Arrest of a Christian Believer in Karaj
Kiarash Alizadeh Pour, spokesperson for “Article 18 Organization for Defense of Freedom of Religion and Belief in Iran,” told Radio Farda, “On March 2, 2018, when Christian believer Aziz Majidizadeh was present in a workshop near Karaj where his friends worked, security forces raided the workshop and arrested him and his other friends.”
According to the Article 18 website, “Security forces, while arresting approximately 20 Christian citizens present at the location, also confiscated some of their personal belongings including mobile phones and laptops. After initial interrogations, most of the individuals who were arrested at that location were released, but Aziz Majidizadeh remains in detention. No information has been received from his place of detention so far.”
In recent months, a number of evangelical Christians have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
In many cases, the charge against these individuals was stated as “action against national security through establishing and participating in house churches.”
Mansour Borji, from Article 18 Organization, had previously told Radio Farda in an interview that these charges were “baseless” and indicative of the Islamic Republic’s security approach toward religious minorities.
Mr. Borji also stated that the treatment of Christian believers is carried out with political objectives and these actions are contrary to legal standards.
Since the victory of the February 1979 Revolution, at least six church leaders have been killed in Iran and hundreds of Christians have been interrogated and imprisoned. Furthermore, printing the Christian Bible in the Persian language has been banned, some churches have been closed, and Christian worship services in the Persian language have been prevented.
Source: Radio Farda
