The Persecution of Christians in Iran - The Christians in Parliament All Party Parliamentary Group and the All Party Parliamentary Group for ...
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The Christians in Parliament All Party Parliamentary Group
and the All Party Parliamentary Group for International
Freedom of Religion or Belief joint report on
The Persecution of
Christians in Iran
This is not an official publication of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It
has not been approved by either House or its committees. All-Party Groups are
informal groups of Members of both Houses with a common interest in particular
issues. The views expressed in this Report are those of the Groups.Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
1. Letter from the Co-chairs evidence to the Inquiry. All the panellists
were struck by the dignity and courage of
It has been a privilege to co-chair this the Iranian Christians who testified. We
fresh Inquiry into the Persecution of also thank Sadeq Saba, Editor of BBC
Christians in Iran. It is a subject that Persian, Ajay Sharma of the Foreign
weighs heavily on our hearts, particularly Office, and Sohrab Ahmari of the Wall
following our initial Inquiry, where MPs Street Journal, who gave up their time to
visited the Middle East in 2012 to meet contribute to the Inquiry. We would also
personally with Iranians who had endured like to express our appreciation to those
severe maltreatment in their homeland who submitted expert reports: Christian
because of their faith. Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), Elam
It was with cautious optimism that we Ministries, Open Doors, Middle East
watched Hassan Rouhani become Concern (MEC), and Dr Ahmed Shaheed,
President of Iran in August 2013. We the UN Special Rapporteur on human
joined with many Iranians in hoping that rights in Iran.
his influence would soften Iran’s harsh It has been a pleasure to work alongside
policies toward the nation’s religious and colleagues from across the political
ethnic minorities. Sadly, we have been spectrum, some of whom were involved in
disappointed that his positive promises the original Inquiry, and others of whom
and moderate language have not have joined us for the renewed Inquiry.
translated into any meaningful Our thanks go to Fiona Bruce MP, Sarah
improvement. The persecution remains Newton MP, the Rt Hon David Jones MP,
as severe today as it was in 2012, when Jeremy Lefroy MP, Lord Hylton, Lord
the Christians in Parliament All Party Selkirk, Lord Farmer, Lord Alton, and the
Parliamentary Group (APPG) produced its Rt Revd Dr Alan Smith, Bishop of St
first report on the Persecution of Albans.
Christians in Iran.
In cataloguing the abuse of Christians
For over a year the APPG pursued the during Rouhani’s presidency, we hope to
goal of a diplomatic trip to Tehran, in order draw attention to the lack of freedom of
to open positive and respectful dialogue religion in Iran, and encourage the
with the Iranian authorities on matters government to prioritise this issue in all
relating to freedom of religion or belief. dialogues with the Islamic Republic. Many
When it finally became clear that the of the recommendations of this report
Iranian government had no intention of apply to Iran’s other suffering religious
allowing the APPG to visit Tehran, the minorities, such as the Bahá’ís, Sufi
decision was made to renew the Inquiry Dervishes and Sunni Muslims. We hope,
into the Persecution of Christians. pray and labour for a day when Iranians of
For this renewed Inquiry, the Christians in all faiths or none can live in their
Parliament APPG has joined with the homeland without fear of persecution or
APPG for International Freedom of harassment, with the full spectrum of their
Religion or Belief, whose work to ensure rights protected.
that religious freedom is a firm priority for
the UK Parliament and Government is
highly strategic and greatly valued.
David Burrowes MP and
On behalf of the panel, we express
Baroness Berridge of the Vale of Catmose
profound thanks to all those who gave
2Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
2. Executive summary 3. Introduction: Rouhani’s
broken promises
The joint-APPG Inquiry into the
persecution of Christians in Iran held two During his election campaign, Hassan
oral evidence sessions (hereafter called Rouhani made a number of promises
‘Westminster hearings’) in December regarding religious freedom in Iran. He is
2014, and took testimony from thirteen quoted as saying on 11 April 2013, “All
witnesses. Some witnesses gave their Iranian people should feel there is justice.
statements via video, while others were Justice means equal opportunity. All
interviewed in person by the panel. The ethnicities, all religions, even religious
Inquiry also received statements from minorities, must feel justice.”1
NGOs and experts that work in this field.
The Inquiry heard that the persecution of In an August 2013 interview, cited by
Christians in Iran has not diminished since Press TV, President Rouhani was quoted
Hassan Rouhani took the presidential as stating that his administration would
office, despite his pre-election promises of guarantee equal rights for all Iranians, and
greater respect for human rights. that “no authority should differentiate
between various ethnicities, religions,
Christians continue to be arbitrarily minorities and followers of different
arrested and interrogated because of their faiths.”2
faith-related activities. They continue to be
treated harshly, with some facing severe The Draft Citizen’s Rights Charter, which
physical and psychological torture during was revealed early in Rouhani’s
periods of detention. The judiciary presidency in November 2013, states that
continues to construe legitimate Christian “holding and attending religious rituals of
activities (such as meeting in private the religions identified in the Constitution
homes for prayer meeting and bible (Christianity, Judaism, and
studies, or being in contact with Christians Zoroastrianism) is permitted.”3 The draft
outside of Iran) as political activities that Charter was widely seen as a major step
threaten the national security of Iran. by Rouhani’s administration to improve the
Therefore Christians continue to be issued situation of human rights in Iran.
long prison sentences and/or corporal
punishment. Churches continue to be However, Rouhani’s early promises have
pressured into ceasing all services or not been implemented: throughout the first
activities in the national language of 18 months of his term, there has been
Persian (Farsi), or are closed down. continuing systemic persecution and
Property belonging to Christians has discrimination against Christians and other
continued to be seized, and Christians religious minorities in Iran. Among
continue to face discrimination in the Christians, the worst forms of persecution
workplace and in educational institutions. continue to be reserved for those who
have converted to Christianity from a
There has been no substantive change in Muslim background (who tend to gather in
Iran’s human rights record since the informal house churches), and for those
election of President Rouhani; in fact by
some indicators you could argue that
1
things have gotten worse. 2
http://www.iranhumanrights.org/2013/08/rouhanis-
http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/08/19/319474/
Ajay Sharma, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, extremism-harmful-to-nation-rouhani/
Westminster hearing, 2 December 2014 3
http://www.iranhumanrights.org/2014/01/draft-
citizenship/
3Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
who minister among Muslim-background International NGO Open Doors4 has
believers. ranked the Islamic Republic of Iran at
number 7 on its World Watch List 2015.
The Inquiry heard that the Islamic This list ranks nations according to the
Republic of Iran is becoming less, rather level of pressure and persecution that
than more, tolerant of dissenting voices. Christian communities face in that nation,
One man was arrested because, as far as with the worst global situation ranked at
the authorities were concerned, his social number 1. According to the assessment
media activities went too far in questioning of the World Watch List, the situation of
some of the tenets of Islam and now he Christians has deteriorated in the past
has been sentenced to death. This is a year in Iran, which was previously ranked
dangerous trend. I hear from some people at number 9 in the World Watch List 2014.
that the reason the regime is taking such a The given reason for this change in
tough line against people like him is ranking is that “more Christians were
because a lot of people are becoming sentenced to prison and pressure on
disappointed with Islam as a religion those detained increased [in the reporting
because of what the regime is doing. period - 2014]”.5
People are converting to Christianity or The number of Christians believed to be
other religions - this is becoming very detained in prison at the end of December
dangerous for the regime. The harsh 2014 was estimated at 92.6 During 2014,
sentences are a way of controlling the over 110 individual Christians spent time
situation. behind bars.7 These figures could be far
Sadeq Saba, Editor BBC Persian, Westminster lower than the real number of detainees,
hearing, 2 December 2014
because many cases are kept confidential
Witnesses were generally in agreement due to security concerns.
that even if President Rouhani should
I had a slight hope that with Rouhani there
want to improve religious freedom and
would be more freedom... So I gave him a
other human rights in Iran, he does not
vote. But no laws have been changed.
have the authority to do so.
There is no increase in freedom for
Before Mostafa’s appeal hearing, we Christians.
thought maybe because of Rouhani, Elham, video testimony, filmed 26 November 20
something would change. But [our lawyer]
said, ‘No: prison, Christianity, Sufis, The main body of this report documents
Bahá’ís, is in the security system’s hands; the various forms of persecution and
not in Rouhani’s hands. He doesn’t have discrimination that Christians currently
any power.’ We can see it now: in many face in Iran.
cities we heard they tortured- physically-
our sisters and brothers. Nothing has
4
changed. www.opendoors.org
5
Open Doors, Persecution Dynamics - Iran
6
Gilda Bordbar, video testimony, filmed 27 This estimate is shared by Middle East Concern
November 2014 (MEC), Article 18 and the American Centre for Law
and Justice (ACLJ) and was calculated through the
sharing of latest information between these
organisations and others.
7
This figure comprises Christians who were known
to be serving judicial sentences during 2014, and
also Christians who were known to be detained pre-
trial, either for days, weeks or months. Figure
provided by Elam Ministries.
4Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
4. Evidence of persecution We feel very strongly that this kind of
language needs to be made known
and discrimination
around the world. They say there is
religious freedom, but clearly religious
4.1. Background
freedom is not there.
The panel gathered evidence of continued David Yeghnazar, Elam Ministries, Westminster
hearing 2 December 2014
widespread and targeted persecution of
Christians in Iran under Rouhani. The
most severe abuse is faced by Christians
4.3. Monitoring and harassment
who have converted from a Muslim
background, and those who engage in Christian converts in Iran - and any
ministry among Persian-speaking people Christians who minister among individuals
of a Muslim background. However, from a Muslim background - know they are
restrictions and discrimination are faced either already being monitored by the
by all Christians. Ministry of Intelligence and Security
(MOIS), or that MOIS may identify them
For every person who chooses to become
and begin monitoring at any time.
a Christian in Iran, you live with the
knowledge that the government is against If you talk to anyone, they are very careful
you. And that’s the story that has about phones. They know they can’t send
continued to play out under Rouhani. emails or Skype... they have to be very
David Yeghnazar, Elam Ministries, Westminster careful about where they meet, how they
hearing, 2 December 2014 meet... everyone says the same story. The
constant theme is pressure.
4.2. Hostile rhetoric David Yeghnazar, Elam Ministries, Westminster
hearing, 2 December 2014
Hostile and negative rhetoric toward Iran’s
The Inquiry heard that following release
Christian community and other minorities
from detention or imprisonment, Christians
has continued to be espoused by
often continue to be monitored and
government figures and clerics during
harassed:
Rouhani’s presidency.
The first year [following my release from
Iran’s non-tolerance of conversion from
Evin prison] was so hard because we
Islam (apostasy) was articulated publicly
could see police around our home, and we
in October 2014 by Ali Younesi, Rouhani’s
could hear they were listening to our
senior advisor on Ethnic and Religious
telephone. The first year was very hard. I
Minority Affairs. During an interview with
think that they really wanted to show us
the conservative news agency, Fars,
that they are still checking us. Many times
Younesi declared that “Converting to
when we were going out, we could see
different sects is illegal in our country” and
they were near to our house.
also that evangelism is illegal for minority
Sara Akhavan Fard, Westminster hearing, 16
faith groups. It has long been known that December 2014
Iran does not tolerate conversion to
minority faiths, nor evangelism, but this Often the MOIS particularly target
interview is the most recent, direct and Christian leaders, but family members of
public affirmation of these policies from a the individual can also find themselves
senior figure. targeted for harassment. For example,
threats were faced for many years by a
5Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
Christian internet pastor called Farhad8, 4.4. Closure of, and pressure on,
according to Elam Ministries. Farhad had churches
learnt that the MOIS knew about his
involvement in the distribution of Christian Since the 1979 Revolution, the
scriptures and books, which would government has not granted a licence for
provoke a harsh punishment. After a the establishment of a new church
Christian friend of his was arrested and organisation or allowed the construction of
interrogated, Farhad feared he too would any church building, Orthodox, Protestant,
soon be arrested, and he decided to leave or other. It has required recognised
Iran. Following Farhad’s departure, churches to limit attendance to those who
Farhad’s elderly mother, and his sister and are not from a Muslim background, and to
brother-in-law have continued to face conduct services only in the minority
threats on an almost daily basis. They languages of Assyrian or Armenian.
have also had to relocate to another city Churches have also been closed down,
because agents of MOIS informed the and had leaders arrested, if they refused
local community that they are ‘apostates’ to comply with these restrictions.
from Islam. During Ahmadinejad’s government, they
Church members are also often subject to closed many formal churches in Iran, and
harassment following the arrest of their we had to go to home churches. And they
leader. told us- especially Ayatollah Khamenei
said very officially - that home churches
Sometimes they call [our church are against the law, and you should not go
members]... they want them to go to their to home churches, just the official
office, and they threaten them. They ask churches. And they closed the official
some questions, but illegally- informally. churches - so what should we do?
Mostafa Bordbar, video testimony, filmed 27 Mostafa Bordbar, video testimony, filmed 27
November 2014 November 2014.
It is not only the house church Christians The Inquiry heard that the authorities have
that face monitoring, but also religious continued to put pressure on registered
institutions. Most of the remaining churches during Rouhani’s presidency.
registered churches have government
security cameras installed outside of them. Since Rouhani got to power, at least two
Although these institutions are registered official Protestant churches in Tehran
and recognised by the government, have been banned to hold any religious
religious minorities continue to be viewed services in the Persian language.
with suspicion. Morad Mokhtari, Iran Human Rights Documentation
Centre, quoted in Open Doors’ submission to the
Armenian and Jewish churches and Inquiry
synagogues respectively are under An increasing number of churches were
intense government surveillance. closed and their leaders arrested. The
Sohrab Ahmari, Wall Street Journal, Westminster government intensified its campaign to
hearing, 16 December 2014
remove Farsi-speaking Christians from the
country... Severe surveillance on house-
churches leads to increasing fear among
those attending.
Open Doors’ submission to the Inquiry
8
Pseudonym
6Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
4.5. House raids pass their children over to someone else.
They just took them all to the detention
Witnesses testified that raids on private centre for interrogation.
homes of Christians, and subsequent
Elham, video testimony, filmed 26 November 2014
arrests and detentions, are widespread in
Iran. These raids are most often reported
to have been orchestrated by agents of 4.6. Arrests and arbitrary detention
MOIS, and can sometimes involve
violence. In one house raid of July 2014, a Christians are often arrested in private
12 year old boy endured physical abuse. homes following house raids and taken to
detention centres or prison for
They gathered everything, including the interrogation. However this is not always
computer. Before they gathered the things the case. The Inquiry heard Yaghoob
they took me to a room. One of them explain how he was arrested in July 2014:
asked me, ‘Where are the books that your
family has been giving out?’ They asked I was listening to Christian songs in my
me if I was a Christian. I said I was, and car, when all of a sudden, a car pulled in
then they hit me, and said ‘You had no front of me. There were four people
right to become a Christian.’ dressed in black. They all got out of the
Elma (age 12), video testimony, filmed 26 car. They opened the door of my car, and
November 2014 took me to their own car... The person
who had been standing further back
Three men entered the house and started
opened the door and sat next to me in the
searching without my consent... They said
car, and started hitting me. They were
I had to bring them all our Gospels. I said
asking me continuously, ‘Where are the
‘We don’t have - we just have a couple for
New Testaments?’ As he was hitting me,
ourselves’... I said, ‘What did we do that
he would keep asking the same question
you should enter our home like this? Are
over and over... He would threaten me,
we murderers? Thieves? Criminals?’ The
saying, ‘I will kill you.’
man swore at me. He said it would be
Yaghoob, video testimony, filmed 26 November
better for me to be a murderer or a thief 2014
than a Christian or a Jew.
Mina, (Elma’s mother) video testimony, filmed 26 Yaghoob was detained and interrogated
November 2014 for many weeks following his arrest.
Raids on private residences tend to be When Christians are arrested, often their
directed against homes where Christians families and friends are not notified of who
meet for church services or Bible studies, has taken them, or where they have gone.
or where Christian leaders meet together. For days or even weeks, the loved one is
simply missing.
Eight agents came in with guns and with
weapons, and a camera to film and take For a whole week we didn’t have any
photos. They came inside the home and information about Mostafa. And his family
filmed each person.... They gathered up searched for him... but they couldn’t find
all the computers and books... They out where he was, or what happened to
brought [the thirteen church leaders] him.
outside and put them all in a van. Two of Gilda, Mostafa’s wife, filmed 27 November 2014
them had children. The intelligence agents
didn’t even give them the opportunity to
7Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
An arrest of a Christian leader negatively The interrogations were very long,
and profoundly impacts the church (or sometimes, six hours or seven.
churches) that they led. Church members Mostafa Bordbar, video testimony, filmed 27
are often too scared to meet with each November 2014
other following the arrest of their leader, or
The methods of interrogations in jail have
fellow members. It can take a long time
become harsher. In several cases,
before these Christians feel they are
Christians were seriously physically and
safely able to have contact with other
mentally abused, including threats of
Christians again.
execution.
We had 30-40 members in our house
They took me to the central intelligence
church but they have no pastor at the
office in our city. Then they started beating
moment; they have been scattered.
me up again. I don’t know how long it took;
Yaghoob, video testimony, filmed 26 November
2014
maybe 10 to 15 minutes. My lips were
split. My mouth was full of blood... He
Each arrest entails its own trauma for the pushed me off the chair, and then put his
individuals and their loved ones, and the hand on my throat as if he was choking
number of estimated arrests has me. The main question was, ‘Where do
increased from previous years. During you get the New Testaments from?’
Rouhani’s presidency, the MOIS has not Yaghoob, video testimony, filmed 26 November
diminished its efforts to crush the growth 2014
of the church through the arrest and
For the three sisters, most of the time a
detention of Christian leaders and those
familiar female voice was broadcast as if
seen to be involved in Christian ministry.
she was being tortured, and they
At least 75 Christians were arrested in constantly heard it while they were being
2014. interrogated. It affected them very badly
Open Doors submission to the Inquiry psychologically... In one of the
interrogations of one of the ladies, they hit
her several times in the face with a shoe,
4.7. Interrogation and one of the other ladies, they kicked
her so much that she fell down to the floor.
Interrogations of Christian detainees or
But they kept on kicking her.
prisoners are most often perpetrated by
Elham, video testimony, filmed 26 November 2014
agents of the MOIS. Detainees often
endure sessions of interrogation that last Whenever any convert to Christianity is
many hours, and face regular sessions arrested, pressure is put on them to
across many days or weeks, in between persuade them to return to Islam during
which they are generally held in solitary interrogation and throughout their time in
confinement. detention.
The interrogations were between 12 at We hear story after story of people being
night to 5 in the morning to pressurise forced to sit and listen to mullahs or high-
them mentally and psychologically. ranking scholars - professors of Islam...
Faraz Dolatkhah, Westminster hearing, 2 December They speak constantly against the Bible.
2014 David Yeghnazar, Elam Ministries, Westminster
hearing, 2 December 2014
8Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
After solitary cell, they put me in another This dear sister said to me: ‘They would
cell with a junior of the government of Iran, torture us sexually with sexual threats...
to convert me to Islam. For fifty days he They would say the house groups are a
tried to attack Christianity. place of prostitution - not worship. They
Mostafa Bordbar, video testimony, filmed 26 would look at us with sexual desires.’
November 2014 Faraz Dolatkhah, Westminster hearing, 2 December
2014
Unfortunately the intelligence service
summoned me back after seven days Despite Iranian laws which dictate that
[following the raid on my home]. They prisoners of conscience should be
interrogated me in front of my brother-in- imprisoned separately from prisoners
law... They said, ‘If you stay in this convicted of violent crimes, in reality, this
country and don’t return to Islam, we will rule is often violated. Farshid Fathi
kidnap your children and you, and kill your (Christian pastor, imprisoned since
husband.’ December 2010) suffered an injury in April
Mina, video testimony, filmed 26 November 2014 2014 during a violent raid on ward 350 of
Evin prison. He was subsequently moved
in August 2014 to a more brutal prison:
4.8. Conditions in prisons and Rajai Shahr (Gohardasht). At time of
detention centres printing, he remains there, incarcerated
alongside hardened criminals.
Mistreatment and abuse, both physical
and psychological, are rife in Iran’s They put [Farshid] with many drug addicts
detention centres and prisons, where in a very dirty place between many hard
many Christians are housed to serve prisoners... Even he couldn’t call his
sentences or during pre-trial investigation. family and he couldn’t have his Bible.
Even his clothes were taken. They took
They put me in a very small cell... I had to
all his things.
sleep on the floor. They gave me very
Sara Akhavan Fard, Westminster hearing, 16
dirty clothes. For 26 days, I was in my cell
December 2014
alone.
Sara Akhavan Fard, Westminster hearing, 16 Farshid Fathi was not the only Christian
December 2014 prisoner who was violently beaten in 2014:
Behnam Irani, Saeed Abedini, Silas
I had no shoes or socks during those 17
Rabbani, Maryam Naghash Zargaran and
days in the detention centre. And at the
Amin Khaki were also reported to have
end of my time I couldn’t even stand up
been physically abused while serving their
because of the pain in my feet.
sentences.
Yaghoob, video testimony, filmed 26 November
2014
The most common form of mistreatment of
The Inquiry heard from Faraz Dolatkhah Christians in prisons and detention centres
about a group of Christians in Iran who is psychological. Christians are told that
were arrested in early 2013, but whose loved ones are sick, that spouses have
cases continued to be under investigation been unfaithful, or that elderly parents are
at the time of the Inquiry (December also imprisoned, to put pressure on the
2014): prisoner. Some guards, as well as
interrogators, torment prisoners with
psychological games.
9Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
One of the guards came to our cell, and Moharebah is a charge most often used
said, 'Sara, get ready, you should come against dissident journalists, political
with us.' And my sister [Leila] asked them, activists and human rights defenders: it is
'Where are you taking Sara?' The guard a ‘sweeping and aggressive charge’,
laughed, and said, 'We are going to kill according to Dr. Shaheed, the United
her'. And I really got scared... I changed Nations Special Rapporteur on human
my clothes and I followed her, and as I rights in Iran. In the aforementioned case,
followed her, I understood they were not the charges were overturned at appeal.
going to kill me: they were going to let me However, there are fears that these
out of the prison. But they said this lie to serious charges could be applied again to
Leila to put her under more pressure. Christians in the future.
Sara Akhavan Fard, Westminster hearing, 16
December 2014 Christians are not only in danger of facing
long prison sentences: they can also face
corporal punishment. One known Christian
4.9. Court-issued punishments prisoner was sentenced to 70 lashes in
December 2014: it is believed the
Those Christians whose cases are
punishment will be carried out when his
brought to court tend to be convicted on
prison term concludes. Lashes have been
political rather than explicitly religious
meted out in other cases during Rouhani’s
charges, usually under the vague and
presidency:
often abused ‘Security Laws’ section of
the penal code. Sentences issued to In October 2013, four Christians from a
Christians tend to range between one year house church network were sentenced to
and eight years. 80 lashes for taking communion, with the
sentence being carried out on at least two
People are sometimes accused of political
of the four men soon thereafter.
crimes, when what they have been
CSW Submission to the Inquiry
involved in is religious activities.
Ajay Sharma, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, At the first stage, all of the men were
Westminster hearing, 2 December 2014 sentenced to 60 lashes and the ladies to
They are usually tried in Revolutionary 48 lashes each... And also one year in
Courts, which are effectively national prison for all of them. The sentence still
security courts. hasn’t been confirmed.
Elham, video testimony, filmed 26 November 2014
Dr Shaheed’s Submission to the Inquiry
The Iranian judiciary has used various A further way that the judiciary can
new methods to further intimidate intimidate Christians is by applying fresh
Christian prisoners, and the Christian charges to prisoners. Behnam Irani (a
community in general, during Rouhani’s pastor imprisoned since 2011) received
presidency. eighteen new charges in 2014. Thankfully
these were subsequently dropped, but not
In a worrying development under Rouhani, before the pastor and his family had been
three Christian converts were charged subjected to significant trauma and stress.
with the capital offences of Mofsed-e-filarz Similarly, upon his transfer to Rajai Shahr
(spreading corruption on earth) and prison in August 2014, Farshid Fathi was
Moharebeh (enmity against God). informed that he was being charged with
CSW Submission to the Inquiry possession of alcohol while in Evin prison.
He was summoned to court on 29
10Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
December 2014, falsely convicted and 4.10. Pressure to flee
given a further one year sentence. It is
believed an appeal is pending. To avoid serving unjust prison sentences,
many Christians and their families flee
Occasionally, a Christian is acquitted of Iran, meaning that Iran’s harsh policies are
charges related to their Christian activities, prompting an exodus of Christians from
but the Inquiry heard that such rare the country.
acquittals are due to the attitudes of
individual judges, rather than a signal of We received a summons [to court].
judiciary-wide reformation. The Inquiry [Yaghoob] said, ‘We have to leave the
heard that Mostafa Bordbar was acquitted country or I may go to prison, and they
of national security charges in November may abuse you, or pressure us to become
2013, because his appeal was heard by Muslim again.
an independent judge, rather than a judge Mina, video testimony, filmed 26 November 2014
that was affiliated with the MOIS. The
Indeed, the primary goal of the MOIS
judge ruled that Mostafa’s Christian
seems to be to terrorise Christians
activities did not constitute any crime
(especially leaders/pastors) into leaving
against the Islamic Republic. However,
Iran as refugees. One group of Christians
many Christians have their sentences
who faced trial in east Iran in autumn 2014
upheld at appeal.
were told by the judge that the court was
A Christian defendant has not been deliberately delaying issuing a verdict
reported to have been sentenced to death against them, in order to give the group
since Yousef Nadarkhani received a death time to flee the country.
sentence in 2010 for apostasy
Christians who leave Iran voluntarily save
(abandoning Islam). However, most
Iran the high costs of court cases, the
Christians who have been detained report
costs of housing Christians in prisons for
that they were threatened with the death
many years and crucially, it saves Iran
penalty many times by interrogators and
from further international outcry. The
guards. The possibility remains that male
Inquiry heard that the government wants
Christians could be sentenced to death for
to see the Christian community remove
apostasy: although apostasy is not
itself from the country, for there are simply
encoded in Iran’s laws, judges can invoke
too many of them to jail.
Article 167 of Iran’s Constitution, which
allows them to refer to ‘authentic Islamic They bailed them, and also threatened to
sources or authoritative Fatwas’ when kill them... in a way they force these
making their judgements. Under Sharia people to flee Iran.
law, apostasy is punishable by death for Faraz Dolatkhah, Westminster hearing, 2 December
men and life imprisonment for women. 2014
Christians could also potentially face
death sentences for the aforementioned
crimes of Moharebeh or Mofsed-e-filarz. 4.11. Lack of due process
Article 32 of Iran’s Constitution states that
all detainees must be formally charged in
writing within 24 hours of detention. Article
32 of the Code of Criminal Procedure
allows for detainees to be held for longer
without charge if a judge has issued a
11Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
temporary detention order for cases Bail conditions for those Christians
involving the Security Laws, but article 33 arrested are often high - up to the
gives the accused the right to appeal equivalent of $200,000, often
his/her detention order within 10 days. necessitating the submission of land and
property titles deeds.
Each year, scores of Christians are
MEC Submission to the Inquiry
detained for weeks or months without
being formally charged, without access to They gave [four Christians who were
a lawyer, and without any opportunity to arrested in 2014] very heavy bails: around
be brought before a judge. Due process is 400 million or 350 million.
flagrantly violated in the cases of most Elham, video testimony, filmed 26 November 2014
Christians.
They arrested everybody in the house. 4.13. Appropriation of property
The leaders asked, ‘Do you have warrants
to arrest us?’ But they didn’t show any The authorities seized a large and
warrants. valuable private home belonging to a
Faraz Dolatkhah, Westminster hearing, 2 December
prominent Iranian Christian leader,
2014 because of his Christian ministry. An
appeal against the confiscation was heard,
At first, they didn’t allow me to have a and was unsuccessful, in early 2014. The
lawyer. But after - I think - one and a half property is now in the possession of the
months, then they allowed me to have a government.
lawyer. But they didn’t let me meet him.
Some days before the court, my wife The wife of Christian prisoner Rasoul
found a human rights activist lawyer, and Abdollahi (who began serving a three-year
at the court I had two lawyers: one by sentence in December 2013 and was
force and one by choice. At the court, the released in February 2015) was forced to
judge didn’t let me talk normally. He had hand over the family home in Tehran to
decided to do anything he wanted. They the authorities in spring 2014. It seems
gave me a ten-year sentence. very likely that these are not isolated
Mostafa Bordbar, video testimony, filmed 27 examples of this form of persecution.
November 2014
4.14. Social and political restrictions
4.12. Unjust bail
Armenian and Assyrian Christians are
Extortionate sums are often demanded for
recognised as legitimate religious
the temporary release of Christian
minorities under Iran’s Constitution.
prisoners. The deeds to homes or
However, they do face difficulties in Iran,
businesses are sometimes submitted,
and do not have the same status or the
meaning that Christian families can lose
same rights as Shia Muslim citizens.
these assets if the charged individual does
Before the law, in society and civic life,
not go to court when summoned. Thus
constitutional recognition does not protect
extraordinary economic pressure is placed
them from discrimination.
on the Christian community.
Traditional Persian Jewish, Armenian and
Assyrian Christian, and Zoroastrian
communities are technically recognised
12Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
and protected under Iranian law, but they Jewish, Zoroastrian and Christian
are relegated to second class status. For minorities are barred from serving in the
example, the regime likes to tout the fact officer corps and various other official
that a limited number of token Christians, bodies.
Jews and Zoroastrians have seats in its Sohrab Ahmari, Wall Street Journal, Westminster
rubber stamp parliament, or Majils. That’s hearing, 16 December 2014
because these minorities are not allowed
Schools belonging to religious minorities
to contest other seats.
are often headed by Shia Muslim directors
Sohrab Ahmari, Wall Street Journal, Westminster
hearing, 16 December 2014
or overseen by Muslim Superintendents.
Sohrab Ahmari, Wall Street Journal, Westminster
Converts to Christianity have additional hearing, 16 December 2014
battles to face in daily life. Most converts
Furthermore, conversion away from Islam
still have names that identify them as
can lead to the loss of a job in state
having a Muslim heritage. Given that
institutions, or in cases where the
conversion is not tolerated, these
employer does not tolerate conversion.
individuals are still viewed and treated as
The Inquiry heard from Ermia who was
Muslim in Iranian law and bureaucracy.
sacked in summer 2013:
For someone who has become a
I worked in a pharmacy of a state hospital
Christian, it’s very hard for them to get
in Tehran. From the boss of the
legally married unless they have an
department, I was given a letter, because
Islamic ceremony - and many of them do
my colleagues had found out that I had
not want to have an Islamic ceremony...
become a Christian. And the boss also
And I know several people who... were not
heard about this. Despite all my
allowed to name their children the name
colleagues testifying that I was a good
they wanted if it was not an Islamic name.
employee and was conscientious in my
David Yeghnazar, Elam Ministries, Westminster
hearing, 2 December 2014
work, still they gave me a letter telling me I
was sacked... Because of the connections
between the hospitals, I wasn’t able to find
4.15. Discrimination in education and work in another hospital.
employment Ermia, video testimony, filmed 26 November 2014
Iran’s laws and policies, which create a With regards to education, according to Dr
framework of discrimination and which Shaheed, University regulations continue
directly impede religious freedom, have to officially grant admission only to
not changed since Rouhani became Muslims or members of officially
President. recognized minority religions. Christian
converts and unrecognised religious
There continues to be a limit to how high minorities can face pressure within
religious minorities can ascend in their academic institutions; or lose opportunities
careers. The ‘gozinesh criterion’, a for education or the right to complete
selection procedure requiring prospective educational courses because of their faith.
state officials and employees to Elham, Ermia’s wife, was removed from
demonstrate allegiance to the Islamic her university course a few months after
Republic of Iran and the state religion, her pastor was detained and interrogated
puts a glass ceiling onto the career by the MOIS.
prospects of religious minorities.
13Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report When my pastor was freed from prison, she said to me, ‘During interrogation, I was given a list and your name was on the list’... I was thrown out [of university]. I cannot give any reason why they threw me out: morally and educationally I had no problems. I asked them to let me study my last term on my own, if my presence was causing problems. They didn’t let me stay. They didn’t even give me any documentation about the courses I had completed... They said, ‘The rules of the university do not allow us to keep you here.’ Elham, video testimony, filmed 26 November 2014 14
Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
5. Recommendations diplomatic relations with the
Islamic Republic is contingent on a
We want the UK Parliament to put significant improvement in the
pressure on the Iranian regime and protection of religious freedom for
highlight the fact that the Iranian people all Iranian citizens. Specifically that
are undergoing persecution. The regime religious freedom, and human
might present themselves very well, but if rights in general, are priority issues
the UK Parliament shows that it knows within the dialogue about the
what is really happening then they might pending re-opening of Iran’s
ease the pressure on the house churches. Embassy in London.
Faraz Dolatkhah, Westminster hearing, 2 December d) We ask the British Government, in
2014 2015 and 2016, to vote in support
of the renewal of the mandate of
The Christians in Parliament APPG and
the United Nations special
the APPG for International Freedom of
rapporteur on Human Rights in
Religion or Belief concur with the
Iran, and to actively encourage
recommendations of Dr Ahmed Shaheed,
other member states of the Human
the UN Special Rapporteur on human
Rights Council to do likewise.
rights in Iran, to the Iranian government,
e) We ask the British Government to
as found in the appendix to this report.
appoint a UK Special Envoy for
Further, the APPGs make the following
Freedom of Religion or Belief
recommendations, reflecting the
(FoRB) within the FCO, and work
seriousness that the panel feels should be
to appoint an EU Special
attached to the rights of religious
Rapporteur on freedom of religion
minorities in Iran.
or belief.
5.1. To the British government f) We ask the British Government to
produce an annual FoRB report to
a) We ask the British Government to show what the government is
use appropriate channels to urge doing to promote FoRB around the
the Islamic Republic of Iran to world.
uphold its obligations under
international law to protect the
human rights of all its citizens, 5.3. To Persian-language news services
including the right to freedom of
religion or belief, as articulated in BBC Persian has about 12 million viewers
the International Covenant on Civil in Iran according to a survey done in 2013.
and Political Rights (ICCPR), to That’s just in Iran - we also broadcast to
which Iran is a party. Afghanistan, so we have a large audience.
b) We ask the British Government to Sadeq Saba, Editor of BBC Persian, Westminster
request the release of prisoners of hearing, 2 December 2014
conscience upon the occasion of
Norouz (Persian New Year), who We ask BBC Persian Television, Voice of
are serving prison sentences solely America Persian and other Persian-
for reason of their religious beliefs language news services to broadcast
or activities. more regularly about the persecution and
c) We ask the British Government to discrimination that religious minorities face
ensure that any upgrade of in Iran.
15Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
Appendix: Statement from Dr. Many of you may already be familiar with
the fact that the Iranian constitution only
Ahmed Shaheed, United
recognizes the faith of Jews, Christians,
Nations Special Rapporteur on and Zoroastrians, and that despite this
the situation of human rights recognition the followers of these religions
in the Islamic Republic of Iran continue to be accorded limited freedom to
hold and practice their beliefs. As a
In the months following my appointment to starting point, recognition provisions
the United Nations Special Procedures, I forwarded in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s
noted that Iran possesses some of the Constitution remain at the heart of the
basic tools to protect and promote human matter; establishing a hierarchical
rights in the country, but concluded that framework that accords specific privileged
the effect of certain national laws and status to adherents of Islam, Christianity,
practices undermine any intent to promote Judaism, and Zoroastrianism and officially
equality between men and women, or excludes members of unlisted religions
equity for the country’s religious and like members of the Bahá’í community, or
ethnic minorities. that of new groups or communities, from
the full and equal right to manifest their
Iran is, for example, a party to two religion or belief in accordance with the
international treaties that clearly outline tenets of their faith.
rights to freedom of expression,
conscience, religion, education, and to In a reply to one of my reports the
work; stipulating that these rights must be Government emphasized that adherents
equally enjoyed, regardless of gender, to recognized religions are entitled to
religion, or ethnicity, and prescribing very manifest their beliefs, “within the limits of
narrow limits in which these rights may be the law”, which is governed by velāyat-e
restricted. Although the Iranian faqīh, or the Shia idea of the absolute
constitution also introduces these rights, guardianship of the Islamic jurist. The
certain constitutional, criminal, and civil Iranian government has also resorted to a
legal provisions invariably give rise to differentiation between “religions” and
second and third class citizens by either “sects” in order to make citizenship
systematically limiting or completely dependent on affiliation with recognized
denying existing rights protections to the religions; and to deny members of
country’s religious minorities. unrecognized religions or to sects that
manifest behaviour it considers
These laws and policies continue to tantamount to propaganda against the
essentially dictate who can enjoy basic regime, the possibility of obtaining the
rights, in what context these rights may be status of legal personality. This includes
enjoyed, and to what extent. What sects of Christianity, like Evangelical
Iranians are left with is a legal framework Christians, that proselytize.
that is appropriated to harass, rather than
protect religious minorities; restricting their I should note that communities lacking
religious practices and creating legal personality status are faced with
impediments to their education, freedom obstacles when trying to establish bank
of expression, association, assembly, and accounts, officially employ individuals to
to their economic opportunities. work for their community, or to establish
private denominational schools. This in
turn may have negative repercussions on
16Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
the ability, for example, to obtain property Christianity. Most of these individuals join
in order to establish places of worship. Evangelical Christian churches, as
And although a legal personality status opposed to the Armenian and Assyrian
should be understood as an option, and Christian denominations, which comprise
not an obligation imposed on religious or the majority of Christians in the country,
belief communities by the State, status is but don’t generally proselytize, or accept
compulsory in Iran in order to manifest new converts; reportedly due in part to
beliefs, either publicly or privately. Those security reasons.
communities, for whatever reasons, that
prefer not to obtain such a status, or that This year, converts report that they are
have difficulty registering as a legal entity specifically targeted for harassment and
continue to be penalized. sometimes prosecution, because some
Iranian officials see them as a threat to the
Members of “non-registered” religious governing political and religious systems,
communities continue to experience police and sometimes as a tool of the West to
harassment, surveillance or even criminal undermine these structures. They argue
sanctions, as their activities are deemed that despite no longer being threatened by
illegal by the State or certain State the charge of apostasy, Christian converts
agencies. Restrictive measures continue still face the threat of being charged with
to include the confiscation of property, vague and overly-broad “national security”
financial sanctions, imprisonment and in crimes, such as propaganda against the
some cases even the use of torture. system, acting against national security,
Target groups may include communities assembly and collusion against the
that have been denied registration status system, insulting the Supreme Leader or
against their will and communities not the President, or “agitating the public
wishing to obtain any such legal status. consciousness.”
While many remain sceptical about the The number of arrests since President
prospects for addressing these issues, I Rouhani took office has been difficult to
maintain cautious optimism; taking note of ascertain, but reports that these arrests
certain actions that signal political will to continue remain relatively unabated. On
address international and national human Christmas Day 2013, five Christian
rights concerns, but also bearing in mind converts — Ahmad Bazyar, Faegheh
that actions in the form of declarations or Nasrollahi, Mastaneh Rastegari, Amir
the repeal of laws and policies don’t Hossein Nematollahi, and a man by the
necessarily translate into enduring or even last name of Hosseini — were arrested in
cursory reform. a house-church in Eastern Tehran. This
past New Year’s Eve, four Christians were
Last year, for example, I reported that the
violently arrested at a holiday celebration
new Islamic Penal Code now omits any
mention of “apostasy”, heresy, and in Karaj, outside of Tehran, by plainclothes
witchcraft as criminal offences. security officials. In July of this year three
Regardless, my reports to the United individuals, including Pastor Matthias
Nations General Assembly and Human Haghnejad, were arrested and taken into
Rights Council this past year continue to custody. All had previously served prison
put forward concerns about the situation of time for acting against national security
Christians. Particular attention in these and propaganda against the system. And
reports has been paid to the treatment of this October, three Iranian Christian
individuals who convert from Islam to converts, including one who was
17Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
producing a film on the life of Jesus, were Last month, the UN General Assembly’s
also reportedly arrested. Third Committee voted to adopt its annual
resolution on the situation of human rights
Pastor Saeed Abedini continues to in the Islamic Republic of Iran, expressing
languish in prison, apparently for nothing its continued concern over the human
more than expressing his faith. I have rights situation in the country. The
repeatedly appealed the Government of adoption of this resolution sends an
Iran to provide him with adequate access important message of optimism tempered
to medical care and to reconsider his by the need for concrete actions that result
case. In October, Iranian authorities in comprehensive and equal protections
apparently dropped capital charges for the rights promulgated by the
against Pastor Behnam Irani in exchange international human rights treaties.
for the addition of six years to his previous
five-year prison sentence. If the current Recommendations
sentences hold, then, he will remain in
prison through 2023. President Rouhani’s election has been,
and continues to be viewed by many as an
It’s important to continue to recognize that opportunity to introduce moderate legal
from a legal perspective—at least when it and institutional reforms that result in
comes to arrests and prosecutions—Iran’s improved protections for human rights.
persecution of religious minorities often The positive signals and statements
resembles its persecution of government forwarded by President Rouhani and his
critics. And even though these religious government in the months following his
communities – as communities – often shy election engendered an increase in
away from politics, they’re often seen by international expectations for tangible and
the Government through a political and sustainable reforms, but unfortunately
“national security” lens. Evangelical these reforms have not come to fruition to
Christians, Muslim Dervishes, and Bahá’ís date.
alike are often charged with the same
Penal Code violations as, for example, For its part, the Iranian Government must
dissident journalists, political activists or take immediate and simple steps to
human rights defenders. Iran’s use of the address aspects of the legal system that
crime of moharabeh – enmity against God work to arbitrarily exclude individuals from
– is both sweeping and aggressive, and legal protections based on the
again relatively unique within the Islamic government’s own precepts of what
world. constitutes a religion and the extent to
which one may practice his/her beliefs.
This continues to be evident in the cases Steps must also be taken to ensure that
of Christians arrested this past year where respect for freedom of religion or belief as
we see many hallmarks of the legal issues a human right does not depend on
faced by religious minorities in Iran. That administrative registration procedures, as
is, they are routinely charged with acting freedom of religion or belief has the status
against national security; of conspiring of a human right, prior to and independent
with the Islamic Republic’s foreign from any acts of State approval.
“enemies”; and of collusion against the
Government by “organizing” gatherings or Authorities must also cease utilizing
house churches. And they are usually tried overly-broad, vague, and seemingly mis-
in Revolutionary Courts, which are applied “national security” charges to
effectively national security courts. restrict human rights. The need to ensure
18Christians in Parliament APPG and APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Joint Report
“public order” and related national security legal personality they had possessed
should not in itself jeopardize such rights before, as an instrument of exercising
as religious freedom or freedom of control or marginalizing groups.
expression. Rather, restrictions on
fundamental rights must be the exception We must also continue to hold Iran
and not the norm. accountable to the benchmarks it will
accept this coming March as a result of
Furthermore, Iran should offer appropriate Iran’s Universal Periodic Review this past
options for religious or belief communities October, during which a significant
to achieve the status of legal personality number of similar recommendations to
on a domestic level, a status needed for that of 2010 were forwarded by member
undertaking important community states and signalling the international
functions relevant for the full exercise of community’s recognition that virtually no
freedom of religion or belief. Registration real progress in addressing problematic
procedures for obtaining legal personality legal and long-term official practices has
status should be quick, transparent, fair, been achieved.
inclusive and non-discriminatory.
My engagement with Iranian officials and
Iran should refrain from exercising the Government’s cooperation with my
pressure on religious or belief groups mandate remains perfunctory and
whose members prefer not to be reflective of the fact that no single view
registered as legal entities under domestic about how to engage with the international
law; and the Government should instruct community’s concerns governs Iran’s
law enforcement and judicial officials that approach to achieving its clear goal to play
religious activities of non-registered a prominent role on the international
religious or belief communities are not stage. However, if the government
illegal, as the status of freedom of religion chooses to take a path towards
or belief prevails over any acts of State constructive engagement on these issues
registration. of concern, if it expresses its
determination to strengthen the promotion
Iran should review its registration and protection of human rights for all
decisions to ensure they are clearly Iranians, it will find in me, and in the wider
defined formal elements of law and in international community, partners in
conformity with international law. addressing these deep structural and legal
Registration should neither depend on issues, which go to the heart of the Islamic
extensive formal requirements in terms of Republic’s most alarming problems.
the number of members and the time a
particular community has existed, nor
should it depend on the review of the
substantive content of the belief, the
structure of the community and methods
of appointment of the clergy.
Iran must also provide effective legal
remedies for individuals or groups
complaining about the denial or arbitrary
delay of registration as a legal personality,
and should refrain from arbitrarily stripping
certain religious or belief communities of
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