Several Christian organizations called for awareness raising about "violations of minority rights" in Iran; letter from three Christian prisoners in Evin
A group of Iranian, European, and international Christian organizations, in separate letters to the UN Secretary-General and Javed Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, called for continued efforts to raise awareness about violations of freedom of thought and belief in Iran, especially violations of the rights of minorities.
Meanwhile, three imprisoned Christians in Iran have emphasized the right to have a church and to worship together by publishing letters and video messages.
Babak Hosseinzadeh, Behnam Akhlaqi, and Saheb Fadaei, three imprisoned Christians in Iran who have been sentenced to long-term imprisonment, wrote in a joint letter, referring to Article 13 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which emphasizes the rights of Iranian Christians, that there is a deep gap between written laws and the field of practice.
In this joint letter, published as part of the "Church is the Right of All Christians" campaign, these Christians imprisoned in Ward 8 of Evin Prison emphasized that many Iranian Christians have "security labels engraved on their foreheads," and emphasized how many churches have been sealed, destroyed, or changed use by the government, and "if we turn a blind eye to the doors of official churches, we are certainly turning a blind eye to the violation of all the rights of Christians in Iran."
They have also expressed concern about being sentenced to new prison terms after their current sentences expire.
Babak Hosseinzadeh, who was sentenced to five years in prison for attending a house church and has served half of his sentence, posted a video asking: "Will you still put me in prison for my religious beliefs and being a Christian after my release?"
Another imprisoned Christian, Behnam Akhlaqi, also asked in a video recorded in front of a closed house church where and how he should worship.
Behnam Akhlaqi says: "I am told that we respect your faith and that your only problem is that you attend your home church. My question is, if this respect exists, where should I attend church? After my release, where should I perform religious services as a Christian?"
Iran has been listed as a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 since 1999 due to severe violations of religious freedom. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has emphasized, based on the latest State of Religious Freedom Report, that the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to intimidate, harass, abuse, and detain members of religious minorities, including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Sunni Muslims, and Dervishes.
Source: Voice of America
