Referral of the case of Nasser Navord Goltepe, a Christian believer, to the Supreme Court
HRANA News Agency – The case of Nasser Nord-Goltape, a Christian believer imprisoned in Evin Prison, was referred to Branch 9 of the Supreme Court. Earlier, on January 3, Iman Soleimani, the citizen’s defense lawyer, had filed a request for his retrial. Mr. Nord-Goltape has been serving his 10-year sentence in Evin Prison since January 2017.
According to HRANA News Agency, citing Article 18, the case of Naser Navord Goltepe, a Christian believer imprisoned in Evin Prison, was referred to Branch 9 of the Supreme Court.
His case has been transferred to this branch for retrial after extensive follow-up.
On Sunday, January 2, the citizen’s lawyer, Iman Soleimani, filed a new request for his retrial. Mr. Soleimani told HRANA in this regard: “The request for Mr. Nord Goltepe’s retrial was made based on the cases of my other clients, including nine Christian believers who were recently released from Evin Prison.” The Supreme Court’s unprecedented ruling stated that preaching Christianity and forming a house church are not crimes and are not collusion to disrupt security.
Last year, the Supreme Court rejected Mr. Nord-Goltepe's request for a retrial. In July of this year, his request for parole was rejected again. This was despite the fact that he had already served more than a third of his sentence.
Mr. Nurd Gultepe was arrested along with three Azerbaijani citizens on July 26, 2016, at a private gathering. “Elder Gurbanov, Yusuf Farhadov, and Bahram Nasibov” are members of the “Word of Life” church in Baku. All four arrested Christians were interrogated in solitary confinement for two months and were temporarily released from prison after four months on bail of 100 million Tomans. The three Azerbaijani citizens returned to their country after their release.
This Christian believer was ultimately sentenced to 10 years in prison by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, headed by Mashaallah Ahmadzadeh, on the charge of "acting against national security by forming and operating an illegal house church organization." This sentence was confirmed by the Court of Appeal, headed by Judge Hassan Babaei, on November 11, 2017.
Naser Navord Goltapeh has been serving a 10-year prison sentence in Ward 8 of Evin Prison since January 20, 2017.
This Christian believer has been denied medical attention despite suffering from oral and dental disease and needing glasses due to poor eyesight.
Nasser Navord Goltepe, who was caring for his elderly mother before his arrest, has spent nearly four years in Evin Prison without leave. This summer, the Christian's mother released a video calling for her son's release.
It is worth noting that despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority by law, the security services follow the issue of Muslims converting to Christianity with particular sensitivity and deal with activists in this field with force.
The treatment of Christians in Iran is taking place despite the fact that, according to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, everyone has the right to freedom of religion and to change their religion with conviction, as well as the freedom to manifest it, individually or in community with others and in public or private.
Source: HRANA
