A 61-year-old Christian convert is free after nearly two years in prison on charges related to her leadership of a house-church.

Mina Khajavi, who suffers from arthritis and was denied medical care during her imprisonment, was released from Evin Prison on Monday after completing her sentence, which had been reduced earlier this year from six years to two and takes into account time spent in detention following her initial arrest in 2020.

She was sentenced in 2022 alongside another female convert to Christianity, Malihe Nazari, who also received a six-year sentence, and their Iranian-Armenian pastor, Joseph Shahbazian, who received a 10-year sentence.

Malihe and Joseph began serving their sentences in August 2022 and were granted early release in April and September 2023, respectively. However, Joseph was re-arrested in February 2025 and remains in Evin Prison, facing fresh charges of “gathering and collusion” and “propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

Mina’s own summons to prison was delayed after she was run over by a car, after which metal plates had to be fitted in her ankle. 

She had not yet fully recovered by the time she was forced to submit herself to Evin Prison in January 2024, a month after her 60th birthday.

Mina struggled with pain during her imprisonment and was unable to access the medical care she required, being given only occasional painkillers and no other treatment.

She found it particularly difficult climbing up to the second level of a bunk-bed in her cell to sleep at night.

Prior to her imprisonment, Mina had been scheduled to undergo an operation on her ankle, but she was not able to attend.