Temporary Release of Lida Aleksani, Wife of Joseph Shahbazian
Lida Aleksani, wife of Joseph Shahbazian, was temporarily released on heavy bail after one month of detention.
Ministry of Intelligence agents raided Joseph Shahbazian’s home on April 12, 2025 (23rd of Farvardin, 1404) and arrested Lida Aleksani, his wife, with the accompaniment of a female officer, transferring her to Evin Prison. After searching their residence, the agents confiscated some personal belongings of the family.
Lida’s arrest came as Joseph Shahbazian had been held in Evin Prison for three months. Joseph Shahbazian was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents in November 2024 (Bahman 1403). He had previously been imprisoned for one year due to peaceful religious activism.
He was initially held for approximately two months in solitary confinement in Ward 209 before being transferred to Ward 4. Despite a bail of 499 million tomans being set for his release, he remains temporarily detained in Evin Prison. The charges against him include “propaganda against the system and propagandistic activities contrary to sacred Islamic law through the establishment and operation of a house church” and “unlawful acquisition of money through receiving tithes and gifts.”
Now, after one month of Lida Aleksani’s detention, without clarity on the reason for her arrest and the charges against her, she was temporarily released yesterday, Tuesday, May 13, 2025 (23rd of Ordibehesht), on an extremely heavy bail of four billion tomans.
The Islamic Republic regime has repeatedly used the detention of family members of imprisoned Christian citizens as a tool of psychological and political pressure against prisoners of conscience. Amnesty International also submitted multiple reports at the beginning of this month (Ordibehesht) regarding the alarming situation and widespread, systematic violations of human rights in Iran.
