Pastor Farshid Fathi was sentenced to another year in prison on Monday morning, 29 December, for alleged possession of alcohol.

His sentencing took place at Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, and was presided over by Judge Salavati.

Farshid, who denied the allegations, was already serving a six-year jail sentence for “acting against national security, communicating with foreign organisations and promoting Christianity”.

He was first arrested in December 2010 and has been in prison ever since, being held first in Tehran’s Evin Prison and subsequently Rajaei Shahr Prison in Karaj.

His additional jail term comes just a few months after Farshid was among 30 prisoners of conscience badly beaten by prison guards in Ward 350 of Evin Prison.

At least four prisoners, including Farshid, suffered such serious injuries that they had to be transferred to hospitals outside of the prison.

Farshid was sent to Taleghani Hospital in Tehran on 31 April for treatment on a fractured toe.

The attack was widely condemned by international organisations, but prison authorities denied wrongdoing and sought to pin the blame on the prisoners.

Farshid, who is 35, was first arrested on 26 December 2010, as one of many Christians arrested in raids on house-churches across the country. Many of the others who were arrested were released after promising not to participate in any further Christian activities. However, Farshid would not make any such promise and has been detained ever since.