Annual Report: Widespread Persecution of Christians in Iran Continues

An annual report on the status of the Christian community in Iran reveals “punishment for faith” and continued “widespread violations” of their rights in the country, despite “denial” by Islamic Republic authorities.

The authors of this report have written that “varying decisions” regarding cases of Christians charged with identical accusations demonstrate “inconsistencies” that plague Iran’s judicial system, and not only is “progress” not evident in it, but rather decisions depend on the individual opinions of different judges.

The issuance of heavy bail bonds, some of which amount to $220,000 USD, deprivation of all imprisoned Christians from freedom with electronic ankle bracelets, continued detention and baseless accusations against them, harassment of Christians and their forced flight from the country to escape long-term imprisonment and their refuge in neighboring countries despite poor living conditions, are among other instances of discrimination against Iranian Christians reported in the document.

In a recent joint report prepared by several human rights organizations including the international organization “Middle East Concern,” the Christian organization “Open Doors,” and “Article 18,” it is emphasized that Farsi-speaking Christians in the Islamic Republic are “punished” because of their “faith.”

The report states that Christians in Iran are being persecuted while the Islamic Republic’s judiciary, in an official response to senior UN experts in January 2021, claimed: “No one in Iran is persecuted for religious reasons.”

However, the judiciary in the same response explicitly admitted that it takes legal action against members of “hostile groups” and “private churches,” which it has accused of membership in a “Zionist Christian sect” with “anti-security objectives.”

“Harassment, arrest, interrogation and pressure to recant or commit to refraining from meeting with other Christians or participating in Christian activities” are among other matters mentioned in this report.

The report states that if these Christians wish to gather in a space other than official churches under the supervision of authorities “for worship, prayer and studying the Holy Scripture,” they may be accused of “action against security.”

The amendment of Articles 499 and 500 of the Islamic Penal Code in February 2021 and the possibility of sentencing up to five years imprisonment for religious minorities under titles such as “deviant propaganda contrary to the sacred religion of Islam” are among other matters that, according to this report, have resulted in the prosecution of a number of Christians.

The report, while assessing the Iranian Supreme Court’s ruling in November 2021 to review the sentences of nine Christian converts as “positive development,” simultaneously notes that it remains to be seen how the Revolutionary Courts will handle these cases.

The report also commended the ruling of one branch of the Revolutionary Courts in Dezful that considered changing religion by eight Christian converts only from a religious rather than legal perspective as a “crime,” evaluating it positively.

However, according to the report, in the same month, the Supreme Court rejected a request for retrial by a Christian couple who had been sentenced to 10 years in prison for participating in a house church.

The human rights organizations preparing this report have called on the Islamic Republic to immediately and unconditionally release Christians who have been detained based on “fabricated charges related to their faith or religious activities.”

Stopping the criminalization of organizing and membership in house churches, confiscation of church property and seizure of Christian assets, unjust detention of minority followers, and ensuring the right to legal representation for the detained and allowing access to the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran to these cases are among other recommendations and requests in this annual report.

The report also requests that members of the international community, during political-economic negotiations with Islamic Republic officials, demand that they, based on their international obligations, must facilitate and guarantee freedom of thought and religion in the country for everyone.

The issue of continued persecution of religious communities in Iran, including the Christian community, has also been widely reflected in the reports of Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran.

Regarding the number of Christians in Iran, there are multiple statistics. Iran’s state Statistics Center says 117,000 Christians live in Iran, but some estimates suggest that the actual number of Christians is much higher than the official figures.

According to the “World Christian Database,” there are approximately 547,000 Christians in Iran. Another Christian organization called “Elam Ministries” also says there may be between 300,000 to 1 million Christians in Iran.

These statistics are presented while, given the persecution of Christian converts in Iran, the exact number of Christians remains unclear.

Source: Radio Farda