Iranian Court Set to Hear Appeal of Christian Converts Sentenced to 80 Lashes Each for Drinking Communion Wine
ICC Note: Three Iranian Christians sentenced to 80 lashes each for drinking communion wine were set to have an appeal hearing on Saturday, October 15. The results of said appeal are still unknown. The three were also sentenced alongside Youcef Nadarkhani for acting against national security, which caries a maximum penalty of six years in prison. The Iranian regime has recently enforced a stricter crackdown on Christian gatherings and actions in the Islamic regime, with up to 43 Christians arrested in Augusta alone, according to Middle East Concern.
10/17/2016 Iran (Christian Times): Eighty lashes for drinking Communion wine—that’s the penalty that awaits each of the three Christian converts in Iran after they were charged earlier this month with that offence.
The three—Yasser Mossayebzadeh, Saheb Fadaie and Mohammad Reza Omidi—were also charged with “acting against national security” together with Youcef Nadarkhani, a pastor who was once sentenced to death for apostasy, according to World Watch Monitor (WWM).
They are due to appeal their case when then appear in court again in the northern city of Rasht on Saturday, Oct.15. The maximum sentence for the “acting against national security” charge is six years in prison.
Iran has not recognised the Christian conversion of the three accused Muslims, which explains why they are being charged with illegal consumption of alcohol, the drinking of which is permitted to non-Muslims. Leaving Islam is forbidden in Iran.
According to Iranian law, a Muslim charged and convicted of drinking alcohol for a third time could face the death penalty—a fate that could befall Omidi, who has been convicted of drinking alcohol twice.
Iranian authorities have convicted and sentenced more than 200 Christians since 2015. Many are in jail, while others have been released conditionally, pending sentencing or an appeal.
At least 43 Christians were arrested in August alone, according to Middle East Concern’s Rob Duncan.
“The Iranian regime is conducting a very active campaign against house churches at the moment and leaders of house churches are harassed and put under pressure,” Duncan said.
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