Arrest of Christian citizens in Yazd; Repeating the scenario of "security accusations" to suppress faith
In the continuation of the pressure on Iranian Christians, three citizens were arrested in Yazd on charges such as "propagating Christianity" and "acting against security"; charges that have repeatedly been used as a tool to restrict religious freedom.
In the latest wave of crackdowns on Christian citizens in Iran, judicial authorities in Yazd province have announced the arrest of three Christian citizens. They have been arrested on charges of “forming a house church and propagating Christianity,” a charge that has become one of the main focuses of criminal cases against Christians in recent years.
According to a report published in official media, Mehdi Hassanpour, the Public Prosecutor and Revolutionary Prosecutor of Yazd, introduced these individuals as “the main elements of a Christian propaganda network” and announced that their arrest was carried out by a judicial order and by “the unknown soldiers of the Imam of the Time.” According to him, these individuals have set up house churches through two “Christian propaganda centers linked to the Zionist regime” and have attracted a number of people.
These statements were followed by more serious accusations, including “tearing up and burning several volumes of the Quran, insulting holy sites, imams, and Shiite religious sites.” It was also claimed that some of those involved in the case prayed for Israel’s victory, claims that have been repeated in many similar cases without providing independent documentation.
Media outlets close to security agencies have also tried to portray these individuals as extremists, using similar language. One of these reports states: “The leader of this sect in the province first claimed to be chosen by God and then claimed to be a god.” He has also been accused of “numerous abuses of followers,” claims that have previously been made in official narratives to discredit independent religious groups.
However, none of these reports mention the identities of the detainees, their location, or their access to lawyers, ambiguities that raise concerns about the legal and humanitarian situation of these individuals.
The term “Zionist Christianity,” which was also used in this case, is one of the keywords used by the Islamic Republic’s security and judicial apparatus to attribute religious activities to political threats. In many cases, Christian citizens face charges such as “acting against national security” or “being associated with Zionist movements,” charges that have been repeatedly questioned by international human rights organizations.
Reports from religious freedom organizations show that Iran remains one of the countries where conversion and independent religious activity are fraught with the risk of arrest, interrogation, and severe sentences. House churches, often considered the only safe gathering place for citizens, are constantly targeted by security agencies for surveillance and crackdowns.
In such circumstances, many observers believe that making broad and sometimes unprovable accusations is more about controlling the social atmosphere, creating fear, and preventing the spread of different beliefs in Iranian society, rather than being based on evidence.
