Christian citizens arrested in six cities after Iran-Israel ceasefire
Since the ceasefire between Iran and Israel, more than 20 Christian citizens have been arrested in six cities.
According to published reports, since the ceasefire between Iran and Israel, agents of the Ministry of Intelligence have arrested more than 20 Christian citizens in the cities of Tehran, Kerman, Kermanshah, Rasht, Urmia, and Varamin. Information about their identities, status, and whereabouts is still not available.
After their arrest, some of them faced charges of “increasing the punishment of spies and collaborators with the Zionist regime and hostile countries,” a bill recently approved by the Islamic Consultative Assembly and containing nine clauses. According to this bill, “any intelligence, espionage, or operational activity for Israel or other hostile states” is included in the category of “corruption on earth,” which will result in the death penalty.
This resolution has a very broad scope. In addition to the aforementioned matters, any economic, security, financial, technological action or even indirect assistance that leads to strengthening or legitimizing Israel will also be subject to this ruling. The resolution also imposes severe restrictions on media, cultural and political activities.
According to one of the clauses of the aforementioned resolution, “publishing negative news, exaggerating losses, sending videos or photos to opposition media, and any activity that causes division, public fear, or undermines national security are criminalized.” The aforementioned bill, which includes nine clauses, was approved by the Islamic Consultative Assembly on Monday, July 2, but due to some ambiguities, it was returned to the Assembly by the Guardian Council.
One of the ambiguities in this plan is the lack of clarity in the distinction between "hostile states" and "hostile groups," which the Guardian Council has emphasized should be clearly stated as to which official body is responsible for determining the instances of these concepts. Ambiguities that have existed in all government plans and resolutions for years.
Although the Islamic Republic is a signatory to the International Covenant on Human Rights and Article 18 and recognizes religious minorities, it has repeatedly arrested and imprisoned Christian, Baha'i, Jewish citizens, journalists, and civil activists on false charges of "acting against national security" and "propaganda against the system," and then sentenced them to very heavy sentences, including imprisonment, fines, and deprivation of social rights. This is despite the fact that the Supreme Court of Iran declared in 1400 that "propaganda of Christianity and the establishment of a house church" is neither a crime nor a conspiracy to disrupt the security of the country, ambiguities that have always existed and continue to exist.
Now, after more than two weeks of the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, the government of the Islamic Republic has taken action to arrest civil activists, Christian citizens, Baha'is, Jews, and opponents of the regime in various cities in Iran on charges of espionage and collaboration with Israel.
It is worth noting that 57 Iranian lawyers protested the aforementioned resolution and issued a statement calling the plan a "great disaster" for Iran's legal and judicial system.
