Geneva meeting on the situation of Christians and the legal obligations of the Islamic Republic
Global Christian organizations held a meeting at the UN headquarters in Geneva on the situation of Christians and the Islamic Republic's legal obligations.
The global Christian organizations "Open Doors", "World Christian Solidarity", "Middle East Watch", and "Article 18" held a meeting on Thursday, February 25, at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, regarding the situation of Christians in Iran. The main focus of the meeting was the seventh annual report of these organizations. The meeting began with the speech of "Mai Sato", the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran.
Speaking at the meeting, Mai Sato expressed concern about the situation of Christians in Iran and said: "The situation of Christians in the Islamic Republic of Iran has always been a sensitive and complex issue. Despite the legal protections declared in the Iranian Constitution, the reality of life for Christians, especially Christian converts, faces serious challenges, and the situation of Christians in the Islamic Republic of Iran is an issue of serious concern and requires our continued attention."
He also pointed out numerous human rights violations against Christians in Iran, emphasizing: "These violations include freedom of religion, expression, security, and minority rights. The violations of rights regarding the Christian community in Iran have been documented in my reports, which include several violations of the Islamic Republic of Iran's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, the right to liberty and security, privacy, and freedom of expression and peaceful assembly."
Mansour Borji, the director of Article 18, also referred to the hacked files of the judiciary by the "Justice Ali" group in his speech at the Geneva meeting and said: "These files, including more than 300 Christians between 2008 and 2023, are recognized as undeniable and impartial documents of human rights violations. These documents provide objective evidence that cannot be ignored and must be seriously addressed by the international community when the Iranian government calls reports of repression fabricated."
"The data contained in these documents show that Iran's judicial and security apparatus systematically acts to suppress the religious freedom of Christians and other minorities."
According to Mansour Borji's statements at this meeting, one of the important revelations in these cases is that the Bible and Christian literature have been referred to as "contraband goods" and "instruments of crime," and in 2023, more than a third of the arrests of Christians were related to the distribution of Bibles.
He also added in his statement: "In the hacked files, Christian worship in house churches has been presented as a threat to national security, while these peaceful gatherings are held solely for religious practices. This rhetoric, rooted in paranoia and unfounded fears, has created a hostile atmosphere that legitimizes repression."
Mr. Borji also continued his remarks regarding the situation of Christians, saying: "These measures highlight the Iranian government's fear of religious diversity. The claim of religious diversity makes sense when individuals are able to freely choose their religion and openly practice their religion. Closed or restricted churches, even if maintained as tourist attractions, are not a sign of religious freedom.
"As members of civil society and the international community, we have a duty to amplify the voices of the oppressed, document their stories, and hold those responsible for these violations accountable. These abuses must not be met with silence. Urgent and effective action by the international community is essential to confront these violations."
Nazila Ghane, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief and a law professor, spoke in a video message about the discriminatory laws used against Christians, especially Articles 498, 499 and 500 of the Islamic Penal Code. She said in her message: “Christian converts are the largest Christian community in Iran, but they are not recognized and are frequently targeted by the authorities. Last year, 96 Christians were sentenced to a total of 246 years in prison, 37 years of internal exile and about $800,000 in fines.”
Catanza Gondi, a director of the World Christian Solidarity Organization, also spoke, citing the annual report, of the Islamic Republic's violation of international obligations towards Christians and its failure to comply with the constitution of the Islamic Republic towards these citizens. Dobrina Bettmerz, a Christian pastor, also spoke at the meeting about the pressure on her family members in Iran, who were pressured by the Islamic Republic's government for holding worship meetings with converts and interrogated in prison, and were forced to leave the country after serving long prison sentences.
