Unjust Conviction of “Morteza Faghanpour Sassi,” a Christian Citizen, Due to His Faith in Iran
“Morteza Faghanpour Sassi,” a Christian citizen residing in Varamin, was sentenced to approximately 9 years in prison after arrest, torture, and a six-month detention period.
Morteza Faghanpour Sassi (Calvin), a Christian citizen from Varamin, was sent to prison yesterday, Monday, November 12, to serve his sentence. This citizen spent six months in detention before trial, during which he was tortured, and is now sentenced to approximately nine years in prison as a punitive measure.
He was one of at least seven Christian citizens arrested in June of last year in the cities of Varamin and Pishva. These individuals were held in Evin Prison wards for between one to six months.
The first branch of Varamin’s Revolutionary Court issued verdicts for five members of this group in July 1404 (2025). The sentence for Faghanpour Sassi includes 8 years and 11 months of imprisonment, with the majority (7 years and 6 months) charged with “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law due to connections outside the country” and the remainder (17 months) charged with “insulting the Leader of the Islamic Republic” through posts on social media.
Reports indicate that charges against him included matters such as “illegal distribution of books related to Christianity,” “participation in foreign virtual universities for the purpose of learning how to evangelize and promote Christianity,” and “publishing a derogatory caricature insulting the Leader of the Islamic Republic.”
It has also been reported that on June 23, while he was working on the street, security agents arrested him, then raided his home and confiscated Bibles, promotional publications, mobile phones, and images of Jesus Christ and a cross from his wall.
According to sources related to Article 18 organization, during 20 days of detention in ward 209 of Evin Prison (under the supervision of the Ministry of Intelligence), he was tortured. Before that, he spent one month in ward 240 and then, due to inability to pay bail, spent four months in ward 8 of Evin Prison.
The first branch of Varamin’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge “Ashkan Ramesh,” convicted Morteza Faghanpour Sassi on July 25, 1404 (2025), citing Articles 500, 500 repeated, and 514 of the Islamic Penal Code.
The issuance of this verdict provoked considerable international reactions. The chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom expressed outrage at the issuance of harsh sentences against this group of Iranian Christian citizens on charges of “propaganda activities” due to their religious beliefs. “Vocke Hartzler” posted on the social media platform X: “Their fate demonstrates that Iranian Christians are at serious risk due to their religious beliefs and conversion from Islam.”
In a broader examination, human rights organizations and even the United Nations have repeatedly criticized the use of legal provisions such as Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code, which is often applied against religious minorities and especially Christian citizens, and have called for its repeal or revision.
This case is an example of severe pressure on religious minorities in Iran, particularly those who have converted from Islam to Christianity or participate in independent religious activities. The use of charges such as “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law” and “connections outside the country” in this case is consistent with international reports stating that the religious activities of groups that deviate from the majority religion are subjected to surveillance and persecution.
The lengthy pre-trial detention, torture in detention facilities, and the issuance of a harsh sentence all demonstrate violations of fair trial principles and religious freedoms. International reporting on this issue could increase pressure on Iranian authorities to reconsider this approach; however, experience shows that such sentences are usually accompanied by domestic resistance.
