Three Christian Citizens Released from Lakan Prison in Rasht
Three Christian citizens have been released from Lakan Prison in Rasht and will serve the remainder of their sentences outside of prison.
Ahmad Sarparast (Yohanna), Ayyub Pourrazazadeh (Farzin), and Morteza Hajeb-Mashhoudkari are three members of a house church in Rasht who were arrested in Farvardin 1401 for peaceful religious activities and were each sentenced to 5 years in prison. These individuals have now been granted permission to be released from prison and serve the remainder of their sentences outside of detention.
These three Christian citizens were convicted under Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code on charges of “deviant propagation and educational activities contrary to the sacred law of Islam” through establishing a house church, a law that the UN Human Rights Committee has called on the Islamic Republic government to amend or repeal.
The aforementioned citizens, whose release is conditional, must report to Lakan Prison in Rasht from approximately 7 a.m. to around 5 p.m. each day to work in a factory located near the prison.
It should be noted that according to reports from “Article 18,” at least 106 Christians were arrested following raids by security forces on Christian homes and house churches in various cities during the past summer, with at least 4 of them still remaining in prison and many others sentenced to 5 years in prison on charges of religious activities.
Unfortunately, the publication of news regarding the victims of these raids, their families, and the associated house churches is not possible due to concerns for their personal safety.
