Shirin Ebadi Warns of Escalating Pressure and Confiscation of Iranian Churches by Islamic Republic
Coinciding with the release of reports on increased pressure against the Synod complex of the Evangelical Church of Iran in Tehran, Shirin Ebadi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, warned about what she described as efforts to seize and confiscate one of the oldest Protestant churches in the capital. This warning comes as international bodies have also expressed concern over the mounting pressure on the property, leaders, and members of Iran’s Christian community.
Shirin Ebadi, a human rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize winner, announced through a message on her Telegram channel that the Synod complex of the Evangelical Church of Iran, located on Sittir Street in Tehran, faces the danger of seizure and confiscation. Citing reports she received, she wrote that individuals affiliated with security institutions have threatened church officials and residents of the complex, warning them that if they refuse to hand over the property, they will face arrest and imprisonment. Armenian and Assyrian families living in the complex have also been asked to vacate their residence.
These developments occurred only days after concerns escalated about the situation of historic Christian sites in Iran. The World Council of Churches also issued a statement expressing deep sorrow and serious concern over the destruction of the historic Evangelical Church in Mashhad and reports of increased pressure on the Synod complex of the Evangelical Church in Tehran.
The statement said: “We are particularly concerned about reports indicating that church staff have been threatened with imprisonment. Residents of this complex have been placed under pressure to leave their homes, and requests have been made for the transfer of ownership of church property.”
The World Council of Churches also called on the authorities of the Islamic Republic to immediately halt any measures that could lead to the confiscation, transfer, destruction, or change of use of church properties.
Shirin Ebadi also emphasized in her message that the issue is not limited to a mere property dispute, but is part of a process that, according to her, Iran’s Christian community has faced for years. She pointed to the closure of Persian-speaking churches, pressure on church leaders, detention of Christian citizens, the creation of security cases, and confiscation of property, adding that the scope of these pressures has now extended to historic churches and the residences of Armenian and Assyrian citizens.
Ebadi continued: “The right to worship, the right to property ownership, the right to safe living, and the right to change religion are fundamental human rights, and no government institution has the right to forcibly seize a church, threaten its residents, or eliminate Iran’s Christian community through fear and prosecution.”
In conclusion, she called for the preservation of St. Peter’s Church, an end to pressure on Christian citizens and church leaders, and a halt to the confiscation of Christian property and places of worship. She warned that this process could mark the beginning of a new phase of pressure on religious minorities in Iran.
Meanwhile, the World Council of Churches also called on the global community to take action to protect church premises and safeguard freedom of religion and belief in Iran, while emphasizing that the preservation of these sites is important not only for the Christian community but also for Iran’s historical and cultural heritage.
