Three Christian converts arrested last month in the north-western city of Tabriz remain in detention.

Farshid Modares, Mohammad Reza Piri and Yashar Farzin-No were arrested by security forces on 11 July.

There is still no information about the charges they are facing.

Yashar and his wife have previously been threatened by security agents to deny their Christian faith and return to Islam.

In an interview today with Radio Farda, Article18’s advocacy director Mansour Borji explained that at least one of these Christians was beaten during his interrogation, and needed to be treated in hospital for his injuries.

“Since May this year, a significant number of Christian converts in various cities, including Ahvaz, Tehran, Shiraz, Rasht, Isfahan and Tabriz, have been arrested and sentenced,” Mr Borji explained.

“In this period alone, 30 Christians have been sentenced to a combined total of 52 years in prison.

“The number of Christian converts arrested has been higher than reported, and the fate of some of them is unknown.”

Last month, one Christian convert, Mostafa Bordbar, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.