Christian convert Ebrahim Firoozi acquitted of charges
On Sunday, October 26, a court hearing was held to hear the charges against Ebrahim Firouzi, an exiled Christian convert, in Rask city, Sistan and Baluchestan province. Mr. Firouzi was acquitted of the charges. He had previously been summoned to the Rask prosecutor's office by notice.
According to HRANA News Agency, citing Article 18, on Sunday, October 26, 2020, a court hearing was held to investigate the charges against Ebrahim Firouzi, an exiled Christian convert, in Rask County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province.
According to the report, he was acquitted of charges of "insulting sacred things" and "propaganda against the regime through the promotion of Christianity."
HRANA had previously announced the summons of Ebrahim Firouzi to the Rask Prosecutor's Office.
Ebrahim Firouzi was arrested by security forces on March 8, 2012 and sent to Evin Prison. He was sentenced to 1 year in prison and 2 years in exile to Rask city in Sistan and Baluchestan province by the Robat Karim Revolutionary Court on charges of “propaganda against the regime through holding religious classes.” Mr. Firouzi was arrested again on September 15, 2013 and transferred to Rajai Shahr prison. In April 2015, Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Mohammad Moghiseh, sentenced him to 5 years in prison on charges of “forming a group with the intention of disrupting national security,” subject to Article 498 of the Penal Code. This sentence was ultimately upheld by the Court of Appeals, which was convened on January 15, 2016.
This Christian convert was denied access to medical services and leave during his sentence. Prison officials also refused to send Mr. Firouzi on leave after his mother died in December 2018. Mr. Firouzi was finally released from Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj on November 2019, after completing his five-year sentence.
On December 25 of last year, after 7 years in prison, Mr. Firouzi returned to Rask County to serve his exile period and introduced himself.
His exile sentence was again sentenced in May of this year to another 8 months of exile to Sarbaz County by Branch 24 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Mohammad Reza Amouzad, for what was termed “absence” or “forced abandonment of residence.” It should be noted that three months of his exile were considered absence, adding a total of 11 months to his exile.
Ebrahim Firoozi has a history of being arrested and convicted for his beliefs. He is a 35-year-old woodworker from Robat Karim. He was first arrested for his Christian missionary activities in January 2009 after being summoned twice by security agencies and transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj. In this case, he was sentenced to 5 months of imprisonment and 5 months of suspended sentence by the Karaj Revolutionary Court.
Source: HRANA
