Ibrahim Firouzi, Christian Convert, Acquitted of Charges
On Sunday, October 6, a court session was held to address the charges against Ibrahim Firouzi, a Christian convert in exile in Rask County, located in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. In this session, Mr. Firouzi was acquitted of the charges brought against him. He had previously been summoned to the Rask Prosecutor’s Office through a court notice.
According to Hrana news agency, citing Article 18, on Sunday, October 6, 1399 (Persian calendar), a court session was held to address the charges against Ibrahim Firouzi, a Christian convert in exile in Rask County, located in Sistan and Baluchestan Province.
Based on this report, he was acquitted of the charges of “insulting sacred values” and “propaganda against the system through promotion of Christianity.”
Hrana had previously reported on the summons of Ibrahim Firouzi to the Rask Prosecutor’s Office.
Ibrahim Firouzi was arrested by security forces on March 9, 2013, and taken to Evin Prison. He was convicted by the Revolutionary Court of Rbaṭ Karim for “propagandistic activity against the system through the organization of religious classes” to one year of imprisonment and two years of exile to Rask County in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. Mr. Firouzi was arrested again on September 16, 2013, and transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison. In April 2015, Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mohammad Moghiseh, convicted him of “establishing a group with the intent to undermine national security” under Article 498 of the Penal Code to five years of imprisonment. This sentence was ultimately confirmed by the Court of Appeals, which was formed on January 15, 2017.
During his imprisonment, this Christian convert was deprived of access to medical services and furloughs. Prison authorities also refused to grant him furlough following the death of Mr. Firouzi’s mother in December 2018. Mr. Firouzi was finally released from Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj on October 26, 2019, upon the completion of his five-year sentence.
Starting from December 1, 2019, after seven years in prison, Mr. Firouzi reported to Rask County to serve his exile term and introduced himself.
His exile sentence was again extended in May of this year due to what was termed “absence” or “abandonment of mandatory residence,” and Branch 24 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Mohammad Reza Amouzad, sentenced him to an additional eight months of exile to Sarbazan County. It should be noted that three months of his exile were considered as absence, and a total of 11 months were added to his exile.
Ibrahim Firouzi had previously been arrested and convicted due to his beliefs. He is a 35-year-old lathe worker, resident of Rbaṭ Karim, who was first arrested in December 2009 for propagandistic activities in support of Christianity after being summoned twice by security agencies, and was transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj. In this case, he was convicted by the Revolutionary Court of Karaj to five months of imprisonment and five months of suspended imprisonment.
Source: Hrana
