Saheb Fadaie and Fatemeh Bakhteri were sentenced to 18 months and twelve months respectively on 22nd September 2018. Fadaie also received an additional two years in exile in Nehbandan – a remote area near to the border with Afghanistan.
They were accused of attacking Islam by discussing Christian doctrine in house churches.
It later emerged that during their final appeal hearing in January, the pair refused to renounce their faith after being asked to do so by the two presiding judges – who have both previously been accused of involvement in human rights violations.
Fadaie is already serving a ten-year sentence in Tehran’s Evin prison, following his arrest along with fellow members of the Church of Iran denomination, Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, Mr Mohammadreza Omidi and Mr Yasser Mossayebzadeh on 13th May 2016.
There has been a rise in recent years of raids by security agents on Christian homes in the city of Rasht.
Please pray for Saheb Fadaie & Fatemeh Bakhteri, Iranian Christians imprisoned for their faith: https://t.co/OYRHRwQR6P
Imprisonment in Iran is often brutal. “Most [Christians] are coerced to divulge information about their house church activities and those of their friends.” pic.twitter.com/0wUuh528K2
— International Christian Concern (@persecutionnews) October 5, 2018
Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s (CSW) chief executive Mervyn Thomas said: “These…
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