A Tehran appeal court has upheld the convictions of five Christian converts to a combined total of over 40 years in prison on “propaganda” charges related to their religious activities.

Hessamuddin Mohammad Junaidi, Abolfazl Ahmadzadeh-Khajani, Morteza Faghanpour-Saasi and two others who have not been identified were sentenced in July and their convictions upheld yesterday by the 36th Branch of the Tehran Appeal Court.

The five Christians and at least two others were arrested at their homes and workplaces in the cities of Varamin and Pishva, near Tehran, in June 2024, before being detained in Evin Prison for between one and six months.

The Christians were pressured to sign statements recanting their faith in order to receive reductions in their sentences, while at least one of the Christians – Morteza – was physically tortured.

They were eventually released on bail of up to $30,000 each, before being sentenced on 15 July 2025 at the 1st Branch of the Revolutionary Court of Varamin.

The Christians were each sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for “propaganda activity contrary to Islamic law due to overseas connections” and seven months for “propaganda against the system”.

Morteza was given an additional 17-month prison sentence for allegedly insulting Iran’s Supreme Leader on social media. 

All five Christians must appear at a civil court next week to face separate charges of “insulting Islamic sanctities” – for having been present during a Zoom meeting in which a Christian leader living outside Iran is alleged to have said something that was considered to be critical of Islamic beliefs.