Four years in prison for being Christian

Earlier this month, the Iranian judiciary sentenced several Christians to prison for acting against national security. Hadi Rahimi, a Christian believer, went to Evin Prison on Sunday, January 10, to serve his sentence. 

Mr. Rahimi had previously been sentenced by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran to four years in prison. This sentence was finally upheld by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals.

According to the HARANA news agency, the news organ of the Iranian Association of Human Rights Activists, on Sunday, January 10, 2015, Hadi Rahimi, a Christian convert, was sent to Evin Prison.

This citizen had previously been summoned by Branch 1 of the Evin Court Enforcement Unit to serve his sentence.

Hadi Rahimi Ahmad Gorabi, along with three other Christian believers, was interrogated in February 1998 following the presence of security agents at his home on charges of "propaganda against the system and society and collusion against national security." He will be summoned to court soon.

Mr. Rahimi was summoned to Branch 10 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht on behalf of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran in May 1999, and was released on 500 million Tomans bail after being informed of the charges. He was transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht on May 15, 2009 due to financial inability to post bail, and was released temporarily on May 20, with a reduction of bail to 200 million Tomans, until the end of the trial.

Hadi Rahimi was sentenced to 4 years in prison by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran in August 1999 on charges of "membership in a group or groups with the aim of disrupting national security." In October of the same year, this sentence was upheld by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals.

One of the charges against him is said to be "attending a church meeting."

It should be noted that despite the fact that Christians are recognized as a religious minority by law, the security services are still pursuing the issue of Muslims converting to Christianity with particular sensitivity and are dealing harshly with activists in this field.

 

_{Source and Credit: FCNN, HARANA}