BREAKING NEWS: Iran Frees Church of Iran Christian; Others Jailed
ICC Note:
Mehdi Ameruni, an Iranian Christian, was released from prison last week after raising approximately $25,000 to pay bail, BosNewsLife reports. Ameruni’s release follows the release of two other Christians on October 25 and November 1. The Christians were charged with apostasy (converting to Christianity from Islam) and for participating in Christian activities. Raids on Christian homes and their places of worship have increased in recent weeks. On October 26 and 28, two houses were raided in Tehran and four Christians were detained by Iranian security forces. On October 12, seven Christians were arrested at a house church gathering in Shiraz. Two more Christians from Shiraz have since been arrested, adding to an estimated 40 Christians who were arrested in September in the same city. While ICC welcomes the news of Ameruni’s release, there are still some 20 Christians currently imprisoned in Iran for their faith.
By Stefan J. Bos
11/17/2012 Iran (BosNewsLife)- Iran has released a detained devoted Christian of the ‘Church of Iran’ on a massive bail but five other recently arrested members of the evangelical house church movement remain behind bars, a church official told BosNewsLife Saturday, November 17.
Mehdi Ameruni was freed this week after raising some $25,000 in local currency, said Firouz Khandjani, a Church of Iran council member,
His release came after fellow believers Bijan Haghighi and Roxana Furughi were freed October 25 and November 1 after paying $25,000 each, he added.
“It’s a huge amount in Iran where average monthly wages are up to $300 or less. Their families had to raise the money by putting properties such as a house as security,” Khandjani explained earlier.
Five other Church of Iran believers detained with them, Mohammad Roghangir, Surush Saraie, Eskandar Rezaie, Massoud Rezaie and Shahin Lahouty, were moved last week to Adel-Abad prison in Shiraz, he said.
TRUMPED-UP CHARGES
“This suggest that authorities want to keep them a long time,” stressed Khandjani, most likely on what Iranian Christians call “trumped-up charges” such as ‘crimes against Iran’s security’. “It seems authorities want to pressure them to pay for their release,” said Khandjani, who is in hiding amid security concerns.
They were expected to meet several other Christian converts in the Adel-Abad prison. Among them are Mojtaba Hosseini, Mohammad-Reza Partoei Kourosh, Vahid Hakkani and Homayoun Shokouhi who have been held some nine months in the detention facility, Christians said.
Khandjani said he believes dozens of Christians remain detained across Iran following a massive crackdown on several churches and groups since last month. “As many as hundreds of Christians were briefly detained and told not to visit church services anymore.”
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