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Iran

• Iranian Couple Flees After Appeal is Denied

  

  In July 2017, Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz was sentenced to ten years in prison. Arrested in 2014 during a Christmas celebration, he was convicted of evangelism, illegal house-church activities and "acting against national security" (read more). In June 2017, his wife Shamiram was also arrested and received a sentence of five years.

• Appeal Decisions for Ismaeil Maghrebinejad

  

  In January 2019, Ismaeil Maghrebinejad, 65, was arrested and has since faced multiple charges and convictions, which he has appealed. Originally convicted of "membership of a group hostile to the regime" and "insulting Islamic sacred beliefs," he was further convicted of "propaganda against the state" in May 2020 (read more).

• Seven Iranians Sentenced

  

  Seven Iranian Christian converts were sentenced on June 21st for "spreading propaganda against the state." The evidence used against them included possession of Christian books and symbols, holding home church meetings, and being in contact with Iranian "evangelists" abroad. All seven intend to appeal their sentences.

• Twelve Arrested in Coordinated Raids

  

  At least twelve Christians have been arrested by intelligence agents in a coordinated operation on June 30th and July 1st. Besides the arrests, dozens of others were ordered to provide contact details and told they would be summoned for further questioning.

• Appeal Hearing Postponed Indefinitely

  

  The appeal hearing for Pastor Victor Bet Tamraz and his wife, along with three other Christians, had been scheduled for June 1st but was cancelled with no new court date set. No reason was given for the delay, and the lawyers involved with this case were not allowed to approach the judge. Pastor Victor and the others each face sentences of at least ten years in prison. (Review the previously posted report.)

• Sentence Extended on Retrial

  

  When the judge requested a retrial for Ismaeil Maghrebinejad, there were hopes that justice would prevail. Ismaeil had received a two-year prison sentence on February 27th for his alleged "membership of a group hostile to the regime" (read more). This sentence was in addition to a previous decision that was made on January 8th, when he was sentenced to three years for "insulting Islamic sacred beliefs."

• Sentence for Mary Mohammadi

  

  Fatemeh (Mary) Mohammadi is a Christian convert and blogger who has spoken out about the oppression facing Iran's people. As a result, she has been arrested and imprisoned because of her faith and work as a social media advocate (read more).

  A hearing was held on April 14th, at which time a judge raised questions about her faith, even though it had no bearing on the charges she faced. On April 21st, she was notified of the outcome: one day in prison, a three-month suspension of her prison sentence, plus ten lashes for "disturbing public order."

• Two Prisoners Released

  

  In the endeavour to deal with the COVID-19 crisis, Iranian authorities released thousands of prisoners in mid-March to stop the spread within the country's prisons. It was noted, however, that many Christians detained for their faith were not included. We are pleased to report, however, that two Christian prisoners have gained their freedom.

• Exile Extended

  

  On October 31st, Ebrahim Firouzi was released from prison but then faced two years of exile in Sarbaz, near the Pakistani border. Although he began his exile on November 12th, in December, he requested leave to sort out some family matters. After waiting for several days and receiving no response, he went ahead with his trip.

• Hearings of Accused Christians Delayed

  

  In last week's Persecution and Prayer Alert, we wrote about Mary Mohammadi who was arrested and facing abuse while incarcerated. We are thankful to report that as of February 26th, she was released on bail. Although a court hearing had been scheduled for March 2nd, it was postponed indefinitely, apparently due to concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus.