Repression and violation of the rights of religious minorities in Iran; a Christian convert was sentenced to prison and flogging
Mari Mohammadi, a Christian convert in Iran, was sentenced to three months and one day in prison and 10 lashes by the Tehran Provincial Criminal Court.
According to the "Article 18 Organization", this Christian convert was sentenced to three months and one day in prison and ten lashes on Tuesday, April 2, by Branch 1167 of the Tehran Provincial Criminal Court on the charge of "disturbing public order and peace by participating in an illegal gathering."
According to this report, the prison sentence and flogging issued to Mari Mohammadi on charges stemming from her participation in the January 2019 protests against the downing of the Ukrainian plane, and this sentence has currently been suspended for one year.
In an interview with the "Article 18 Organization", Ms. Mohammadi stated that she and her family had endured all kinds of torture during this period before the verdict was issued, and that there was no evidence in her case to support the accusations, and that she should have been acquitted of this charge from the perspective of the laws of the Islamic Republic, rather than sentenced to flogging and imprisonment.
Also, based on available information, while the accusations of this Christian convert had nothing to do with Christianity, the judge in the case raised questions during the court session regarding his Christian beliefs and reasons for converting to Christianity.
Mary (Fatemeh) Mohammadi was arrested on Sunday, January 12, during protests related to the downing of a Ukrainian plane in Tehran by the Revolutionary Guard near Tehran's Azadi Square. After some time, on Wednesday, March 27, she was temporarily released from Qarchak Prison in Varamin on bail of 30 million Tomans until the end of the trial.
Following the arrest of this Christian convert, US President Donald Trump, on Thursday, February 7, 2019, during the "National Prayer Breakfast" and in his speech on the suppression of religious freedoms in the world, referred to the arrest and imprisonment of Mari Mohammadi in Iran, saying that she "was arrested and imprisoned for her inclination towards Christianity and sharing the Gospel with others."
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had previously said in a radio interview that as long as the Islamic Republic violates the right of Iranians to choose their religion, the United States will continue its criticism and do everything it can to hold the regime accountable.
Source: Voice of America
