Five Iranian Christians were sentenced to an average of 10 years each in prison for “propaganda” and “collusion” for practices such as prayer and baptism, and for distributing Bibles and Christian literature.

Though the verdict was given on Oct. 21, it was not communicated to any of the prisoners until late November and early December. They have been given 20 days to appeal their case before the Revolutionary Court of Tehran.

Two of the prisoners — pastor Joseph Shahbazian and Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh — have previously spent a total of six years in prison for house church involvement before their re-arrest in February. Shahbazian’s wife, Lida, Aida Najaflou, and a third woman who has not been publicly identified were also arrested.

“These examples demonstrate clearly how Iranian Christians like Joseph, Nasser, Aida, Lida, and the fifth Christian are convicted for no other reason than their ordinary Christian activities — including wanting to share their beliefs with others, and to provide them with the opportunity to read the Christian holy book,” Article18 Director Mansour Borji said.

According to Article 18, each Christian except Lida received a minimum sentence of 10 years. Najaflou and Gol-Tapeh received a bail amount equivalent to $130,000 and $250,000, respectively — the highest amount demanded for an Iranian Christian’s release from prison. Shahbazian never received an official bail amount.

Aida Najaflou, 44, has endured a series of health issues since her arrest. She suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, for which she received spinal surgery right before her imprisonment. On Oct. 31, she fell from her bunkbed in Tehran’s Evin Prison, fracturing her spine. Though she went to the hospital, she returned to prison the same day without receiving proper treatment. On Nov. 16, she returned to the hospital on Nov. 16, after wounds from her surgery became infected.

“Today, I shed tears for my aggrieved client Aida Najaflou, tears that had been in my heart for days and today flowed from my eyes during my visit to Evin Prison,” Najaflou’s lawyer posted on X on Dec. 7. “I humbly request all judicial authorities of the country to come to the aid of this prisoner at risk of spinal cord severance.”

Story by Bella Agnello