Armenian Christian bemoans ‘unfair’ imprisonment on ‘unfounded’ charges 9 May 2025 News Photo: CSW An Armenian Christian serving a 10-year prison sentence in Tehran’s Evin Prison has written a letter protesting against his “unfair” imprisonment on “unfounded” charges, following the rejection of his second application for a retrial. Hakop Gochumyan, 36, has been in prison since August 2023, when he and his wife Elisa, who is the Iranian-Armenian daughter of a renowned former church leader, were arrested while holidaying in Tehran. Hakop was sentenced in February 2024 and his appeal was rejected in June 2024. In his letter, which was published earlier today by CSW, Hakop bemoaned that Iran’s Supreme Court had rejected his two applications for a retrial – in February and April 2025 – and said the court had failed to “acknowledge the fact that the charges were fabricated”. He added that the charges against him were “completely unfair and false” and that the indictment contained “fictitious statements”. Article18 reported previously how, according to an informed source, Hakop’s conviction was based only on his possession of seven Persian-language New Testaments and having visited two Armenian churches and a Persian-language house-church while on holiday. Hakop said in his letter that he had been imprisoned for “the unfounded reason of preaching and teaching Christianity”, and that the investigation by Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) agents was carried out “with gross violations of human rights”, including denial of access to a lawyer and threats to the lives of his family members. “The prison security staff in every way prevented me meeting with my lawyer – not allowing a normal conversation and unauthorisedly recording our conversations, without the right to do so, and they also prevented me meeting with the staff of the Armenian embassy,” he said. Hakop said he had also been subjected to “psychological violence”, with intelligence agents “without a drop of shame” confessing to the murder of Iranian-Armenian church leader Haik Hovsepian, “describing it in detail and saying they would kill me in the same way”. CSW’s Meryvn Thomas said he was “deeply concerned” at Hakop’s imprisonment “on excessive and completely unfounded charges, following violations of rights guaranteed in Iran’s constitution and in international human rights legislation to which it is party”. “We are particularly appalled at the severe psychological cruelty inflicted on him by MOIS officers, who threatened to re-enact their brutal murder of Bishop Hovsepian,” he added. “We are also dismayed by the unacceptable infringements on his right to access legal counsel, and by successive rejections of his appeals despite the absence of due process in the legal proceedings that resulted in his conviction.” Mr Thomas called for Hakop’s “immediate and unconditional release”, and urged the international community – and “particularly the government of Armenia” – to hold the Iranian authorities to account “not only for this miscarriage of justice, but also for their continuing mistreatment of countless other prisoners of conscience”.
Christian converts summoned to begin sentences or forfeit $20,000 bail 8 May 2025 News Left to right: Abbas Soori, Narges Nasri, and Mehran Shamloui. Three Christian converts including a woman pregnant with her first child have been summoned to begin prison sentences totalling over 40 years on charges related to their religious beliefs and worship meetings. Narges Nasri, Abbas Soori and Mehran Shamloui were sentenced in March, and their appeals were rejected in April, meaning they could be summoned to begin their sentences at any time. Yesterday, the three were told they had five days to submit themselves to Evin Prison to begin their sentences. Failure to do so would mean forfeiting bail equivalent to more than $20,000 each, and sources suggest they may now be out of the country. The three Christians were arrested in November last year during concurrent raids by intelligence agents on their homes in Tehran, during which personal belongings including Bibles, crosses and musical instruments were confiscated. At least 10 other Christians, including Narges’ three sisters, were arrested on the same November day during raids on Christian homes across the country, including in the cities of Karaj (near Tehran), Mashhad in the north-east, and Shiraz and Bandar Abbas in the south. Narges, Abbas and Mehran were tried on 15 February at Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, where they faced charges of “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. Pregnant Narges, 37, 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, received a total of 15 years in prison – 10 years for “propaganda activities” and five for membership of an “opposition group” – while Mehran, 43, 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. Abbas was previously arrested in 2020 and later sentenced alongside another Christian convert, Maryam Mohammadi, and their pastor, an Iranian-Armenian, Anooshavan Avedian. Abbas and Maryam received non-custodial punishments including travel bans, exile from the province of Tehran and prohibition of membership in any political or social groups, while Anooshavan, who is in his 60s, was given a 10-year prison term. He was acquitted in September last year, having served just over one year of his sentence.
Wife of detained pastor remains in solitary confinement two weeks after arrest 29 April 2025 News The wife of an Iranian-Armenian pastor arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents over two weeks ago remains in solitary confinement in Evin Prison, according to Article18’s sources. Lida Alek-Sani, 56, whose husband Joseph Shahbazian is also still in Evin Prison after his re-arrest in February, was arrested on 12 April, two days before the funeral of Joseph’s mother, which neither Joseph nor Lida were able to attend. Joseph’s mother, Jhasmen, for whom he was the primary carer, passed away on 9 April and her funeral was held on 14 April, in the absence of both her son and daughter-in-law. It had been hoped and expected that Joseph may be released in time for the Iranian New Year last month, and then after his mother’s death, but in spite of a bail amount being set for him of 499 million tomans (around $7,000), he remains in Evin Prison. Article18 understands that the pastor, who previously spent over a year in prison after being handed a 10-year sentence for his involvement in a house-church, is now in Ward 4 of the prison, after spending nearly two months in solitary confinement. He reportedly faces charges including “propaganda against the regime”, “propaganda activities contrary to the holy religion of Islam through the establishment and operation of a house-church”, and “acquiring wealth through the illegitimate means of tithes and donations”. Article18’s 2025 annual report noted that Christians’ finances are increasingly being targeted, in an apparent “effort to isolate and financially undermine the Christian community as part of a broader strategy to suppress its growth and influence”. “Making financial donations, charitable offerings, or paying tithes to support church activities are standard practices for Christians worldwide,” the report noted, “but such activities have been criminalised by Iran’s Revolutionary Courts.” Joseph reportedly denies the accusations levelled against him, but has been denied access to a lawyer of his choice. Article18’s sources also report that several Christian friends of Joseph’s – including several present during his first arrest in 2020 – have been called by Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) officers in recent weeks, in an attempt to gather new evidence against him. “They tried to force us to cooperate with the MOIS by luring us and even threatening us,” one of the Christians told Article18 on condition of anonymity. “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!’”
Tehran court rejects appeals of converts sentenced to combined 40 years in prison 28 April 2025 News Left to right: Abbas Soori, Narges Nasri, and Mehran Shamloui. Three Christian converts including a woman pregnant with her first child have had their long prison sentences upheld by a Tehran appeal court. Narges Nasri, Abbas Soori and Mehran Shamloui were sentenced last month to a combined total of more than 40 years in prison on charges related to their religious beliefs and worship meetings. On Saturday, the Christians were informed that the 36th branch of the Tehran appeal court had rejected their appeals. The ruling, which was dated 23 April, stated that the Christians’ appeals had been rejected “in view of the scope of their activities, and their harmful effects”. The appeal court’s decision is the latest example of a ruling based on vague wording, as is common in cases against Christians, as highlighted by the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Assembly and Association, Gina Romero, last week at our annual report presentation in London. The three Christians were arrested in November last year during concurrent raids by intelligence agents on their homes in Tehran, during which personal belongings including Bibles, crosses and musical instruments were confiscated. 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 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. They were sentenced a month later, with pregnant Narges, 37, receiving 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, received a total of 15 years in prison – 10 years for “propaganda activities” and five for membership of an “opposition group” – while Mehran, 43, 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. At least 10 other Christians, including Narges’ three sisters, were arrested on the same November day during raids on Christian homes across the country, including in the cities of Karaj (near Tehran), Mashhad in the north-east, and Shiraz and Bandar Abbas in the south. Abbas was previously arrested in 2020 and later sentenced alongside another Christian convert, Maryam Mohammadi, and their pastor, an Iranian-Armenian, Anooshavan Avedian. Abbas and Maryam received non-custodial punishments including travel bans, exile from the province of Tehran and prohibition of membership in any political or social groups, while Anooshavan, who is in his 60s, was given a 10-year prison term. He was acquitted in September last year, having served just over one year of his sentence.
‘Few countries on Earth less free on FoRB than Iran’ – UK envoy 25 April 2025 News The UK’s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), David Smith, has said there are “few countries on Earth that seem less free when it comes to FoRB than Iran”. Mr Smith was speaking at our third annual report presentation at the UK parliament, held in conjunction with partner organisations and report co-authors Open Doors, CSW, and Middle East Concern at Portcullis House on 23 April. This year’s event also featured a contribution from the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association, Gina Romero, as well as witness testimony from Iranian Christian convert Saghar Mansouri. Mr Smith, who chaired the event, highlighted some of the statistics in what he called the “sobering” report, including 139 documented arrests of Christians in 2024, dozens of travel bans, hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, evidence of torture, and the targeting of Christians’ finances. He added that he had been personally impacted by the stories of Iranian Christians, having himself helped one Iranian Christian asylum-seeker with his claim. This refugee, who fled Iran after being arrested because of his faith, has now been accepted by the UK, he said, and is “flourishing”. But Mr Smith said: “As much as it’s wonderful to have fellowship with your co-religionists – in this case, for me, other Christians from around the world – and to learn from them, to engage with them, to share faith … I would much rather that scenario had not emerged, and that person that I’m thinking of was able to stay in the country that he loves, to flourish there as a Christian and to live out his life in peace.” ‘Clear violations of freedom of assembly and association’ In her address, Special Rapporteur Gina Romero said the report showed “clear violations” of Iranian Christians’ rights to freedom of assembly and association, and called on Iran to “adjust its regulations and practices to protect and guarantee these rights, with no discrimination, as well as the rights to freedom of expression, conscience, belief and religion”. Ms Romero stressed that her mandate includes protection for faith-based groups, which “for sure includes worship services”. “The interlink between freedom of conscience, religion and belief and the freedom of peaceful assembly and of association are very strong,” she said. She noted that Article 6 of the Declaration of Elimination of Intolerance based on Religion or Belief protects “the right of freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief”, including “freedom of worship or assembly in connection with a religion or belief”, and this includes the ability to “establish and maintain places [of worship]” and “access [to] resources, which is part of the freedom of association”, she said. 2/4 Freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief is intrinsically linked to the rights of assembly and association. These rights must be protected without discrimination, according to international standards. — Gina Romero (@Ginitastar) April 28, 2025 4/4 We will continue working to ensure that voices like Saghar Mansouri’s are not silenced. More information: https://t.co/JfHeY8FOoV #FoRB #HumanRights #Iran — Gina Romero (@Ginitastar) April 28, 2025 “Undue stigmatisation, criminalisation, banning or … restriction to faith-based or religious groups or associations … for the sake of the expression of their faith or belief, or for their participation in peaceful assemblies curtails the rights to freedom of assembly and of association,” said Ms Romero. These rights are “not absolute”, she clarified, but any restrictions must “follow the principles of legality, which means that they need to be in conformity with the law, but also the human rights international standards, the principle of proportionality and the principle of necessity”. “The international standards are very clear … that all restrictions need to be carefully assessed”, and “restrictions imposed under the interest of ‘national security’ … need to be necessary to preserve the state’s capacity to protect the existence of the nation, its territorial integrity or its political independence against a credible threat of use of force.” “All threats need to be clearly proved,” she stressed, and “states have the obligation to ensure that laws, their interpretation and application do not result in discrimination in the enjoyment of the right of peaceful assembly and association, for example on the basis of religion and belief”. Ms Romero said violations of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association documented in the report included: “Christians being summoned to court to face charges of establishing or membership of a group … with vague accusations of ‘disrupting’ the security of the country.” “The dismantling of churches … on vague accusations of being ‘illegal’ and removing their leaders.” “The arrest for participating in peaceful assemblies, including protests and the celebration of Christmas.” “The harassment and persecution of institutions, leaders and organisations for receiving foreign funds for their communities in a strategy of allegedly isolating and financially undermining the Christian community as part of a broader strategy of suppressing its growth and influence.” “The demolition of places of worship and/or the confiscation of property.” “The vilification of assemblies and associations under stigmatising narratives, including narratives such as ‘anti-regime groups’, ‘member of a sect’, etc.” “The criminalisation of assemblies, such as attending house-churches for worship services [and] performing baptisms.” ‘I’ve been living with trauma for nine years’ Our witness testimony this year came from Saghar Mansouri, a 39-year-old Christian convert who fled Iran in 2016 after her home was raided and she and eight others – including her two younger sisters – were arrested. Saghar explained how her church – the Central Assemblies of God Church in Tehran – had been forcibly closed in 2013, after which Christians used to gather at her home because “we had no place to worship” and, as she had studied clinical psychology, “many came to me for help”. “I visited them at home or welcomed them to mine,” she explained. “We had to worship secretly. We were afraid the neighbours might hear us singing and report us.” “Even Christian seminars had to be attended outside the country, and our communication was often online and in hiding,” she said. Recalling the raid on her home, Saghar said the agents “broke the door with a crowbar and entered violently”. “There were 22 of us inside,” she said. “They took eight of us away, filmed everything, forced women to wear hijab, took our phones, and even watched me in the bathroom. “I asked for my Bible, but an officer shouted, ‘You don’t need it anymore. You’re going to become a Shia Muslim.’ “They took my Christmas tree and told me: ‘A Christmas tree isn’t a crime by itself. But when it’s found in your home, it becomes part of the evidence. Just like taking a knife from a criminal or a doctor—it depends on the context.’ “They accused us of working for the CIA and Mossad. They told my elderly mother-in-law, ‘We will return your son [who was in the UK] to Iran and make these people Muslim again.’ Iran’s regime is pushing Christians ‘to leave’, according to a woman who fled. @articleeighteen found that jail terms for Christians rose significantly in the last year, and Saghar says Iran is more difficult for Christians than when she fled to the UK🔊: https://t.co/BZHBHRo7gJ — UCB News (@UCBNewsTeam) May 1, 2025 “They told me that by teaching the Gospel, I was stealing the identity of young people. They said meeting in homes is illegal and called it an ‘underground church.’ “I told them, ‘When you closed our church, we had no choice but to meet at home. This is natural for Christians—just like Muslims gather with their friends or family.’ I asked, ‘Is it also illegal when my grandmother hosts women for Islamic ceremonies?’” After she left Iran, Saghar explained that all the others who had been arrested in the gathering— including her two sisters — “had to flee through dangerous and illegal routes, without passports”. “Until today, my family and I continue to suffer deeply,” she said. “The court later sentenced us to five years in prison and two years of travel ban. That means I can never go back home.” Saghar added: “Today, I am standing here to speak as a voice among millions of others who have suffered under the current regime in Iran. For the past nine years, I’ve been living with the emotional and psychological trauma that this regime caused. “I go to therapy every week. I still struggle with fear, flashbacks, anxiety, and grief. The skies of this country have witnessed my tears and silent cries. “Today, I opened my heart to you. I shared my pain, not because it’s easy—but because it matters. Please remember: I am not alone. There are many like me.” She concluded by asking that in the UK’s “diplomatic contacts with Iran or decisions—decisions or contacts that affect the future of the UK as well as people like me inside Iran—you will remember my story, and the faces of others who cannot be here to speak.” Mr Smith said Saghar’s story was “very, very powerful and humbling”, and commended her for her courage both in living out her faith in Iran and sharing her testimony, which he said was “something that is very personal to you, but also, as you say, reflects the situation of millions of people who are under the same kind of oppression. So we applaud you for your bravery.” Leaked judiciary files ‘profoundly significant’ Article18’s director, Mansour Borji, said “the statistics you see in the report should definitely shock us all”. “One hundred and thirty-nine people known to have been arrested, and this is just the people that have been arrested and detained, but many more are affected – family members, loved ones who remain worried about them; 263 years of prison sentences, six times more than the year before”. He explained that although Iran’s constitution and commitments under the international covenants it has signed safeguard religious freedom, the reality for Christians and other religious minorities in Iran is “drastically different”. Mr Borji also highlighted the importance of the leaked Tehran judiciary files in 2024, which he said were “profoundly significant”, as “the Iranian government often dismisses reports of human rights violations as ‘biased’ or ‘fabricated’ [but] these files provide objective evidence that cannot be ignored.” Mr Borji added that the title of the report, ‘The Tip of the Iceberg’, conveys that the documented violations do not provide the “full reality” for Iran’s Christians, as many more cases go unreported. ‘Without international accountability violations persist unchecked’ Open Doors UK’s Sam Miller concluded the panel by providing further recommendations to the UK government, including for the UK to: Speak out publicly against Iran’s FoRB violations, as well as in any engagements with the Iranian authorities. Call on Iran to repeal the “vague and overly broad” Articles 500 and 500 bis of the penal code, whose continued use “constitutes a direct violation of the [International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights]”. Raise specific cases of Christian prisoners of conscience, such as Joseph and Lida Shahbazian, Mina Khajavi, Hakop Gochumyan, and Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, whose photographs were displayed at the meeting. Pursue targeted Magnitsky-style sanctions against violators, including “judges who have handed down multiple long-term sentences to Christian converts based on little or no evidence”, and security agents within the Ministry of Intelligence and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who have been “implicated in torture, denial of medical care and forcing detainees to recant their faith”. Such sanctions “show the UK is willing to hold individuals, not just states, accountable for abuse”, he said. Challenge countries hosting Iranian refugees, such as Turkey and Georgia, to “upload the principle of non-refoulement and ensure Iranian Christian asylum-seekers are protected and treated in accordance with international refugee law”. Create a safe legal route for Christians like Saghar and her sisters – who spent seven years in Turkey before being resettled to Canada – to come to the UK, as recommended in the House of Lords by Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani. Support the mandates of the UN Special Rapporteur and Iran fact-finding mission, “ensuring that FoRB and the persecution Christians are explicitly highlighted”. “The Special Rapporteur and fact-finding mission serve as vital mechanisms for documenting and exposing FoRB violations in Iran,” Mr Miller said. “This mandate provides a platform to bring international visibility to cases that are otherwise silenced with Iran’s tightly controlled media and judicial system. “The UK’s support can ensure that the persecution of Christians – particularly converts – is not forgotten in these reports.” Mr Miller noted that while Iran has ratified key international treaties guaranteeing FoRB, the report “shows how these commitments are not being honoured in reality”. Arresting Christians on charges of acting against national security “merely for gathering for prayer directly contradicts Article 18 of the ICCPR”, he said. “Without international accountability these violations will persist unchecked, so we have a key role. “The UK must speak out publicly, as well as in all engagements with Iran against violations in the country. Public advocacy and statements work to challenge the narrative presented by the Iranian regime.” Mr Miller also noted how, in a parliamentary debate earlier this month, FCDO Minister Stephen Doughty “confirmed that the government remains ‘absolutely committed’ to holding Iran to account for its restrictions on freedom of religion or belief”. “We welcome this commitment to advocacy, which should be done in conjunction with key allies, such as the EU, US and UN,” Mr Miller said. Mr Miller added that the stories of Iranian Christians that he had read about became real to him when his sons were baptised in a UK church on the same day as five Iranians who had fled the country on account of their faith. He said it was “very poignant” to see that “while my boys have been able to grow up in freedom in the UK, having faith, these five young guys having the same faith, but having such a different kind of journey. And it reminded me that when we’re talking about these issues, they’re not just principles; they’re about real people.” David Smith ended the meeting by commending civil society for its “vitally important” work and encouraging supporters to engage directly with their MPs, who he said are “universally alive to what their constituents ask them”. Mr Smith concluded: “I was struck by a sentence in the report quoting a retired Iranian judge who had been involved in approving the original penal code and he said, ‘Apostasy was supposed to be included in our criminal code, but it was left out for fear of international pressure.’ International pressure works; that’s the lesson. And that means I have a job to do, you have a job to do, and we can do it together, but let’s continue to do it so that people in Iran can enjoy freedom of religion or belief.”
Christian convert assaulted by prison officer ends hunger strike 22 April 2025 News An imprisoned Christian convert who went on hunger strike to protest against his mistreatment in Tehran’s Evin Prison has started eating again after receiving reassurances. Amir-Ali Minaei, who has a heart condition and was recently assaulted by a prison officer, began his hunger strike on 12 April after being denied access to a telephone but concluded it two days later and has since been afforded limited use of a phone. The 31-year-old has also received medical care after fracturing a bone in his right leg. Amir-Ali has been in Evin Prison since April 2024 and is serving a sentence of three years and seven months for “propaganda activities against the regime through establishing a house-church”. The sentence was handed down in March 2024 by notorious Revolutionary Court judge Iman Afshari, who also sentenced Amir-Ali to deprivation of social rights – such as membership of any organisation – following his imprisonment. Amir-Ali was first arrested in December 2023 and detained for over two months in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, which is under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence. He was then released on bail equivalent to around $10,000, following a series of intensive interrogations. Amir-Ali’s heart condition was diagnosed between his release on bail and his sentencing, and is understood to have been caused directly by the stress he was placed under during his initial detention and the threat of further imprisonment. Nevertheless, every request that he has made to be referred to a cardiologist during his imprisonment has been rejected, and after his most recent request, Amir-Ali was assaulted by a prison officer, worsening his condition. Amir-Ali applied for conditional release in January, but his request was blocked by Ministry of Intelligence agents due to his perceived lack of “cooperation” with them. Article18’s Mansour Borji explained: “Detainees are often compelled to accept extrajudicial conditions as a prerequisite for receiving benefits such as temporary furlough, pardon, or early release. Authorities and interrogators seek to leverage these individuals as informants, or ‘collaborators’, requiring them to resume their daily lives while covertly gathering intelligence on other Christians and their activities. This practice constitutes a form of coercion, further infringing upon the detainees’ rights and subjecting them to ongoing surveillance and undue pressure.” Mr Borji added that he was “extremely relieved” to hear that Amir-Ali had ended his hunger strike, but that the Christian convert “should not be in prison in the first place, nor have been denied the treatment he required, and certainly not assaulted”. He called on the Iranian authorities to “stop persecuting Christians simply for meeting together to worship, as is their right under the international covenants that Iran has signed”, and to “treat prisoners humanely”.
Christian convert denied urgent medical care in Evin Prison 17 April 2025 News Laleh Saati, a Christian convert and prisoner of conscience held in Tehran’s Evin Prison, has been denied access to specialised medical care and medical furlough despite suffering a physical injury. Her condition, caused by a fall in the prison yard that left her two fingers on her left hand bent, has reportedly worsened amid continued obstruction of hospital referrals by security officials handling her case. According to the Human Rights in Iran website, repeated appeals by Laleh’s mother for her transfer to a medical facility have been rejected by authorities. Reports indicate that this is not the first time the Christian prisoner has been deprived of proper medical examinations, raising serious concerns about her health and well-being. Amnesty International has also noted the systemic denial of adequate healthcare to prisoners, particularly minorities, in its annual report on human rights violations in Iran. Laleh was arrested in February 2024, during a raid on her father’s home in Tehran by intelligence agents. Following an extended interrogation at Ward 209 of the Ministry of Intelligence, she was transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison. In March 2024, Judge Iman Afshari of Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her to two years in prison and a two-year travel ban on charges of “acting against national security through connections with Zionist Christian organisations”. These charges were based on her involvement in religious activities, including participation in house-churches in Iran and pictures of her baptism on her phone from her time in Malaysia. During her legal proceedings, Laleh was denied the right to choose her own lawyer and was represented only by a court-appointed advocate. Continued pressure on Christian converts Laleh’s case reflects a broader pattern of intensifying pressure on Christian converts in Iran. In recent months, several other Christian prisoners have faced similar violations: Amir-Ali Minaei, another Christian convert held in Evin, began a hunger strike on 11 April, in protest of his mistreatment. He suffers from a heart condition and has been sentenced to three years and seven months in prison for “propaganda against the regime” through organising house-churches. He also reported being assaulted by a prison guard. Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, a long-term Christian prisoner of conscience, went on a 35-day hunger strike in protest of the ongoing persecution of Christians in Iran. After suffering a stroke, he was briefly transferred to a hospital but remains deprived of adequate medical treatment. Joseph Shahbazian, another Christian who was re-arrested in February by Ministry of Intelligence agents continues to remain in detention. Joseph was not given a temporary leave to attend his mother’s funeral last Monday, while unconfirmed reports indicate that his wife was also detained just before the funeral. These cases underscore a sustained campaign of repression against Christian converts in Iran, marked by arbitrary arrests, denial of healthcare, and restrictions on basic legal rights.
Iranian-Armenian pastor denied leave for mother’s funeral as wife reportedly arrested 14 April 2025 News Joseph and Lida Shahbazian Iranian-Armenian Christian pastor Joseph Shahbazian, who has been held in Tehran’s Evin Prison since February, was denied permission to attend his mother’s funeral today, despite the official conclusion of the investigation into his Christian activities. Article18 sources confirmed that the funeral of Joseph’s 79-year-old mother, Jhasmen, who passed away last week, took place earlier today in Tehran. Joseph, who was her primary caregiver prior to his arrest, was not granted temporary leave from prison to mourn or attend the burial. Notably absent from the funeral was Joseph’s wife, Lida. Unconfirmed reports indicate that she was arrested on Saturday, 12 April, following a fresh raid on the couple’s home by agents of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS). Article18’s director, Mansour Borji, commented: “Lida’s re-arrest — the same day that Iran and the United States resumed negotiations in Oman — has drawn renewed attention to the Iranian government’s crackdown on religious minorities. While the Iranian authorities seek the lifting of sanctions through nuclear-focused negotiations, they appear determined to suppress any parallel discussions on human rights.” “This pattern is all too familiar,” he added. “Iran wants to make sure that its domestic repression — particularly against Christians and other religious minorities — is kept off the negotiating table.” Although Joseph was moved last month from Ward 209 — controlled by the MOIS — to the general ward of Evin Prison and bail has been set, he remains imprisoned without charge or trial. Joseph had previously spent over a year in prison for his alleged leading of a house-church before being released in 2023. His current detention, along with the reported targeting of his wife, has deepened concerns about the Iranian regime’s intensified campaign against Persian-speaking Christians. His case mirrors that of fellow Christian and former prisoner of conscience Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, who was arrested on the same day. Nasser recently suffered a stroke in detention following a hunger strike to protest his treatment and the broader persecution of Christians in Iran. He continues to be denied medical care for both his stroke recovery and ongoing dental issues. Both men, now in their 60s, remain in legal limbo — emblematic of the broader repression that continues unabated, even as Tehran courts the international community for economic relief. Dr Khataza Gondwe, Advocacy Director at CSW, a Christian human rights organisation specialising in freedom of religion or belief and a member of the Article 18 Alliance Council of Experts, called for “the immediate and unconditional release” of Joseph, Lida, Nasser “and all other religious minorities detained and charged for peaceably exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief as articulated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, a binding treaty that Iran signed and ratified without reservations. “Additionally, as talks in Oman continue, we urge the US administration – and the rest of the international community – to also press Iran to uphold its human rights commitments under international human rights legislation, and to ensure that freedom, justice and equality before the law are guaranteed to every citizen, regardless of their religion or belief.”
Imprisoned Christian convert with heart condition begins hunger strike 12 April 2025 News An imprisoned Iranian Christian convert who has a heart condition and was recently assaulted by a prison guard has gone on hunger strike. According to Article18’s sources, Amir-Ali Minaei will also cease taking his medication in protest against the denial of access to a telephone during his ongoing incarceration. The 31-year-old, who also recently fractured a bone in his right leg, has been in Evin Prison since last April, serving a sentence of three years and seven months for “propaganda activities against the regime through establishing a house-church”. The sentence was handed down in March 2024 by notorious Revolutionary Court judge Iman Afshari, who also sentenced Amir-Ali to deprivation of social rights – such as membership of any organisation – following his imprisonment. Amir-Ali was first arrested in December 2023 and detained for over two months in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, which is under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence. He was then released on bail equivalent to around $10,000, following a series of intensive interrogations. Amir-Ali’s heart condition was diagnosed between his release on bail and his sentencing, and is understood to have been caused directly by the stress he was placed under during his initial detention and the threat of further imprisonment. Nevertheless, every request that he has made to be referred to a cardiologist during his imprisonment has been rejected, and after his most recent request, Amir-Ali was assaulted by a prison officer, worsening his condition. Amir-Ali applied for conditional release in January, but his request was blocked by Ministry of Intelligence agents due to his perceived lack of “cooperation” with them. Article18’s Mansour Borji explained: “Detainees are often compelled to accept extrajudicial conditions as a prerequisite for receiving benefits such as temporary furlough, pardon, or early release. Authorities and interrogators seek to leverage these individuals as informants, or ‘collaborators’, requiring them to resume their daily lives while covertly gathering intelligence on other Christians and their activities. This practice constitutes a form of coercion, further infringing upon the detainees’ rights and subjecting them to ongoing surveillance and undue pressure.” He added: “We are extremely concerned about Amir-Ali, especially given his heart condition, and call on the Iranian authorities to immediately reinstate his access to a telephone. “We also call on them to immediately and unconditionally release this young man, whose only ‘crime’ was to meet together with his fellow believers for prayer and worship. “The Islamic Republic must stop persecuting Christians – and especially converts to Christianity – in line with its obligations under the international covenants it freely signed and even its own Constitution.”
US told to ‘demand accountability’ for religious freedom violations in Iran talks 11 April 2025 News The US Commission on International Religious Freedom has called on the US government to “demand accountability for Iran’s religious freedom violations” in tomorrow’s planned discussions between the two nations in Oman. The independent, bipartisan group noted that Iran’s “egregious” religious-freedom violations had caused “hundreds” – including Christian converts – to flee the country, and called on the US government to ensure such religious refugees are not sent back to Iran. “Ensuring that religiously persecuted Iranians are protected from the horrors awaiting them if refouled to Iran sends a clear signal that the US government prioritises freedom of religion or belief,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Meir Soloveichik. “Iranians who dissent from the government’s endorsed religious interpretation —particularly converts from Islam—face severe government persecution for both their religious beliefs and for exercising their freedom to change these beliefs,” added USCIRF Chair Stephen Scheck. “The Trump administration must demand Iranian concessions on its systematic targeting of religious minorities, including those at risk of being repatriated, during upcoming talks in Oman.” The commission also reiterated its calls for the permanent reauthorisation of the Lautenberg Amendment, which prioritises the resettlement of Iran’s persecuted religious minorities. “Iran’s egregious persecution of religious minorities has caused hundreds of people to flee the country seeking humanitarian protection based on religious persecution,” USCIRF said. “If sent back to Iran, these individuals face grave danger to their personal safety for exercising their right of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including for changing their religion or belief.” USCIRF highlighted the recent reports that a group of Iranian asylum-seekers were sent from the US to Panama, stating that “these individuals may be forcibly returned to Iran, where they are likely to experience persecution, harassment, torture, and prolonged imprisonment”. Article18’s director, Mansour Borji, commented: “We are grateful to USCIRF for highlighting the situation of Iran’s religious refugees – including Christian converts – whose situation is unfortunately dire in many of the third countries in which hundreds continue to wait resettlement. “We call on not only the US government but other nations too to open their doors to genuine converts to Christianity, whose risk of persecution should they be returned to Iran is beyond doubt.”