Court session held to address charges against 7 Christian citizens

Harana News Agency – A court session was held by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to address charges against 7 Christian citizens named Joseph Shahbazian, Salar Eshragh Moghadam, Farhad Khazaei, Somayeh Sadeghi, Massoumeh Ghasemi, Mina Khajavi Ghomi, and Malihe Nazari.

According to Harana News Agency citing Mohebat News, the court session to address charges against 7 Christian citizens was held. According to Harana News Agency citing Mohebat News, the court session to address charges against 7 Christian citizens was held.

Based on this report, on Sunday, June 8, 2022 (8 Khordad 1401), the court session for Joseph Shahbazian, Salar Eshragh Moghadam, Farhad Khazaei, Somayeh Sadeghi, Massoumeh Ghasemi, Mina Khajavi Ghomi, and Malihe Nazari was held by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

Harana had previously reported on April 11, 2022 (22 Ordibehesht 1401) the scheduling of a hearing for the cases of Joseph Shahbazian, Somayeh (Sonya) Sadeghi, and Mina Khajavi Ghomi.

Shortly before, an indictment against these three Christian citizens was issued and their cases were referred to Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. The charges brought against these individuals were described as “forming a group with the aim of undermining national security, actions against national security through promoting evangelical Christianity and establishing house churches.”

Among them, Joseph Shahbazian, a 57-year-old Armenian citizen, was arrested in June 2020 along with several Christian believers during a religious ceremony in the Yaft Abad area of Tehran. In August 2020, Shahbazian was temporarily released on a two billion toman bail. Somayeh Sadeghi and Mina Khajavi Ghomi were also among those detained and were temporarily released on bail.

Previously, Iman Soleimani, the lawyer defending these three Christian citizens, stated that “despite repeated requests and orders from the prosecutor of Branch 3 of Evin Security Court, the case officers are refusing to execute the prosecutor’s orders and withholding the defendants’ personal belongings and even their families’ items such as mobile phones, laptops, and other items. Additionally, Joseph Shahbazian’s passport has also been confiscated by the enforcement officers.”

Also, Massoumeh Ghasemi, a Christian citizen and mother of Somayeh (Sonya) Sadeghi, was previously arrested on July 1, 2020, when she went to Evin Prison Court one day after her daughter’s arrest to inquire about her condition, and was transferred to the prison detention center. These two Christians were temporarily released on July 9 after posting bail.

Furthermore, Malihe Nazari, another Christian citizen, was previously arrested on June 30, 2020, by security forces at her residence in Tehran and was transferred on July 22 from Evin Prison to Qarchak Prison in Varamin after being unable to pay the high bail amount set for her.

She was ultimately temporarily released in early September 2020 after posting bail and pending the completion of legal proceedings from Qarchak Prison in Varamin.

Source: Harana