Court Date and Branch Set for Trial of Three Christians

Hrana News Agency – The court hearing regarding charges against Ahmad (Yohanna) Sarparest, Ayoub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, and Morteza Hajeb Mashhoudkari, three Christians residing in Rasht, will be held on the 28th of Bahman at Branch Two of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht City.

According to Hrana News Agency, the news outlet of the Human Rights Activists in Iran collective, the date and branch for the court hearing regarding charges against Ahmad (Yohanna) Sarparest, Ayoub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, and Morteza Hajeb Mashhoudkari, three Christians residing in Rasht, has been determined.
The court hearing regarding charges against these Christians will be held on the 28th of Bahman of this year at Branch Two of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht City, on charges of propaganda activities against the system and membership in groups opposed to the system.
Previously, Hrana had reported on the referral of the case of these three Christians to the Revolutionary Court of Rasht City.
Ahmad (Yohanna) Sarparest, Ayoub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, and Morteza Hajeb Mashhoudkari were arrested by security forces in Rasht on the 14th of Shahrivar. Ahmad (Yohanna) Sarparest and Morteza Hajeb Mashhoudkari informed their families on Saturday, the 27th of Shahrivar, through a phone call about their transfer to Lakan Prison in Rasht, and were ultimately released on the 31st of Shahrivar after posting a bail of 400 million tomans temporarily until the end of the legal proceedings. Mr. Pourrezazadeh was also released in early Mehr after posting a bail of 400 million tomans.
It is reported that the relatives of these citizens were threatened by officials from the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps regarding disclosure of information about their loved ones’ condition. Furthermore, one of their relatives and other members of this house church were summoned to the Intelligence Organization of the Revolutionary Guard in Rasht and interrogated.
Ahmad (Yohanna) Sarparest is 25 years old, Ayoub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh is 28 years old, and Morteza Hajeb Mashhoudkari is 38 years old. They are Christians and residents of Rasht.
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 despite the fact that 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, including the freedom to change religion and to manifest such belief individually or collectively, either publicly or in private.

Source: Hrana