A house-church member who served four months in prison in 2019 for “propaganda against the state” has been charged again with the same “offence”.

Shahab Shahi was re-arrested in December 2023 alongside fellow members Alireza Nourmohammadi and Milad Goodarzi – who have also previously served time in prison due to their faith – and Alireza’s brother Amir.

According to Middle East Concern, Shahab appeared at a Revolutionary Court in Karaj last month and now awaits a second and final hearing at the sixth branch of the city’s Revolutionary Court.

Alireza and Amir have also been charged with engaging in “propaganda” under the controversially amended Article 500 of the penal code, as has another member of their house-church, Hossein Sha’bani.

Several other families associated with the same house-church, which is part of the “Church of Iran” denomination, have been summoned and interrogated regarding their faith and religious activities since the December arrests.