Temporary release of a member of the “Tehran Women’s Church” on heavy bail

Ms. Somayeh Sadegh, a Christian convert who was detained by IRGC intelligence forces during the recent mass arrests of Christians in Tehran, was released on bail pending trial

According to reports, Ms. Somayeh Sadegh, known among Christian converts as Sonia, is a one of the Christian detainees who have been widely detained by security forces in Tehran in recent days

On Thursday, July 9, 2020, after nine days of detention in Tehran’s Evin Prison, Ms. Sonia was temporarily released on a bail of 500 Million Tomans ($22,700), by Branch 3 of the Islamic Revolutionary Tribunal of Shahid Moghaddasi, located in Evin Prison

Ms. Somayeh Sadegh (Sonia) is a 36-year-old sports coach who runs a women’s gym in the western part of Tehran

Ms. Sonia, a Christian convert, is a member of Tehran’s “One-Hearted Women” Church. She, along with other Christian converts was arrested at the house church when IRGC intelligence agents raided the place on Tuesday, June 30, 2020

After her arrest, the IRGC intelligence agents took her to his father’s house and inspected it carefully. The plainclothes agents confiscated some of her personal belongings and transferred her to Evin Prison

After her temporary release, Ms. (Sonia) has so far refrained from any contact with the media and has not given any information due to threats from intelligence agents.Reports received by Mohabat News indicate that intelligence and security agents have put additional pressure on the families of the detainees, especially members of Tehran’s “One-Hearted” Women’s Church.Despite the pursuit of Mohabat News reporters, the families of the Christian detainees have not been willing to share the latest developments or information about their loved ones with the media

The One-Hearted House Church is a group of faithful Christian women. The women’s group, which includes dozens of middle-aged Christian converts, had no activity other than praying and worshiping God, stressing the need for healing, and security officials have so far provided no specific reason for their arrests

Sources close to the members of the Tehran’s Women Church have reported the arrest of a number of members of the Capital’s Women’s Church during the July 9 and 10 arrests

According to a report published by Mohabat News, on Tuesday, June 30, 2020, plainclothes security officers raided a prayer service in a house church in an area of Tehran that was said to be attended by at least twenty people. While detaining some of the attendees, they searched the entire premises

The wave of widespread arrests of Christian converts in several Iranian cities, where more than 20 people were detained by security agents in Tehran alone, has been reflected in many domestic and foreign media, including the Turkish Christian media

In late June of this year, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo unveiled the US Annual Report on Religious Freedom in the World, 33 pages of which are devoted to the state of religious freedom in Iran. The report, which states that the Islamic Republic continued to persecute, interrogate, and detain Baha’is, non-Armenian Christians, especially those who have converted to Christianity (Christian converts), Sunnis, and other religious minorities, continued in 2019