Tehran, Iran – Five Christian converts have been sentenced to a total of over 25 years in prison by the Iranian judiciary, according to a Friday report by Iran International. Although Christians are recognized as a religious minority in Iran, authorities impose severe penalties on those who convert from Islam to Christianity.
The human rights group Hengaw, which monitors violations against Kurds in Iran, reported that there is no specific information regarding the charges or accusations against the five converts. The sentences include a 10-year term for Hamid Afzali, and five-year terms for Nasrollah Mousavi, Bijan Gholizadeh, and Iman Salehi. Zohrab Shahbazi received a nine-month sentence.
Hengaw also reported that Yasin Mousavi, another Christian convert, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Mousavi was among those arrested during the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement in 2022.
In related news, prominent Iranian political prisoner Fatemeh Sepehri was sentenced last week to an additional 18 and a half years in prison. Sepehri, who has been critical of the Islamic Republic, was arrested during the same movement and was sentenced after condemning the Hamas attacks on October 7 and expressing support for Israel.