemned by international organisations, but prison authorities denied wrongdoing and sought to pin the blame on the prisoners. In the wake of the incident, the prison authorities transferred several inmates to other prisons, including Farshid, who was sent to Rajaei Shahr in August 2014, at the behest of the Revolutionary Court. Then in December 2014, Farshid was handed an additional year’s imprisonment, 74 lashes and a fine of 200,000 tomans (around $65) for alleged possession of alcohol. However, in July 2015 he was notified that he was set for early release. During his incarceration, Farshid spent time with other imprisoned Christians such as Fariborz Azram, Alireza Seyyedian, Saeed Abedini, Ebrahim Firoozi, and Rasoul Abdullahi.
Christian prisoner Maryam Naghash Zargaran returned to jail before treatment completed 1 November 2015 News Maryam (Nasim) Naghash Zargaran has been taken back to Evin Prison before her medical treatment could be completed, after the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office ruled not to extend her leave. She had been on medical leave since 20 October, but has now been returned to prison before her diagnosis could be completed. The Christian convert has spent more than two years in prison since her conviction on charges relating to her Christian activities. She was first summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence in March 2010. During her interrogation, she was quizzed about her church activities and threats were made against her family. She was then arrested just a few days after the arrest of Saeed Abedini, an Iranian-American citizen who had returned to Iran to establish an orphanage in the north of the country. On the day of Nasim’s arrest, her house was searched and her Christian books and pamphlets, and other personal belongings, were seized. Most of the questions she was asked during her interrogation related to the increase in Iranians attending churches, the types of people attending, and what the church services entailed. Nasim was eventually transferred to Evin Prison and brought before Branch 2 of the Shahid Moghadas Public Prosecutor’s Office. The only charge against her was “propaganda against the regime”. Nasim was initially arrested in November 2012 and released on bail 19 days later, on bail of 70 million tomans. In March 2013, she was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment by Judge Moghiseh, head of Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court, for “gathering and colluding and acting against national security”. This was despite the fact that such an accusation was never known to her. The case against her centred on: * Her change of religion from Islam to Protestant Christianity * Her active membership in “house churches”. * Setting up churches to attract young people to Christianity * Communicating with Christian organisations abroad to promote Christianity * Travel to Turkey to attend Christian gatherings The verdict stated: “The court considers the activities carried out in pursuance of the security objectives of the United Kingdom and the occupying regime of Jerusalem to spread Christianity in Iran in order to pervert Iranian society away from Islam.” She was charged under articles 610 and 46 of the Islamic Penal Code. Her appeal was rejected and on 15 July 2013 she was taken to Evin Prison to begin her sentence. During her detention, her brother and sister were prevented from visiting her for several months. Nasim underwent heart surgery nearly nine years ago and is in urgent need of medical care. In addition, during the last year she has suffered ankle, back and chest pains. A doctor also diagnosed her with lumbar disc disease, osteoporosis and arthritis, and prescribed physiotherapy. But though she is still suffering from severe pain, the prosecutor has not granted her permission to receive therapy. Nasim also suffers from severe anaemia and diabetes, conditions that have become worse during her incarceration due to a lack of available treatment.
Karaj Christians released on bail 11 September 2015 News Esmaeil Falahati, with his wife Eight Christians arrested at a house-church in Karaj in August have been released on bail. Esmaeil Falahati, Hayedeh Shadnia, Shahin Bashiri, Mona Chahardoli, Nematullah Yousefi, Ziba Jalilvand, Hossein Rastegari and a man named Razmik were arrested by plainclothes intelligence agents on Friday 7 August. Esmaeil and Hossein were released on bail on 9 September, after spending 33 days in solitary confinement, accompanied by “mental torture”, according to Mohabat News. They were charged with “propaganda against the regime” and “gathering with intent to disrupt public security”. Hayedeh has also been released on bail, while three of the other Christians were released shortly after their arrests after signing disclaimers. Esmaeil, 35, who has now fled the country, spoke to Mohabat News about his experiences. “It was 7 August and we had gathered in Hossein’s garden, near Kan, with a few brothers and sisters when security authorities entered the garden and arrested us,” he explained. “The authorities threatened the owner of the garden and put him on the ground with a gun to his throat, in front of his child. What was surprising to us was that they had a warrant pre-signed and stamped, and they wrote our names on it on the spot. “They searched the whole garden, despite it being very dark. It seemed they were looking for something specific. “They took me to my house at around 10pm to search there as well. I had some Bibles and Christian books at home. They took away all the books, as well as my computer and some other personal belongings.” Esmaeil said he had posted bail of 700 million rials (around $25,000) and that his interrogators told him to leave the country after his release, “otherwise they would harm me and my family in an irreversible way”.
Eight arrested at Karaj house church 12 August 2015 News At least eight members of a house-church in Karaj were arrested earlier this month during a raid by plainclothes intelligence agents. During the raid on Friday 7 August the agents confiscated Bibles, Christian pamphlets, a computer and other belongings, and arrested all those in attendance: Esmaeil Falahati, Hayedeh Shadnia, Shahin Bashiri, Mona Chahardoli, Nematullah Yousefi, Ziba Jalilvand, Hossein Rastegari and a man named Razmik. Five days later, Esmaeil, a 35-year-old father of two, was able to call home, though he didn’t say anything about where he was being held. According to HRANA, quoting witnesses and neighbours, the arrests were carried out by more than 15 armed intelligence agents, who beat the Christians before taking them away in vans. Mohabat News reported that the plainclothes agents, who were armed with handguns, failed to produce a search warrant. They also reportedly later attempted to round up some other members of the group. Mohabat said the arrests were “due to their Christian beliefs and attendance at house-church meetings, and are aimed at increasing pressure on the Persian-speaking Christian community in Iran”. Three of the detainees have reportedly been released on bail, but there has been no news about the other five, despite their families’ attempts to find out information via both the prison and Revolutionary Court. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom last week, on the eve of the second year of the presidency of Hassan Rouhani, continued to condemn human rights abuses in Iran, including the arrest and detention of many prisoners of conscience, and demanded their release. Also, Ahmed Shaheed, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, warned at the 28th session of the Human Rights Council that the rights of religious minorities in Iran, such as Yarsanis, Baha’is, Christians, Dervishes and Sunni Muslims, are still being violated, and are now at a “crisis” point.
Homayoun Shekoohi released after more than three years in prison 29 June 2015 News Christian prisoner Esmail (Homayoun) Shekoohi was yesterday released after 40 months in Adel Abad Prison in Shiraz. Homayoun was arrested on 8 February 2012, along with several other Christians at a “house church” in Shiraz. At the same time, his wife, Fariba, and 17-year-old son, Nima, were also arrested and subsequently released on bail until the trial. On 10 June 2013, Homayoun and three other Christians were sentenced at the Shiraz Revolutionary Court to three years and eight months in prison for “propaganda against the regime and action against national security by attending a house-church, evangelising and propagating Christianity”. Fariba was meanwhile sentenced to two years in prison, and Nima to 18 months’ suspended imprisonment. The Christian converts were held in the Band-e-Ebrat (Ward of Lessons) ward of Adel Abad Prison, which is notorious for its poor conditions, including denial of access to medical care and clean drinking water, and a lack of cooling facilities in the summer, and heating in the winter. Homayoun was released on parole on 10 November 2014, but his family’s joy was soon quashed when, less than two months later, the authorities said they had made a mistake in issuing the release order, and he was forced to return to prison to complete his sentence. He returned to prison in April. Homayoun is the last of the four Christians to be released. Mohammad Reza (Koroush) Partovi was released on 13 May, 2014, Vahid Hakani was released on 26 January, 2015, and Mojtaba Hosseini was released on 18 March, 2015. Ahmed Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, in his March report expressed “deep concern” about the situation of religious minorities in Iran, noting the particular pressures on converts who leave Islam and on the Christians who evangelise to them.
Farshid Fathi’s appeal against extra sentence rejected 28 May 2015 News Christian prisoner of conscience Farshid Fathi’s appeal against an extra year in prison has been rejected. The Christian convert was sentenced to the extra year in prison, as well as 74 lashes and a 200,000 toman fine (around $70), in December 2014 for alleged possession of alcohol. He has always denied the claim, but his appeal has now been rejected by a Karaj appeal court. Farshid has already served over four years of a separate six-year sentence for “acting against national security, communicating with foreign organisations and promoting Christianity”. He now faces the prospect of remaining in prison until 2017. Farshid was last year transferred from Evin Prison in Tehran to Karaj’s Rajaei Shahr Prison. He and another Christian prisoner of conscience, Alireza Seyyedian, were recently moved to Hall 2, Ward One of the Karaj prison, where they are reportedly incarcerated alongside criminal prisoners, in violation of their right to be imprisoned alongside only other fellow prisoners of conscience. Farshi was first arrested on 26 December 2010, as one of many Christians arrested in raids on house-churches across the country. Many of the others who were arrested were released after promising not to participate in any further Christian activities. However, Farshid would not make any such promise and has been detained ever since.