Conviction of “Morteza Faqanpour Sasi,” Christian Citizen, to More Than Eight Years in Prison
A sentence of approximately 9 years in prison for “Morteza Faqanpour Sasi” demonstrates that the Islamic Republic, instead of adhering to international human rights conventions on freedom of conscience, has intensified the suppression of Christian citizens.
Morteza (Calvin) Faqanpour Sasi, a Christian citizen residing in Varamin, was sentenced to eight years and eleven months in prison by the Revolutionary Court of the city under the presidency of Judge Ashkan Ramesh. His charges are listed as “deviant propagandistic activity with foreign connections” and “insulting the Supreme Leader.”
A source close to his family stated: “Matters such as distributing Christian books, participating in online theology classes from outside the country, and publishing a caricature of the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader have been cited as examples of crimes against him.”
Another case against him with the charge of “insulting sacred values” has also been opened in Criminal Court Two of Varamin, with a hearing scheduled for September 7.
Following his arrest, Faqanpour was held in Evin Prison for months under repeated interrogations and remained in detention for four months until his temporary release. Previously, Hossam al-Din (Yahya) Mohammad Jannati, another Christian citizen residing in Varamin, had been sentenced to more than eight years in prison.
This new verdict once again reveals the true face of the Islamic Republic toward religious minorities. Iran is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which explicitly emphasizes in Articles 18 and 27 the freedom of conscience, the right to change religion, and the protection of religious minorities.
However, the harsh reality is that the Islamic Republic, instead of respecting these commitments, has for years continued to systematically violate religious freedom through the detention, imprisonment, and deprivation of Christian citizens. Even completely peaceful activities such as possessing the Bible, participating in religious classes, or home worship are met with security labels and serious charges.
The harsh conviction of Morteza Faqanpour Sasi and Yahya Mohammad Jannati demonstrates that Iran not only fails to honor its international commitments but also uses its judicial system as a tool to intimidate and suppress Christian minorities.
