Iranian state media has accused Christians recently arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence of engaging in espionage, in what Article18’s director, Mansour Borji, has called a “clear example of hate speech”.

A video report released over the weekend shows footage of some of the over 50 Christians arrested in recent months attending a gathering in Turkey; screenshots of some of their confiscated items, including New Testaments, other Christian literature and copies of the Alcoholics Anonymous handbook; and alleged surveillance recordings of Bibles being “smuggled” into the country.

The forced confessions of some of the arrested Christians are also included in the report, during which they admit to travelling abroad to receive religious instruction.

 

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It follows an announcement last month by the Ministry of Intelligence that 53 Christians had been arrested on account of their “anti-security activities”.

Reacting to the report, Article18’s director said it was “a very clear example of hate speech – not just against the 50-plus Christians who have been arrested, but against the entire evangelical Christian community, which accounts for the majority of Christians in the country”.

“The clear suggestion being made here is that all evangelical Christians are associates of Mossad,” Mr Borji said, “and the notorious ‘interrogator journalist’ levels all kinds of accusations against these Christians, which have not been proven in any court of law.

“Even if any legal basis existed for the claims, the Christians have yet to have their case heard, and therefore proclaiming their guilt on state TV is a clear violation of their rights as citizens. Arrested Christians are often forced to go on camera to make such statements, but they are rarely shown on national TV, and the accusations being made here are of the most serious kind. If the Iranian government was sure about their accusations, they would allow an international delegation to interview the subjects and find out the truth for themselves.”

The UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech defines hate speech as “any kind of communication in speech, writing or behaviour, that attacks or uses pejorative or discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of who they are, in other words, based on their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, colour, descent, gender or other identity factor.”

“The aim of this propaganda is to tarnish the face of Christians and Christian activities,” Mr Borji said, “and also to appease the authorities. Once again, the Ministry of Intelligence is trying to justify its incompetence in dealing with a conflict with a foreign entity by going after the usual scapegoats: the weakest members in society, including Persian-speaking Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities.

“Obviously, the Islamic Republic has some pre-supposed ideas, an agenda that it wants to frame this group within, and the video seems to be an effort to pick and choose different things to fit this preconceived idea. But one thing the report does not elaborate on is why Christian activity has to be covert and hidden in a country that claims that religious liberty is observed. Why is that Persian-speaking Christians are not provided with a place to worship, so that they would not be forced to conduct their religious gatherings outside of Iran?”

As the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, noted at an event in Geneva earlier this year, Christians are routinely arrested in Iran on charges related to “unsubstantiated national security-related crimes, along with penalties for taking Communion wine, gathering for prayer, Christmas celebrations, and even a picnic, [which] effectively criminalise normal Christian practices and social activity, while restricting the freedoms of association, expression and the right to manifest their religion or belief, even in private”.

In June, five Christians were charged with “gathering and collusion” and “propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran” in an indictment that referred to ordinary Christian acts such as praying and performing baptisms as examples of their alleged crimes. The indictment also referred to the Bible as a “prohibited book”, while in April two Christian converts were sentenced to 12 years each in prison on charges related to their possession of multiple copies of the Christian holy book.