Case of Three Christian Believers Referred to Rasht Revolutionary Court

Hrana News Agency – The case of Ahmad (Yohanna) Sarparvast, Ayoub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, and Mortaza Hajeb Mashhoud Kari, three Christian believers residing in Rasht, has been referred to the Revolutionary Court of the city.

According to Hrana News Agency, the news outlet of the Iranian Human Rights Activists Network, the case of Ahmad (Yohanna) Sarparvast, Ayoub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, and Mortaza Hajeb Mashhoud Kari, three Christian believers residing in Rasht, has been referred to the Revolutionary Court of the city.

In the issued indictment, these citizens have been accused of charges including propaganda activities against the system and membership in anti-government groups.

Ahmad (Yohanna) Sarparvast, Ayoub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, and Mortaza Hajeb Mashhoud Kari were arrested by security forces in Rasht on the 14th of Shahrivar. Ahmad (Yohanna) Sarparvast and Mortaza Hajeb Mashhoud Kari informed their families via a phone call on Saturday, the 27th of Shahrivar, about their transfer to Lakan Prison in Rasht, and were ultimately released on the 31st of Shahrivar by posting bail of 400 million tomans, temporarily and until the end of legal proceedings. Mr. Pourrezazadeh was also released in early Mehr with a bail of 400 million tomans.

It is reported that the relatives of these citizens were threatened by Sepah intelligence officers regarding the dissemination of information about their loved ones’ conditions. Additionally, one of their relatives and other members of this house church were summoned to the Sepah intelligence office in Rasht and were interrogated.

Ahmad (Yohanna) Sarparvast is 25 years old, Ayoub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh is 28 years old, and Mortaza Hajeb Mashhoud Kari is 38 years old, all Christian believers and residents of Rasht.

It should be noted that although Christians are recognized by law as a religious minority, security agencies pursue the issue of Muslims converting to Christianity with particular sensitivity and employ forcible measures against activists in this field.

Treatment of Christian believers 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, everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and to change religion or belief, as well as the freedom to manifest that religion or belief, individually or in association with others, in public or in private.

Source: Hrana