On 8 March Abbas Soori, Narges Nasri, and Mehran Shamloui (pictured left to right) were sentenced by Revolutionary Court judge Iman Afshari to over 40 years in prison on charges related to their Christian beliefs and worship meetings.
37-year-old Narges, who is pregnant with her first child, was handed the harshest sentence of sixteen years in prison: ten years for “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law”, five years for membership of an “opposition group” (house church) and an additional year for “propaganda against the state” in relation to social media posts she made in support of the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement. The movement started in September 2022 in protest to the death of Mahsa Amini in custody following her arrest for wearing “improper” clothing.
48-year-old Abbas was sentenced a total of fifteen years in prison – ten years for “propaganda activities” and five years for membership of an “opposition group”. Lastly 37-year-old Mehran, received an eight-year sentence for “propaganda activities” and two years and eight months for membership of an “opposition group”.
The three converts were also sentenced to deprivation of social rights (such as access to healthcare, employment or education): fifteen years for Narges and Abbas each, and 11 years for Mehran. In addition Narges and Abbas were fined 330 million tomans (equivalent to around €3,300) each, and Mehran was fined 250 million tomans (around €2,500). In addition, a two-year ban (following release) was imposed on Narges and Abbas from membership of any group, living in their home province of Tehran or leaving Iran.
The three Christians had been arrested in November 2024 when intelligence agents simultaneously raided their homes in Tehran and confiscated Bibles, crosses and musical instruments. On the same day, at least ten other Christians were arrested during coordinated raids on Christian homes across the country. Homes in the cities of Karaj (near Tehran), Mashhad in the north-east, and Shiraz and Bandar Abbas in the south were raided by intelligence agents.
During the raid, Mehran, who is a musician, had equipment confiscated by the agents worth around €5,000.
The three Christians were transferred to a section of Evin Prison which is under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence where they were subjected to a long series of intensive interrogations. One month later they were released from prison after submitting a bail equivalent to more than €18,000 each.
On 15 February 2025 their court hearing took place on at the Revolutionary Court of Tehran. They were officially charged with “membership of opposition groups”, “propaganda against the system” and “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law through foreign relations”.
Abbas Soori was previously arrested in 2020 and in June 2022 sentenced alongside Christian convert, Maryam Mohammadi, and their Iranian-Armenian pastor Anooshavan Avedian. Abbas was given a non-custodial sentence (which he successfully appealed) for being member of an “illegal group” and had his fine for being in possession of a satellite receiver reduced.
(Article18)
Photo Credit: Article18