A Christian convert who had been on hunger strike in Tehran’s Evin Prison for 35 days to protest against the continued persecution of Christians in Iran has suffered a stroke.

Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, who is 63 years old and previously spent nearly five years in prison on account of his Christian faith and activities, was found facedown in his solitary-confinement cell last Monday, 17 March, in Ward 209 of the prison, which is under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence.

He was rushed to the nearby Bani-Hashem Hospital, where he was treated and provided with a range of exercises to help him seek to regain movement in the left-hand side of his body.

Two days later, Nasser was returned to the general ward of Evin Prison, where he remains detained alongside fellow Christian and prisoner of conscience Joseph Shahbazian, who will turn 61 tomorrow.

It had been hoped that both Christians, as well as the recently assaulted Amir-Ali Minaei, might be released in time for the Iranian New Year – a two-week celebration which began last Thursday – but all three remain detained.

Joseph and Nasser, who were re-arrested on 6 February, have been told a bail has been set for their release, but they remain in prison. No official charges have yet been brought against them, but they are due to appear before the prosecutor, where their charges will be read out and they will be permitted to provide their final defence.

Nasser, who has now ended his hunger strike, quoted as his motivation the words of Jesus from John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

He continues to suffer with a lack of movement in his left side.

Meanwhile, there are concerns over the fate of two Christian women who were arrested on the same day as Nasser and Joseph – one of whom, who can only be named as “Aida”, is believed to now be in the women’s ward of Evin Prison.