CSW welcomes news that two Christians from the northern city of Karaj, Pastor Amin Khaki and Rokhsare Ghanbari (Mahrokh), were asked not to return to prison to complete their sentences following their temporarily release amid concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in Iran.
Pastor Amin was arrested together with four other Christians in Karaj in December 2017. He was released in early 2018 after submitting 30 million Tomans (7000 USD) in bail, but was subsequently sentenced to 14 months in prison in March 2019 for “spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran.” He began serving his sentence in July 2019. The four other Christians who were arrested with him were sentenced to four months imprisonment in March 2019 and were released after serving their sentences.
Last month Pastor Amin was sent home temporarily due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Iran, but on 6 April he was informed that he has been released. Pastor Amin has been arrested on several occasions in the past and was previously imprisoned from March 2014-January 2015 as part of a group of eight Christians who were detained and interrogated after gathering for a picnic.
Similarly, Rokhsare Ghanbari (Mahrokh) was arrested by agents from the Ministry of Intelligence in July 2019, and was subsequently sentenced to one year in prison by the Revolutionary Court in Karaj on charges of “spreading propaganda against the system.” CSW's sources report that she was targeted because she had converted to Christianity and attended a house church, and that she was previously arrested in December 2018, along with three other converts to Christianity.
Ms Ghanbari’s case gained international attention when US Vice President Mike Pence raised concerns on Twitter that she had been “punished” for exercising her freedom to worship. She was sent home temporarily three weeks ago, and was informed last week that she had been released and did not need to return to prison.
CSW’s Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said: "We welcome the release of these two innocent Christians, who were imprisoned simply for adopting a faith of their choice. Their right to do so is enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Iran is party. We call upon the Iranian government to end the criminalisation of conversion, and to immediately release all prisoners of thought, conscience, religion and belief during this public health emergency.”
It has also been reported that another Iranian Christian, Fatemeh Bakhteri, has had her temporary release extended until 18 April. Ms Bakhteri was sentenced to 12 months in prison in September 2018 on charges of “spreading propaganda against the regime.” She began serving her one year sentence in August 2019.
Mervyn Thomas added: “CSW also welcomes the extension of the temporary release of Fatemeh Bakhteri. However we reiterate that she should never have been imprisoned in the first place. We urge the Iranian government to grant Ms Bakhteri permanent release and to allow her to observe her religious belief without further harassment or targeting.”