Reports from Iran indicate that Abdolali Pourmand, a Christian convert in Dezful, has been arrested by security forces. Kiarash Alipour, spokesperson for the 'Article 18 Organization for the Defense of Christians' in Iran, confirmed Mr. Pourmand's arrest in an interview with Radio Farda on Tuesday. According to the 'Mohabat News' website, which covers news related to Christians, Abdolali Pourmand, an official of the 'Message of Peace' house church in Dezful, was arrested by security forces on Thursday, October 19, and transferred to Ahvaz. In recent weeks, pressure and arrests of evangelical Christians in Khuzestan province, particularly in Dezful, have increased. Mohabat News reported that 'agents initially raided Abdolali Pourmand's home, but this Christian convert was not present at home and was working on his farm. Plainclothes agents, after a thorough search of the house, confiscated several Bibles, pamphlets, and CDs.' He was subsequently arrested by security forces. Mohammad Ali Torabi, another official of the 'Message of Peace' church, was also arrested on Tuesday, October 10, at his workplace in the 'Qaleh Seyed' region of Dezful and transferred to an unknown location, with his family unaware of his status. In recent months, several evangelical Christians have been sentenced to long-term imprisonment. In many cases, the charges against these individuals were 'acting against national security by establishing and participating in house churches.' Mansour Borji from Article 18 previously described these accusations as 'baseless' and indicative of the Islamic Republic's security approach towards religious minorities. Mr. Borji also stated that the crackdown on Christian converts is politically motivated and contrary to legal standards. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran expressed concern in July over the lengthy prison sentences for several Christian converts in the past two months, highlighting the persecution of Christians in Iran. Since the revolution, at least five church leaders have been killed in Iran, and hundreds of Christians have been interrogated and imprisoned. The printing of the Bible in Persian has been banned, and some churches have been closed, with church ceremonies being prevented.
Arrest of Another Christian Convert in Dezful
Abdolali Pourmand, a Christian convert in Dezful, was arrested by security forces amid increasing pressure on evangelical Christians in Khuzestan province. This incident highlights ongoing religious persecution in Iran, particularly against minority faiths. The situation raises concerns about human rights violations and the treatment of religious minorities in the country.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Iranian security forces arrested Christian convert Abdolali Pourmand in Dezful.
- Iranian security forces arrest Abdolali Pourmand
- Iranian security forces arrest Mohammad Ali Torabi
- Iranian government crackdown evangelical Christians
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The arrest of Christian converts underscores the Iranian government's crackdown on religious minorities.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%