An Iranian Christian who fled after being sentenced to 10 years in prison for his membership of a house-church has been detained after being deported back to Iran from Turkey.

Mehran Shamloui, who is 37 years old, fled Iran earlier this year after he and two other Christian converts were sentenced to a combined total of over 40 years in prison for their religious activities.

However, Mehran decided not to apply for refugee status in Turkey and instead attempted to cross the border into Europe, but he was caught, detained and last night flown back to Mashhad, whereupon he was taken into police custody.

Article18’s sources understand that Mehran decided against applying for refugee status in Turkey, having seen so many other Iranian Christians spend years awaiting resettlement only to see their applications rejected.

Three days of mourning are currently underway in Iran, and it is expected that Mehran will be transferred soon afterwards to a prison in Tehran to begin his sentence.

Mehran and the other two Christians, Abbas Soori and pregnant Narges Nasri, 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.

Their sentencing was pronounced on 8 March by notorious Revolutionary Court judge Iman Afshari.

Narges, who turns 38 this month, 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 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.

Their appeals were rejected in April, “in view of the scope of their activities, and their harmful effects”. But by this time, the three Christians had already fled the country.