Table of Contents At least 10 Christians arrested in Shiraz Iranian Christian prisoner temporarily released from prison Iranian pastor released after 5 years in jail Few Christian converts arrested in Karaj temporarily released Fourteen Christians arrested near Tehran Tahereh Reza’i arrested and sent to Yazd prison Iranian death sentence commuted to two years' theology study Iran’s persecution of the Baha’i has been met by silence from Rouhani and the world Current situation of Baha’is in Iran Details of the arrests and the condition of Christian detainees in Karaj Non-Trinitarian cult member received early release from prison 11 Human rights organizations condemned the destruction of Sunni place of worship in Tehran Iran pastor Fathi's appeal fails, against extra year in prison and 74 lashes Eighteen Iranian Christian converts sentenced to a total of 23 years in prison Global campaign on 7th anniversary of arrest of seven Iranian Baha’i leaders Two Iranian Christians sentenced to a total of ten years in prison Iranian Ayatollah warns against house churches in Iran! Suppression and “Climate of fear” reign in Iran for religious minorities Christian convert conditionally released before Persian new year Imprisoned Baha’i educator wins Raha Südwind Award Former Pastor of Pentecostal Church released from prison The persecution of Christians in Iran: report launched Prison imam files additional complaint against imprisoned pastor Iranian pastor released from prison but others arrested same day remain Christian convert still in prison although his prison term is over Christian converts face criminalization of their faith Christmas arrests in Iran: 11 still detained Why are burial rights being denied to a Baha'i in Iran? Former Assyrian Church leader and two Christian converts arrested _______________________________________________________________________ At least 10 Christians arrested in Shiraz HRANA (01.01.2016) - http://bit.ly/1ZMtiDz - Local sources have reported that at least ten Christian converts were arrested during a ceremony in a house church in Shiraz. According to report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), a group of Christian converts had gathered to celebrate “Christmas” and also the eve of New Year, then with the sudden influx by plainclothes forces, they were arrested and transferred to an unknown location, on Friday 25thDecember. According to the report, Mohsen Javadi, Elaheh eizadi, Mohammad Golshani Kia, Reza Mohammadi, Mahmoud Salehi, Mousa Saripoor, Ali Reza Alighanbari, Mohammad Reza Soltanian, “Brother Khalil” and another person (identity unknown), were arrested. The security guards were armed with pistols and had radio. Their behavior and type of arresting these citizens was described as “offensive”. Personal belongings of the detainees as well as satellite receiver equipment were damaged and confiscated. There is no exact information regarding the location and condition of detainees yet. Iranian Christian prisoner temporarily released from prison Maysam Hojati, a Christian convert residing in Esfahan, was temporarily released from prison after 15 days, during which he endured solitary confinement and lengthy interrogation sessions. He had been arrested a couple of days before Christmas in his parental home. Mohabat News (07.01.2016) - http://bit.ly/1ZmcoWO - Maysam Hojati, a young Christian man, was temporarily released from prison on January 6, 2016 after posting a bail. Mr. Hojati who is 34 years old, was also known as Soroush among his friends. Mr. Hojati had been arrested just two days before Christmas, on December 23, 2015, when four plain-cloths security authorities raided his parental home in Esfahan. Authorities who identified themselves as intelligence officers forced their way in the house and beat Mr. Hojati in the presence of his parents. Report: Iranian Christian Convert Arrested During Christmas Season Plain-clothed authorities searched the house thoroughly and confiscated Mr. Hojati’s personal belongings including a few Bibles, hymn books, Christian articles, personal computer and cellphone. At the end they took down Hojati’s Christmas tree. Accusation and Lengthy Interrogations After Mr. Hojati’s arrest, his parents did everything in their power to find out about his whereabouts and health with no success. Authorities blind folded Mr. Hojati and transferred him to and unknown location immediately. He was put in solitary confinement in a five square meter cell with no windows for 12 days. During that time he was interrogated for 10 to 12 hours a day. Interrogators threatened him and beat him every time he refused to give them the answers they wanted. The questions they asked him were mostly related to his relationship with foreign churches and their leaders, how they conducted house-church services, and distributed Bibles. Finally, they asked Mr. Hojati to sign a disclaimer. A source close to the situation told Mohabat News that two days before his release, Mr. Hojati was taken to the intelligence ward of Esfahan prison known as A-T. Someone called Mr. Hojati’s parents at 9am on Wednesday January 6, and asked them to go to the Revolutionary Court of Esfahan to find out about the fate of their son. In the court Mr. Hojati was officially charged and a ruling was issued for him to post a bail for his temporary release. Mr. Hojati posted a one billion Rial (approximately 35 thousand USD) bail before for his release. Hojati was charged with being baptized as a Muslim-born (apostasy), evangelism, distributing Bibles, and partaking in house-church planting. With this heavy bail posted, Hojati should wait to be summoned to court for his hearing. Iranian Christians Pay a Heavy Price for their Faith Today many Iranian Christians are serving time in prison for their faith. Iranian Christians, especially Farsi-speaking Christians, have been facing the threat of imprisonment for years for sharing and practicing their faith. Islamic regime of Iran considers gathering of Christians in their home for worship, a threat to Iran’s national security. Almost all Farsi-speaking churches are closed in Tehran and other cities. Islamic authorities in Iran strive to defame evangelical Christians by falsely accusing them and to tell Iranians that evangelical Christianity is a corrupt form of Christianity, thus not approved by the government. Therefore, Iran’s judicial and intelligence system deem Christian converts a threat to national security, accusing Christians, especially Farsi- speaking Christians, of arbitrary security and political charges in order to crack down on them. Iranian pastor released after 5 years in jail Farshid Fathi secures early release, 6 months after being handed extra year in jail World Watch Monitor (22.12.2015) - http://bit.ly/1NKdDto - An Iranian pastor has been released early from prison, just six months after he failed to appeal a sentence to an extra year in jail and 74 lashes for allegedly possessing two litres of alcohol in his prison cell. Farshid Fathi was serving a six-year prison sentence – extended to seven years – for "action against the regime's security, being in contact with foreign organisations, and religious propaganda". Due to be released in Dec. 2017, he was then told by prison officials in early July that he would be released this year – at that time they said on 10 Dec. He was originally arrested on 26 Dec. 2010 at the same time as around 60 other Christians, many belonging to house churches in Tehran and other cities. Most of those have now been released. The governor of Tehran, Morteza Tamadon, on 4 January, 2011 described the detained Christians as "extremists" who "penetrate the body of Islam like corrupt and deviant people". He added that they were trying to establish "an extreme form of Christianity like the Taliban and Wahhabis in Islam". Fathi, who is a 35-year-old father of two, was imprisoned without trial in Evin prison. After 15 months of uncertainty, he was tried in January 2012. Details of his court trial have not been published. Iran's Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei had made a speech in October 2010 saying that house churches should be "dealt with". A new wave of surveillance and arrests against Christians followed soon after, with leaders of house church groups, such as Farshid Fathi, especially singled out for longer detentions. Born into a Muslim family, Fathi became a Christian at the age of 17 and at the time of his arrest he was working full-time as a pastor and leader of house churches. Fathi served his sentence alongside another man, Alireza Seyyadian, who was also imprisoned for six years. Seyyadian was arrested as he was trying to leave the country for a holiday at the time of Persian New Year in March 2012, and was also transferred with Fathi to Rajaei-Shahr prison. Seyyadian is a member of a group known as Church of Iran, which holds a non- Trinitarian theology. He was sentenced to 90 lashes and six years' imprisonment for "acting against national security through collusion, gathering and propagating against the Islamic regime". However, he was released after three and a half years, in August 2015. Background Estimates from evidence provided by the American Center for Law and Justice, Article 18 and Middle East Concern suggest that, in May 2015, there were 90 people detained in Iranian prisons on account of their Christian faith and practice. According to the 2015 World Watch List by Open Doors International, a charity that supports Christians who face hostilities because of their faith, Iran ranks seventh in the top 10 countries where Christians are persecuted. The main driver of persecution in Iran, it says, is "Islamic extremism"; Christians from an Islamic background are especially targeted. Increasing numbers of Farsi-speaking churches have been forced to close, some of which have been there for centuries. This is a development that has not been seen in the history of the Church in Iran, stated the World Watch List.