A Christian convert in Iran has begun serving a prison term. Although sentenced to ten years, authorities are enforcing only a five-year unconditional imprisonment. She also faces a fine, internal exile, and a travel ban for charges including promoting propaganda contrary to Islamic law. Her husband received a separate sentence but is not currently incarcerated due to cancer treatment. The convert was arrested in a city alongside other believers following a seminar abroad. Authorities have targeted religious minorities amid regional tensions, with UN rapporteurs warning of potential persecution. The woman endured detention and alleged psychological torture prior to her release on bail.
Iranian authorities sentenced five Christians to a combined total of over 70 years in prison. The defendants, including a pastor and several converts, were convicted in a city in Iran for engaging in ordinary Christian practices such as prayer and celebrating Christmas. According to Article 18, the Revolutionary Court charged them with gathering, collusion, and propaganda against the Islamic Republic. The court cited house-church leadership and social media posts as evidence. One defendant suffered a spinal fracture in prison and was later released on medical furlough. The case highlights the ongoing persecution of Christian converts in Iran.
A human rights organization condemned the violent suppression of nationwide protests in Iran, alleging brutal attacks on demonstrators, including patients in hospitals. The group claims thousands, including children, may have died following an internet shutdown. Article18 urges Western governments and international bodies to hold Iranian authorities accountable for violating international law. Recommendations include recalling ambassadors, pursuing justice for perpetrators, and adopting stronger resolutions at the EU and UN levels to protect citizens from systematic state violence.
A Christian convert in Iran is serving a nine-year and eight-month sentence in a detention facility. A Revolutionary Court judge issued the verdict in May 2026 following the convert's re-arrest in a major city in January 2026. Charges include propaganda against the state and gathering against national security. Reports indicate the convert was previously detained in 2024. Interrogators pressured her to admit her Bible was for evangelism, which she denied. An executive director of a rights organization stated the sentence effectively punishes the convert and her spouse, who suffers from Parkinson's disease and cannot access medication. The case highlights ongoing persecution of religious minorities in the country.
Open Doors has released its annual World Watch List, ranking Iran as the 10th worst country for Christian persecution. This places the Islamic Republic among 15 nations where the group describes the situation as extreme. Although Iran dropped one spot from last year's ninth position, researchers note that conditions for believers have actually worsened. The list highlights severe restrictions and hostility in countries including North Korea, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. The ranking underscores the ongoing challenges faced by religious minorities in the region.
Two brothers were arrested in December 2021 during a Christmas gathering in a city in Iran. They were later convicted under penal code provisions for propaganda activities related to their involvement in a house church. The brothers were sentenced to four years in prison and began serving their terms in a prison in the Isfahan region ahead of Christmas 2025. The court also imposed a two-year exile from the Isfahan province, a five-year ban on group membership, and fines of approximately $1,500 each. The arrest was carried out by plainclothes agents without a warrant.
A Christian convert from a village in northern Iran is serving a nine-and-a-half-year sentence in a major city’s prison. Arrested in June 2024 alongside six others for religious activities, authorities raided his home, confiscating Bibles and Christian materials. Reports indicate he endured torture during pre-trial detention. In July 2025, he received a combined sentence for propaganda activities and alleged insults toward the Supreme Leader. The group states that converts were pressured to renounce their faith for reduced terms. He began his sentence in November 2025. This case highlights ongoing persecution of religious minorities in Iran.
A Christian alliance in Iran has issued a statement expressing deep concern over the violent suppression of nationwide protests. The group states the demonstrations are driven by systemic injustice and human rights violations. Authorities have responded with force, resulting in deaths across many cities. The alliance urges Iranian officials to respect citizen dignity and stop labeling peaceful demonstrators as rioters to justify violence. This call for restraint comes amid warnings from the US President regarding potential intervention if protesters are killed. The group emphasizes the need for peace and justice for all citizens, including Christians facing persecution.
Two Christian converts in Iran began serving four-year prison sentences during the Christmas season. Arrested four years ago, they were convicted under Article 500 for deviant propaganda and face additional penalties including fines, exile, and group bans. Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi highlighted their case in a letter to Pope Leo XIV, citing increased persecution of Christians in the country. Other converts are also imprisoned or released on medical grounds. Pahlavi urged the Vatican to raise awareness of these injustices through diplomatic channels, emphasizing the ongoing suffering of believers under current laws.
A Christian woman in Iran is serving a ten-year prison sentence in a facility in northern Iran. She was arrested after attending a seminar abroad and charged with promoting deviant propaganda and supporting Zionist Christian groups. Reports indicate she faced psychological torture and threats of execution during detention. Her husband received a three-and-a-half-year sentence but is not currently imprisoned due to cancer treatment. She was acquitted of insulting religious sanctities but faces internal exile and travel bans after her release. The article states these charges stem from her Christian faith activities.
A 61-year-old Christian convert in Iran has been released from a major prison after serving nearly two years of a reduced sentence. She was originally convicted in 2022 for leading a house church alongside other believers. During her incarceration, she endured significant health struggles, including untreated arthritis and a broken ankle. Her sentence was cut from six years to two, accounting for time spent in detention since her 2020 arrest. While her co-defendants received earlier releases, a senior pastor was re-arrested in February 2025 and remains imprisoned on new charges. Her release marks the end of her current legal ordeal.
A former employee of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in a major city has shared his personal account of converting from Islam to Christianity. Born into a Muslim family, he initially worked for the IRGC monitoring mosque activities. He began researching other faiths after a friend converted, eventually attending house-church meetings. He left his government position to pursue his new beliefs, later leading Christian gatherings in a printing house. His testimony highlights the risks faced by converts in Iran, where religious surveillance is common and apostasy is criminalized. The account provides insight into the underground Christian community's operations and security measures within the country.
The US State Department strongly condemned Iran's sentencing of five Christians to a combined total of more than 50 years in prison. In a December 11 post on Persian-language social media, the department denounced the repression of religious minorities and demanded the immediate release of all religious prisoners. The named individuals include Aida Najaflou, Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, Joseph Shahbazian, and Lida Shahbazian. They were convicted for ordinary Christian activities such as prayer and Bible reading. According to the outlet, at least nine Christians received sentences of ten years or more in 2025, with 21 currently imprisoned for their faith in Iran.
The UN General Assembly’s Third Committee voted to pass a resolution expressing serious concern about religious persecution in Iran. The measure highlights harassment and arbitrary arrests targeting Christians, particularly converts from Islam. Presented by Canada and supported by several Western nations, the text urges Tehran to end discrimination and release imprisoned religious practitioners. A UN Special Rapporteur cited data showing at least 96 Christians arrested in 2025. Iran, China, and several other nations criticized the resolution as politically motivated.
A Christian convert in Iran has been pardoned following a two-year prison sentence for participating in house church activities. Arrested in a city near the capital in late 2023, she was convicted of disrupting national security. After serving time in a major prison and being released on bail, she began her sentence later that year. She was permitted to work at a government factory in mid-2026. Recently, she received news of a general amnesty pardon. This case highlights the ongoing persecution of religious minorities in the country, according to the report.
UN officials addressed the General Assembly regarding the arrest of Christians in Iran on espionage accusations. They highlighted intensified repression of religious minorities and a shrinking civic space. Iranian authorities admitted to detaining over 50 believers, labeling them foreign mercenaries. Experts condemned mistreatment in detention facilities and criticized new laws expanding the death penalty. International representatives supported these findings, noting systematic discrimination against minority communities in the Islamic Republic. The condemnation underscores the severe risks faced by Christians accused of spying, reflecting broader human rights concerns in the region.
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