Case of Naser Nord Gol-Tappeh, Christian Believer, Referred to Supreme Court
Hrana News Agency – The case of Naser Nord Gol-Tappeh, a Christian believer imprisoned in Evin Prison, has been referred to Branch 9 of the Supreme Court of Iran. Previously, on December 12, Iman Soleimani, the defense lawyer for this citizen, had filed a request for retrial. Mr. Nord Gol-Tappeh has been serving his 10-year prison sentence in Evin Prison since December 1396.
According to Hrana News Agency, citing Article 18, the case of Naser Nord Gol-Tappeh, a Christian believer imprisoned in Evin Prison, has been referred to Branch 9 of the Supreme Court of Iran.
His case has been transferred to this branch following extensive follow-ups for the purpose of retrial.
On Sunday, December 12, Iman Soleimani, the defense lawyer for this citizen, again filed a request for his retrial. Mr. Soleimani stated in this regard to Hrana: “The request for retrial of Mr. Nord Gol-Tappeh was filed based on the cases of my other clients, including 9 Christian believers who were recently released from Evin Prison.” In an unprecedented ruling of the Supreme Court of Iran, it was stated that proselytizing Christianity and establishing home churches are not crimes or conspiracy to undermine national security.
Last year, the Supreme Court of Iran rejected Mr. Nord Gol-Tappeh’s request for retrial. Similarly, in June of this year, his request for conditional release was rejected once again. This occurred despite him having already served more than one-third of his prison sentence.
Mr. Nord Gol-Tappeh, along with three citizens from Azerbaijan, was arrested on June 25, 1395, at a private gathering. “Eldar Qurbanov, Yusuf Farhadov, and Behram Nasibov” are members of a church organization named “Word of Life” in Baku. All four arrested Christians were held in solitary confinement for two months under interrogation and, after four months, were temporarily released from prison on a bail bond of 100 million tomans. The three Azerbaijani citizens returned to their country after their release.
This Christian believer was ultimately sentenced by Branch 26 of Tehran Revolutionary Court, headed by Mashalah Ahmadzadeh, to 10 years of imprisonment on charges of “acting against national security through forming and establishing illegal home church organizations.” This verdict was confirmed as is on November 12, 1396, by the Court of Appeal, headed by Judge Hassan Babaei.
Naser Nord Gol-Tappeh has been serving his 10-year prison sentence in Ward 8 of Evin Prison since December 30, 1396.
This Christian believer, despite suffering from dental disease and needing glasses due to vision weakness, has been deprived of medical care.
Naser Nord Gol-Tappeh, who had cared for his elderly mother before his arrest, has spent nearly 4 years in Evin Prison without any leave. This summer, the mother of this Christian believer requested her son’s release through the release of a video.
It should be noted that although, according to law, Christians are recognized as a religious minority, security agencies pursue the issue of Muslims converting to Christianity with particular sensitivity and deal forcefully with activists in this field.
Treatment of Christians in Iran occurs while, according to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, every person has the right to freedom of religion and to change religion through belief, as well as freedom to express it individually or collectively, publicly or privately.
Source: Hrana
