Prison sentences of two more Christian believers implemented in Iran

Human rights groups reported on Wednesday that two Christian believers in Iran have been sentenced to prison terms based solely on their religious beliefs, after their appeals for a retrial were rejected.

According to a report by HRANA News Agency, Hadi Rahimi was sentenced to four years in prison and Sakineh Behjati to two years in prison, of which Mr. Rahimi has been serving in Evin Prison since last month.

The report states that Ms. Behjati has been summoned following the decision of Branch 9 of the Supreme Court to reject her request for a retrial to serve her two-year sentence.

These two Christian believers were convicted in August 2020 by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on charges including "membership in a group or groups with the aim of disrupting the country's security."

The issue of the ongoing persecution of religious communities in Iran, including the Christian community, has been widely reflected in the reports of Javed Rahman, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran.

Recently, an annual report on the status of the Christian community in Iran was published, indicating the continued "widespread violation" of their rights in the country despite the "denial" of the Islamic Republic's authorities.

Source: Radio Farda