A Christian couple in Iran will be forced to relinquish their adopted child to the state because of their participation in a house church, according to Article 18, a Christian persecution watchdog group.
Sam Khosravi and Maryam Falahi were deemed “not fit” to be Lydia’s parents after nearly two years of care for the child. Judge Muhammad Hassan Dashti asserted that Lydia, though her parentage is unknown, is a Muslim child and therefore should have only been placed in a Muslim home.
Dashti also acknowledged that the toddler faced an “uncertain future” and that there was “zero chance” another adoptive family would take her in due to her health problems. Sam and Maryam took in Lydia after they were unable to conceive.
The couple have already appealed the case, but a court of appeals upheld the first ruling earlier this week. Sam and Maryam will file a second appeal.
Lawyers for the couple were able to obtain two fatwas from Grand Ayatollahs—the most senior Shia Islamic members in Iran—that gave the couple permission for the adoption because of Lydia’s poor health and “undisputed emotional attachment with her parents.”
Nonetheless, Dashti ruled the adoption was unlawful, though he was also sympathetic to the couple.
“In 13 years of marriage, [Sam and Maryam] didn’t have a child to bring light and warmth to their home,” he said.
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