The Unjust Conviction of Morteza Faghanpour Sasi, a Christian Citizen, for His Faith in Iran
Morteza Faghanpour Sasi, a Christian citizen living in Varamin, was sentenced to approximately 9 years in prison after being arrested, tortured, and held for six months.
Morteza Faqanpour Sasi (Calvin), a Christian citizen from Varamin, was sent to prison yesterday, Monday, November 3, to serve his sentence. The citizen spent six months in detention before his trial, during which time he was tortured, and has now been sentenced to approximately nine years in prison.
He was one of at least seven Christian citizens arrested in the cities of Varamin and Pishva in June last year. They were held in Evin detention centers for between one and six months.
The Varamin Revolutionary Court, Branch 1, sentenced five members of this group in July 2025. For Faqanpour Sasi, the sentence includes 8 years and 11 months in prison, the majority of which (7 years and 6 months) is for the charge of "propaganda activity contrary to Islamic law due to connections with abroad" and the remainder (17 months) is for the charge of "insulting the Leader of the Islamic Republic" through publishing content on social media.
Reports indicate that the charges against him included "illegal distribution of books related to Christianity," "participating in virtual universities abroad to learn how to evangelize and propagate Christianity," and "publishing an insulting caricature of the Leader of the Islamic Republic."
It is also stated that on June 13, while he was doing street work, security officers arrested him and then raided his home and confiscated holy books, propaganda publications, a cell phone, and pictures of Jesus Christ and the cross on the wall.
According to sources related to the Article 18 organization, he was tortured during his 20-day detention in Ward 209 of Evin Prison (under the supervision of the Ministry of Intelligence); before that, he spent a month in Ward 240, and then four months in Ward 8 of Evin Prison due to his inability to secure bail.
The First Branch of the Varamin Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Ashkan Ramesh, convicted Morteza Faghanpour Sasi on July 15, 1404, citing Articles 500, 500-bis, and 514 of the Islamic Penal Code.
The ruling sparked international outrage. The head of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom expressed his disgust in a statement at the heavy sentences handed down against this group of Iranian Christian citizens on charges of “propaganda” based on their religious beliefs. “Their fate shows that Iranian Christians are at serious risk because of their religious beliefs and conversion from Islam,” wrote Vicki Hartzler in a post on the social network X.
In a broader review, human rights organizations and even the United Nations have repeatedly criticized the use of legal provisions such as Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code, which is often used against religious minorities, especially Christian citizens, and have called for its repeal or revision.
This case is an example of the intense pressure on religious minorities in Iran, especially those who have converted from Islam to Christianity or who participate in independent religious activities. The use of charges such as “propaganda activity contrary to Islamic law” and “communication with foreign countries” in this case is consistent with international reports that the religious activities of groups that are distant from the majority religion are monitored and persecuted.
Long pretrial detention, torture in detention, and harsh sentences all represent violations of fair trial principles and religious freedom. International awareness of this issue could increase pressure on Iranian authorities to reconsider this approach, but experience shows that such sentences are often met with domestic resistance.
