Determining the time and branch of the Court of Appeal for Three Christian Believers in Rasht
HRANA News Agency – The appeals court hearing for Ahmad (Yuhanna) Safar, Ayub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, and Morteza Hajeb Mashhoudkari, three Christian believers living in Rasht, will be held on Monday, June 2, at Branch 18 of the Gilan Provincial Appeals Court. These citizens were previously sentenced to 5 years and one day in prison and a fine in the initial stage.
According to HRANA News Agency, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, the time and branch of the appeals court hearing for Ahmad (Youhana), the supervisor, Ayoub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, and Morteza Hajeb Mashhudkar, have been set.
According to a recently issued notice sent to Iman Soleimani, the defense attorney for these individuals, the appeals court hearing for these three Christian believers will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 2, at Branch 18 of the Gilan Provincial Court of Appeal.
Ahmad (Yuhanna) Sarwar, Ayub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, and Morteza Hajeb Mashoudhkari were each sentenced to 5 years and one day in prison and a fine of 180 million rials by the Rasht Revolutionary Court in April of this year on charges including “forming a house church, propagandizing against the regime, having ties with Zionist missionary agents and the Branhamist sect abroad,” pursuant to Article 500 of the Criminal Code.
Previously, Iman Soleimani, the lawyer defending these citizens, told HRANA regarding the verdict issued by the Rasht Revolutionary Court: “The process of handling this case was illegal and under pressure from the bailiffs, influencing the investigating judge, and creating chaos and chaos in order to achieve their goal of convicting the clients. According to the contents of the case, the clients not only did not commit a crime that deserves punishment according to Article 500 of the Criminal Code, but they were also oppressed based on the principle of freedom of belief and the prohibition of inquisition and narrow interpretation of criminal laws, and they certainly would not be convicted in a fair trial.”
In February 1402, the case of Ahmad (Yuhanna) Sarwar, Ayub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, and Morteza Hajeb Mashhudkari was sent to the city's Revolutionary Court.
Ahmad (Youhanna) Sarwar, Ayub (Farzin) Pourrezadeh and Morteza Hajeb Mashoudhkari were arrested by security forces in Rasht on September 4, 1400. On Saturday, September 17, 1400, Ahmad (Youhanna) Sarwar and Morteza Hajeb Mashoudhkari announced to their families during a phone call that they were being transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht, and were finally released from this prison on September 21, 1400, after posting a bail of 400 million Tomans, temporarily pending the completion of the trial. Mr. Pourrezadeh was also released in early October 1400 after posting a bail of 400 million Tomans.
It is said that the relatives of these citizens were threatened by IRGC intelligence agents for reporting the condition of their loved ones. In addition, one of their relatives and other members of the house church were summoned to the IRGC Intelligence Department in Rasht and interrogated.
Ahmad (Yuhanna) Suhail, 25, Ayub (Farzin) Pourrezazadeh, 28, and Morteza Hajeb Mashoud Kari, 38, are Christian believers and citizens living in Rasht.
It is worth noting that despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority by law, the security services follow the issue of Muslims converting to Christianity with particular sensitivity and deal with activists in this field with force.
The treatment of Christian believers in Iran is taking place despite the fact that, according to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, everyone has the right to freedom of religion and to change their religion with conviction, as well as the freedom to manifest it, individually or in community with others and in public or in private.
Source: HRANA
