Four Christian believers arrested by security forces in Rasht
Last night, Behnam Akhlaqi, Babak Hosseinzadeh, Ayub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, and Ahmad (Yuhna) Al-Sharq, Christian believers living in Rasht, were arrested by IRGC intelligence agents at their home and taken to an unknown location. Security forces also failed to arrest Morteza Hajeb Mashhud Kari because he was not at home.
According to HRANA News Agency, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, on Sunday night, May 8, 2022, Behnam Akhlaqi, Babak Hosseinzadeh, Ayub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, and Ahmad (Yuhna) Al-Sharq, Christian believers living in Rasht, were arrested by IRGC intelligence agents in their home and taken to an unknown location.
Also, the security forces failed to arrest Morteza Hajeb Mashoudkari because he was not at home. Iman Soleimani, the lawyer defending this Christian citizen, told HRANA in this regard: “They had informed him by phone that if he did not go to the IRGC Intelligence Organization, he would be arrested. When Mr. Hajeb Mashoudkari went to the prosecutor’s office, it was revealed that a new case had been opened for them in Branch 4 of the investigation. The rest of the families of these citizens have also not been informed about their arrest, which has caused them concern.”
Behnam Akhlaqi and Babak Hosseinzadeh have also been previously arrested and convicted. They, along with seven other Christian believers, were sentenced to five years in prison by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Mohammad Moghiseh. In March of last year, Branch 34 of the Tehran Provincial Court of Appeal acquitted these citizens of the charges.
Ayub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, Ahmad (Yuhanna) Sarwar, and Morteza Hajeb Mashoudhkari were also sentenced to 5 years and 1 day in prison and 180 million rials in cash fines by the Rasht Revolutionary Court in April of this year on charges including “forming a house church, propagandizing against the regime, and having relations with Zionist missionaries and the Branhamist sect abroad.” Their appeal hearing will be held on June 2nd at Branch 18 of the Gilan Provincial Court of Appeal.
Ahmad (Yuhanna) Sahabi, 25, Ayub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, 28, and Morteza Hajeb Mashhoud Kari, 38, are Christian believers and residents of Rasht. Behnam Akhlaqi and Babak Hosseinzadeh are also members of a house church called the "Church of Iran" in the city of Rasht.
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 Christian believers 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 in private.
Source: HRANA
