(Last updated: September 2025)

Summary

Christian converts Abbas Souri, Mehran Shamloui and Narges Nasri, who was pregnant with her first child, were sentenced to over 40 years in prison on charges related to their religious beliefs and worship meetings. 

Case in full

The three Christians were arrested on 3 November 2024 during concurrent raids by intelligence agents on their homes in Tehran, during which personal belongings including Bibles, crosses and musical instruments were confiscated. (Mehran is a musician, and the equipment the agents confiscated from him was worth around $5,500.)

The Christians were then transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, which is under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence.

They were released on bail equivalent to more than $20,000 each a month later, following a series of lengthy and intensive interrogations.

Their court hearing took place on 15 February 2025 at Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, where they were officially charged with “membership of opposition groups”, “propaganda against the system” and “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law through foreign relations,” under Articles 499, 500 and 500 bis, respectively.

The three Christians were sentenced by notorious Revolutionary Court judge Iman Afshari on 8 March 2025 – International Women’s Day.

Narges, who was 37 years old and halfway through her first pregnancy at the time, received the stiffest sentence – 10 years for “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law”, five for membership of an “opposition group” (house-church) and an additional one year for “propaganda against the state” – for having posted on social media in support of the Women, Life, Freedom movement.

Abbas, 48, who was previously arrested and sentenced in relation to his Christian activities, received a total of 15 years in prison – 10 years for “propaganda activities” and five for membership of an “opposition group” – while Mehran, 37, received an eight-year sentence for the first charge and two years and eight months for the second.

All three were also sentenced to years of deprivation of social rights, such as to health, employment or education – 15 years each for Narges and Abbas, and 11 years for Mehran – while Narges and Abbas were fined 330 million tomans ($3,500) each, and Mehran 250 million ($2,750). Narges and Abbas were also banned from membership of any group, residing in their home province of Tehran or leaving Iran for two years after their release.

On 23 April 2025, the 36th branch of the Tehran appeal court rejected their appeals, “in view of the scope of their activities, and their harmful effects”.

On 7 May 2025, they were told they had five days to submit themselves to Evin Prison to begin their sentences or forfeit bail equivalent to more than $20,000 each.

The three Christians all fled the country, but on 3 July 2025 Mehran was deported back to Iran from Turkey and taken to prison.

Mehran had decided not to apply for refugee status in Turkey and instead had attempted to cross the border into Europe, but was caught, detained and flown to Mashhad, after which he was transferred to the Greater Tehran Penitentiary and later Evin Prison.

In September 2025, the Supreme Court rejected his application for a retrial.

Recommendations

• Release immediately and unconditionally Mehran and all other Christians and religious or belief minorities detained 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. 
• Clarify where Persian-speaking Christians may worship freely in their mother tongue, without fear of arrest and prosecution. 
• 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.
• Countries hosting Iranian Christians who have claimed asylum are encouraged to assess their cases with due diligence, recognising their well-founded fear of experiencing persecution if returned, given the ongoing harassment and severe mistreatment of individuals identified as engaging in Christian activity. 

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.