Appeal Court: Two Christians Sentenced to Total of 11 Years Imprisonment
In December of this year, Sara Ahmadi and Homayoun Zhaveh, two Christians, were sentenced by Tehran Province’s Appeal Court to a combined total of 11 years imprisonment. Additionally, these individuals were sentenced to supplementary punishments including a two-year ban on leaving the country and membership in political parties and social groups, as well as providing free public services to individuals with intellectual disabilities for 6 months, comprising 4 hours per day. They had previously been sentenced by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court in the first instance in November of this year to a combined total of 14 years imprisonment.
According to a report by HRANA news agency citing Article 18, Tehran Province’s Appeal Court on December 9, 2020 sentenced Sara Ahmadi and her husband Homayoun Zhaveh, two Christians, to a combined total of 11 years imprisonment.
Based on this ruling, Ms. Ahmadi was sentenced to 8 years imprisonment on charges of disrupting national security through running congregations, semi-congregations and illegal groups of “Zionist evangelical Christianity,” while Mr. Zhaveh was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment on charges of actions against national security through membership in “Zionist evangelical Christianity.” These Christians were also sentenced to supplementary punishments including a two-year ban on leaving the country and membership in political parties and social groups, as well as providing free public services to individuals with intellectual disabilities for 6 months, comprising 4 hours per day.
Sara Ahmadi and Homayoun Zhaveh were sentenced by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court in the first instance on November 12, 2020, under the presidency of Judge Iman Afshari, to 11 and 3 years imprisonment respectively.
It is reported that the aforementioned court has sent the issued rulings to Branch 11 of the Criminal Execution Department at “Shahid Moghaddes Evin” prison.
These two Christians were arrested on June 15, 2020 in Amol following a search of their rented residential and recreational property by security officials.
Ms. Ahmadi was eventually released from Evin prison on a bail of 300 million tomans. Mr. Zhaveh was also released from Evin prison on August 25, 2020 upon posting a bail of 200 million tomans.
Sara Ahmadi, a Christian born in 1978, and her husband Homayoun Zhaveh, born in 1958, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, reside in Tehran.
