Ibrahim Firouzi, Christian convert and former political prisoner, dies of 'heart attack'

The non-profit organization 'Article 18', which supports persecuted Christians in Iran, has reported the death of Ibrahim Firouzi, a Christian convert and former political prisoner who spent over seven years in imprisonment and internal exile. According to the report, despite being Christian, he was buried in a Muslim cemetery in Robat Karim. The organization states that the cause of Mr. Firouzi's death was cited as a 'heart attack', but some of his acquaintances have deemed his death at the age of 38 as 'suspicious'. According to the report, Ibrahim Firouzi had repeatedly gone on hunger strikes in prison and had been subjected to physical and psychological torture by government agents. He had often supported public protests in Iran, including those in November 2019, and had repeatedly protested the conditions of prisoners. Last July, in an interview with VOA regarding the situation in the city of Rask, where he was spending his exile, he spoke about the lack of medical facilities, hospitals, and even health services. He had engaged in charitable actions through collecting public donations, including building sanitation facilities and providing shoes, bags, and supplies for students in this city. Ibrahim Firouzi was first sentenced to 10 months in prison in 2010 by the Revolutionary Court of Robat Karim for 'promoting Christianity'. Subsequently, in August 2013, he was again sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Robat Karim to one year in prison and two years of exile for 'propaganda against the Islamic Republic', 'establishing and leading a deviationist Christian organization', and 'launching a Christian website'. Ultimately, in April 2015, while serving his sentence in Rajai Shahr prison, he was sentenced to an additional five years in prison by Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Moghiseh, for 'forming a group with the intent to disrupt national security', and this sentence was confirmed by the appeals court on January 14, 2017. Mr. Firouzi was released from Rajai Shahr prison on November 25, 2019, after serving his sentence and then went to the city of Sarbaz in Sistan and Baluchestan province to serve his two-year exile, where he reported to the public and revolutionary prosecutor's office in Rask. The non-profit organization 'Article 18' announced in a 40-page report on February 19 that the number of Christians arrested in the year 2023 had increased from 134 to 166 compared to 2022. This comes as the number of detainees in 2022 had also doubled compared to the previous year. Christian converts in Iran are under governmental pressure and are arrested and tried without access to lawyers. Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, in his report referred to numerous human rights violations in Iran, including the repression of religious and ethnic minorities, including the arrest of 53 Christians in Iran for peaceful religious activities. Mr. Rehman, in an interview with VOA, again referred to the 'very disastrous situation of ethnic and religious minorities' and stated that the rights of minorities 'including Christian converts, Sufis, dervishes, and Yarsan' are continuously violated. The heads of the World Religious Freedom Conference told VOA that the Islamic Republic no longer enjoys public support. Four human rights organizations stated that the repression, arrest, and persecution of Christians in Iran continues.