Christian prisoner of conscience Farshid Fathi’s appeal against an extra year in prison has been rejected.

The Christian convert was sentenced to the extra year in prison, as well as 74 lashes and a 200,000 toman fine (around $70), in December 2014 for alleged possession of alcohol.

He has always denied the claim, but his appeal has now been rejected by a Karaj appeal court.

Farshid has already served over four years of a separate six-year sentence for “acting against national security, communicating with foreign organisations and promoting Christianity”.

He now faces the prospect of remaining in prison until 2017.

Farshid was last year transferred from Evin Prison in Tehran to Karaj’s Rajaei Shahr Prison.

He and another Christian prisoner of conscience, Alireza Seyyedian, were recently moved to Hall 2, Ward One of the Karaj prison, where they are reportedly incarcerated alongside criminal prisoners, in violation of their right to be imprisoned alongside only other fellow prisoners of conscience.

Farshi 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.