Three Christian Converts in Tehran Sentenced to Long Prison Terms

Human rights media report that three Christian converts in Iran have been sentenced to 10 to 16 years of prison by a judge of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. These media outlets, including the websites Hrana and Hengaw, reported on Tuesday, February 8, the identities of these three citizens as Narges Nasri, Mehran Shamlooee, and Abbas Soori, stating that all three were tried in Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court under Judge Iman Afshari. According to these reports, Narges Nasri, who is four months pregnant, has been sentenced to a total of 16 years in prison for charges such as 'propaganda against Islamic law', 'membership in opposition groups', and 'propaganda against the regime', of which 10 years is enforceable. Hrana quoted an informed source stating that this ruling was issued due to 'Ms. Nasri's activities on social media and the publication of critical content regarding the country's situation'. Narges Nasri was arrested in mid-Aban and was temporarily released after a month on a bail of 2.5 billion tomans. According to the organization 'Article 18', which deals with the rights of Christian citizens, Narges Nasri's sentence was issued on March 8, coinciding with 'International Women's Day'. Additionally, reports indicate that Abbas Soori and Mehran Shamlooee have also been sentenced to 15 years and 10 years and 8 months in prison, respectively, with 10 years of Mr. Soori's sentence being enforceable and 8 years for Mr. Shamlooee. Abbas Soori and Narges Nasri have also been sentenced to additional penalties, including a ban on leaving the country, prohibition of residence in Tehran and neighboring provinces, and a ban on membership in social groups for two years. Despite Christians being recognized as one of the three religious minorities in the Islamic Republic's constitution, any promotion or teaching of religions other than Islam, as well as conversion to Christianity from Islam, faces severe penalties. A fact-finding committee established by the UN Human Rights Council confirmed in a report this August that religious minorities in Iran have been 'disproportionately and excessively' suppressed following the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests. According to the report from 'Article 18', at least 96 Christian citizens were sentenced to a total of '263 years in prison' by the judiciary of the Islamic Republic last year.