Eight Christian converts were arrested in Bushehr by agents of the Rouhani government's Ministry of Intelligence.
Eight Christian converts living in Bushehr were arrested by agents of the city's intelligence department and transferred to the security agency's detention center.
The Article 18 organization reported on Thursday, July 4, that eight Christian converts, including five members of a family living in Bushehr, named "Sam Khosravi", "Marim Fallahi", "Sasan Khosravi", "Marjan Fallahi", "Khatoon Fathollahzadeh", "Fateme Talebi", "Habib Heydari", and "Pouria Pima", were arrested on Monday, July 4 by agents of the city's intelligence department and transferred to the detention center of this security institution.
According to this report, the officers treated her harshly and disrespectfully during her arrest, and on the same day of her arrest, only Ms. Khatoon Fathollahzadeh was temporarily released on bail due to her advanced age.
According to the Article 18 organization, Bushehr Intelligence Department agents searched the homes of these eight Christian converts during their arrest and confiscated a number of books and personal belongings, including "Christian books and pamphlets, wooden crosses, laptops, mobile phones, identification cards and documents, and bank cards."
It should be noted that this year, 34 Christian converts were arrested in the cities of Bushehr, Rasht, Amol, Ahvaz, Hamedan, Shiraz, and Isfahan.
Earlier, US Ambassador for Religious Freedom Sam Brownback told VOA: "Iran has the most egregious record in the US State Department of countries involved in the persecution of religious minorities, and this regime persecutes any religious minority it deems inappropriate."
The U.S. State Department has repeatedly protested and condemned the Islamic Republic’s regime’s violations of the rights of religious minorities—including Sunni Muslims, Baha’is, Christian converts, and others. Despite the Islamic Republic’s leaders being Muslims, millions of Sunni Muslims in Iran face widespread restrictions.
Source: Voice of America
