Christian Leaders Worldwide Support Freedom Award for Iranian People
The organization “Christian Activists for a Free Iran” has expressed its support in a letter to the “Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom” regarding the foundation’s decision to award the 2026 Freedom Prize to the Iranian people and to have Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi receive it as a trustee. The organization has identified freedom of religion and belief, equality of citizens, and the right to self-determination as fundamental principles for a free future for Iran.
The organization “Christian Activists for a Free Iran,” comprised of clergy, church leaders, and heads of Christian organizations from various countries, has formally expressed its support to the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom regarding the 2026 Freedom Prize decision. According to the foundation, the award is dedicated to the Iranian people and their struggle for freedom, civil rights, and democracy.
According to the foundation’s official announcement, the award ceremony is scheduled for November 7, 2026, at St. Paul’s Church in Frankfurt, Germany, with Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi receiving it on behalf of the Iranian people in his capacity as trustee. The foundation has emphasized that the primary recipient of this award is not an individual, but the Iranian people and those who have paid a price for their freedom and rights.
In the letter from “Christian Activists for a Free Iran,” this decision is described as a tribute to the courage of Iranians who have faced danger, arrest, imprisonment, torture, and repression in their pursuit of freedom and democracy, including those who have lost their lives in this struggle.
Referring to protests in Iran and the suppression of demonstrators, the organization stated that receiving the award on behalf of the people could serve as a tribute to citizens who have taken to the streets to demand their right to political self-determination. However, the true meaning of the award, as the foundation has clarified, is recognition of the collective struggle of the Iranian people—people who hold diverse views about the future form of governance, and for all of them, the right to freely choose their political system must be protected.
A significant portion of the letter is devoted to freedom of religion and belief and the situation of religious minorities in Iran. “Christian Activists for a Free Iran” has expressed support for Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi’s stated positions on the separation of religion from government, equality of citizens’ rights, and ending persecution of religious minorities, including Christians and Bahá’ís.
This emphasis comes at a time when human rights organizations’ reports over the past years have repeatedly warned about restrictions imposed on Christians, particularly converts, as well as pressure and structural discrimination against Bahá’ís in the Islamic Republic. Arrests related to religious activities, pressure on Christian house churches, and limitations on enjoying equal rights are among the issues that have raised concerns for organizations defending freedom of religion and conscience.
From the perspective of this Christian organization, true freedom is realized when no citizen is deprived of equal rights because of their religious beliefs, change of religion, atheism, or political views. This principle, particularly for a society like Iran with religious and intellectual diversity, requires ending all legal and practical discrimination based on belief.
In closing the letter, the organization, while respecting the right to express differing views, has asked the Friedrich Naumann Foundation to remain committed to its announced decision and to hold the ceremony as planned. The authors expressed hope that this award would send a clear message of international solidarity with the Iranian people and support for their right to live in freedom, security, and human dignity.
The importance of such support is not limited to awarding a prize or selecting a representative to receive it. The fundamental issue is drawing the attention of public opinion and international institutions to the rights of people who should be able to decide about their country’s future without fear of repression, including the right to choose or change religious beliefs, freedom of expression, equality before the law, and free participation in determining the political system.
For Christians and other religious minorities in Iran, this demand has a clear meaning: no government should convert its official doctrine into a measure for citizens’ enjoyment of human rights. Freedom of religion and conscience is a universal right, not a privilege that a government can grant to one group or withhold from another.
The 2026 Freedom Prize can be an opportunity to highlight these demands—demands that, beyond political differences, emphasize every Iranian’s right to live freely, enjoy equal rights, and democratically determine their country’s future.
