Sentences of nine non-Trinitarian Christians to 45 years in prison

The pressure of the Islamic Republic’s security and judicial institutions on Christians increases on Christmas Eve each year, including mass arrests, heavy sentences, summonses, and interrogations of Christians

Reports from Iran indicate that nine non-Trinitarian Christians were sentenced to five years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court

On Friday, December 20, 2019, Iran Human Rights Activist News Agency reported that Abdolreza Ali Haghnejad, Mohammad Islam Doust, Behnam Akhlaghi, Babak Hosseinzadeh, Mehdi Khatibi, Khalil Dehghanpour, Hossein Kadivar, Kamal Naemanian, and Mohammad Vafadar Kamal were sentenced by Mohammad Moghiseh, the head of Tehran Revolutionary Court, Branch 28, to a total of 45 years in prison

The court was held on September 23 and the verdict was announced on October 15

These Christian converts have objected to the verdict issued by the Tehran Revolutionary Court and are awaiting final appeal

Babak Hosseinzadeh, Behnam Akhlaqi, and Mehdi Khatibi were arrested earlier in a house church meeting in Rasht on February 23, 2019

The pressure of the Islamic Republic’s security and judicial institutions on Christians increases on Christmas Eve each year, including mass arrests, heavy sentences, summonses, and interrogations of Christians, the prohibition of religious ceremonies and celebrations as well as their economic activities such as selling Christmas decorations and Christian symbols. The discriminatory behavior of security agencies was imposed this year as well, and the Annual Christmas Bazaar held at Ararat Club near Vanak was closed

These heavy verdicts were issued as the US Treasury Department accused Abolghasem Salavati and Mohammad Moghiseh, two Revolutionary Court judges, on Thursday, December 19, on charges of imposing heavy penalties on Iranian citizens, dual citizens, and religious minorities

The two have been accused of violating justice in civil courts and have violated human rights through sentencing journalists, religious dissidents, lawyers, political activists and ethnic and religious minorities for their right to freedom of expression and association, and issuing heavy and long-term sentences as well as whipping and execution