Hypocrisy in the Shadow of Repression; From ‘Christ’s Peace’ to Evin Prison

“Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf” speaks of Christ’s peace while Christians in Iran continue to face pressure, detention, repression, exile, and persecution.

As pressures and restrictions against Christians in Iran continue, recent statements by Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, have once again exposed the deep gap between official rhetoric and ground reality. Qalibaf, posting on the social media platform X, commented on the grand funeral ceremony held at the Holy Mary Church in Isfahan for “Hovanes Simonyan,” an Armenian citizen of Isfahan who died during bombardment, writing: “May his noble soul rest in eternal peace in the merciful embrace of Jesus Christ.”

He also described the sacrifice of this Armenian citizen as a symbol of unity among all Iranians in defense of the homeland. This comes while this same government official has long been present in structures that have systematically restricted religious freedoms, particularly for Christians.

According to available reports, at least 16 Christian citizens are imprisoned in Evin Prison due to their religious beliefs and peaceful activities, with the number of detained Christians across the country exceeding 48 individuals. These detentions often occur without judicial transparency and with vague charges such as “actions against national security.”

This situation continues even as officially recognized religious minorities such as Armenians and Assyrians suffer from structural discrimination in areas such as employment, inheritance, and judicial rights. In practice, despite legal recognition, these groups do not enjoy equal rights with other citizens.

Qalibaf, who has a long history in the security and law enforcement structures of the Islamic Republic, both during his command of the police force and in his position as Speaker of Parliament, has played a role in processes that suppress civil liberties. The passage of “Article 500 Repeated” of the Islamic Penal Code during his tenure as Speaker provided new legal tools to pressure religious activists, including Christians.

Multiple reports from the past also show that during his previous positions of responsibility, he played a role in suppressing student protests and has even been accused of issuing harsh orders against protesters—a matter now in stark contradiction with his ostensibly sympathetic language about “Christ’s peace.”

The Islamic Republic not only fails to recognize unofficial Christian citizens, but also targets the connections between them and Armenian and Assyrian Christians with repression. In this context, individuals such as Haigop Gochomian and Joseph Shahbazian have faced heavy prison sentences due to their peaceful religious activities.

Furthermore, during nationwide protests, reports have been published of at least 21 Christian citizens being killed, including Armenians—statistics that show repression is not limited to detention.

Under such circumstances, the occasional references by Islamic Republic officials to religious minorities seem less indicative of a change in approach and more part of a propaganda narrative. Qalibaf himself had previously spoken of all denominations and religious minorities during his election campaign, but these statements have in practice brought about no change in the situation of these groups.

In this regard, Article 18 Organization had previously emphasized in a statement: “We emphasize the urgent necessity of protecting the lives of civilians in our country and other war-affected lands, and we call for ensuring the security of prisoners, particularly prisoners of conscience and political prisoners.”

All this evidence demonstrates that there exists a deep gap between official discourse about unity and peace and the reality of Christians’ lives in Iran—a gap that cannot be bridged with symbolic messages and requires fundamental changes in government policies and approaches.