Rejection of the request for conditional release of Naser Navord Goltepe, a Christian imprisoned in Evin Prison
The request for conditional release of Nasser Navord Goltepe, a Christian imprisoned in Evin Prison, was rejected on July 25 and was notified to him in writing in prison. The Supreme Court also rejected his request for a retrial in late September 2020. Mr. Noord Goltapeh was previously sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court, and this sentence was directly confirmed by the Court of Appeal.
According to HRANA News Agency, citing Article 18, the request for conditional release of Naser Navord Goltepe, a Christian imprisoned in Evin Prison, was rejected.
According to the report, the Christian's request for conditional release was rejected in writing on July 1, 2021, without providing a specific reason. Nasser Navord Goltape, who was taking care of his elderly mother before his arrest, has spent the past three years and six months in Evin Prison without leave.
Previously, on September 14, 2020, the Supreme Court rejected Nasser Navord Goltepe's request for a retrial.
Naser Nurd Goltepe, along with three Azerbaijani citizens, were arrested on July 25, 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 convert 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 Appeals, 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.
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 converts 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
