Christian convert Javad Amini was released on bail on 27 November, the day after he and eleven other Christians from Nowshahr in northern Iran were due to appear in court to face charges of “propagating a religion contrary to Islam” and “collaborating with foreign governments”. Javad is pictured with his wife Farzaneh, who was interrogated during her husband’s detention. The trial took place on 26 November without Javad, but the outcome has not yet been announced.

Agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) detained Javad on 17 November 2024 and news has since emerged that two Christian women were detained at the same time and were also held for ten days. The three converts each had to submit bail of 1 billion tomans (equivalent to around €14,000). They had been among over twenty Christians detained last Christmas, accused of “establishing house-churches”, “propagating Christianity” and following a “religion disturbing to the holy religion of Islam” and held for between two and five weeks.

Sources had suggested that Javad’s uncle was detained along with him, but Article 18 has clarified that while his uncle and wife were present when their car was surrounded by the IRGC agents, only Javad was detained and his wife and uncle were released after questioning.

Farzaneh went home to find that the place had been ransacked and minutes later agents came back claiming they were looking for Javad’s phone and Bibles. They later returned and confiscated several Bibles and other Christian books, as well as Javad’s theology notebooks.

During her husband’s detention Farzaneh was interrogated by Ministry of Intelligence and IRGC agents, who subjected her to severe psychological pressure, using offensive sexual language.

(Article 18)

Photo: Article 18