Continued Detention of Newlywed Christian Couple in Tehran
Sara Naemati and Mehrdad Hooshmand, a newlywed Christian couple arrested on September 20 in Tehran, remain in uncertain conditions in Evin Prison.
According to Hrana news agency, the news organ of the Iranian human rights activists collective, security forces in Tehran arrested Sara Naemati and Mehrdad Hooshmand, a newly converted Christian couple, after summoning them to the follow-up office of the Information Bureau in the city. These new Christian converts are accused of conducting a burial ceremony according to Christian rites and customs at Behesht Zahra Cemetery.
Despite more than ten days passing since the arrest of these individuals, their fate remains shrouded in uncertainty. At the time of this report, only Ms. Naemati has been allowed brief contact with her family, in which she stated that both she and her husband are in detention and that they are currently “undergoing interrogations.”
Hrana previously reported that on September 19 of the current year, while a burial ceremony was being held in section 300 of Behesht Zahra Cemetery, Mehrdad Hooshmand and his wife Sara Naemati, as new Christian converts, participated in the ceremony.
During the ceremony, these two new Christian converts conducted the service and prayers according to their religious method.
An informed source explained to Hrana reporter: “During the ceremony, strangers appeared at the scene and filmed Mr. Hooshmand and his wife during the service. They apparently demanded and confiscated Mr. Hooshmand’s identification documents after the ceremony ended.”
According to this informed source, the day after the ceremony, this Tehran resident and his wife were summoned to the follow-up office of the Information Bureau to return the documents and answer some questions.
After several hours of interrogation at the same location, Mehrdad Hooshmand and Sara Naemati were arrested and subsequently transferred to Evin Prison.
It should be noted that although the Constitution of the Islamic Republic names Christianity as one of the official religions of the country, the security apparatus deals with Muslims who change their religion and convert to Christianity.
Source: Hrana
