Latest status of two Christian converts imprisoned in Evin Prison
Nasser Navord Goltape, a Christian convert imprisoned in Evin Prison, is deprived of receiving necessary medical care. Mr. Navord Goltape has problems with his mouth and teeth, and Evin Prison officials have so far prevented him from receiving necessary medical care.
This prisoner of conscience has been serving a 10-year prison sentence in Ward 8 of Evin Prison since January 20, 2017. Also, according to another news report, despite the passage of more than 19 months since Hadi Askari's arrest, judicial authorities are refusing to accept the Christian convert's bail and temporarily release him until the appeals court is held. If the judge in the case cooperates, this Christian citizen can be temporarily released from prison until the appeals court is held.
According to HRANA news agency, citing Article 18, Iranian Christian convert Naser Navord Goltepeh is facing many deficiencies and problems in his mouth and teeth and needs to be treated as soon as possible. However, Evin Prison officials have so far prevented the Christian convert from receiving the necessary medical care, regardless of the severe pain, gum infection, and physical condition.
One of Mr. Nord's relatives said: "If Nasser's treatment is delayed, there is a fear that he will lose his teeth completely."
The issue of serious treatment and attention to the health status of prisoners of conscience in Iran is of great concern.
Iranian Christian convert Nasser Navord Goltapeh has been serving a 10-year prison sentence in Ward 8 of Evina Prison since January 20, 2017.
“Nordgoltepe” was arrested along with three Azerbaijani citizens on July 25, 2016, at a private gathering. “Elder Gurbanov, Yusuf Farhadov, and Bahram Nasibov” are members of a church called “Word of Life” in Baku. All four arrested Christians were interrogated in solitary confinement for two months and were eventually charged with “gathering and colluding in missionary activities.” After four months in prison, they were temporarily released from prison on bail of 100 million Tomans. After their release, the three Azerbaijani citizens returned to their country and their families.
Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by “Mashaallah Ahmadzadeh” on June 2, 2017, sentenced this Christian citizen to 10 years in prison. During the trial, the judge cited the report of the Ministry of Intelligence and described the relevant charges as “acting against national security through the formation and operation of an illegal house church organization.” However, the defendant and the lawyers in the case were not allowed access to the relevant report, its contents, and the documents and evidence that were mentioned.
On Sunday, November 11, 2017, the Tehran Court of Appeals, headed by Judge Hassan Babaei, also upheld the 10-year prison sentence for Christian convert Naser Navord Gol Tappeh.
According to the Global Watch List of Persecutions of Christians, published annually by the organization Open Doors, Iran ranks 10th in the world. What makes Iran one of the worst countries in the world for Christians is the government’s blatant violation of the rights of Iranian Christian citizens, especially Christians of Islamic background. Unlike most countries in the region, Christians and other people in Iran often coexist peacefully, and most reports of persecution and abuse have been by the ruling regime and its agencies.
Also, the Article 18 organization's website reported in another news item that it did not agree with the bail application of Hadi Askari, a Christian convert, in the Revolutionary Court.
Despite the passage of more than 19 months since Hadi Asgari's arrest, judicial authorities are refusing to accept the Christian convert's bail and temporarily release him until the appeals court is held.
A close friend of the Christian convert said: "Until recently, Hadi had been unable to secure his hefty bail of 170 million Tomans due to financial incompetence. Now that this problem has been resolved and this bail has been prepared with great effort, the judge in the case has postponed the bail posting process under various pretexts."
In this Christian convert's last attempt before Nowruz, court officials stated that they would not address the matter until April 10. Thus, Hadi Asgari has been deprived of temporary freedom during Nowruz and being with his family at the beginning of the New Year.
If the judge in the case cooperates, this Christian citizen (Hadi Asgari) can be temporarily released from prison until the appeals court is held.
Hadi Asgari was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Judge Ahmadzadeh on July 3, 2017, in Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran, on charges of "acting against national security by establishing house churches and propagating Christianity." He will also not have the right to leave the country for two years after serving his sentence.
Hadi Asgari, along with another Christian convert, Amin Afshar Naderi, who has been sentenced to 15 years in prison, recently went on a hunger strike in Evin Prison due to the lack of progress in their case. Amin Afshar Naderi is currently temporarily out of prison on bail.
Hadi Asgari and Amin Afshar Naderi were arrested on September 26, 2016 (equivalent to August 26, 2016) along with 13 other citizens in Firuzkooh and spent 82 days in solitary confinement in Ward 209. After that, these two Christian converts were transferred to the 4th Training Center of Evin Prison.
Despite the claims of the Hassan Rouhani government and its emphasis on citizen rights, the security approach, arbitrary arrests, repression, and pressure on Persian-speaking Christians continue, and last year we witnessed a new wave of violence and heavy prison sentences against Iranian Christians.
This is despite the fact that Hassan Rouhani has repeatedly emphasized the observance of citizens' rights in his slogans, both before and after the government was formed, and has also published a charter entitled "Citizens' Rights Charter" in this regard, but these slogans have so far remained just slogans!
Article 10 of the Charter of Civil Rights states: “Insulting, denigrating, or inciting hatred against ethnicities, followers of religions, sects, and various social and political groups is prohibited.”
Article 99 of this charter also states: “Citizens have the right to enjoy the necessary facilities to participate in their cultural life and to associate with other citizens, including in establishing organizations, associations, and holding religious and ethnic rituals and cultural customs in compliance with the laws.”
Article 26 of the Constitution explicitly emphasizes the freedom of activity of religious minorities, stating: "Parties, associations, political and trade associations, and Islamic associations or recognized religious minorities are free, provided that they do not violate the principles of independence, freedom, national unity, Islamic standards, and the foundation of the Islamic Republic. No one may be prohibited from participating in them or forced to participate in any of them."
Source: HRANA
