Iranian Christian Church Worker Held Prisoner for Possessing a Bible

ICC Note

A believer is being held in prison since April when Iranian police discovered a Bible in the basement of his house

By Michael Ireland

07/28/2010 IRAN (ANS) — An Iranian Christian believer is being held in Iran’s notorious Evin prison solely for owning a Bible.

This was revealed by the father of Ali Golchin, in a telephone conversation with Voice of America (VOA) radio.

Ali’s father told the radio network that the only reason his son is in prison is because there was a New Testament found in their house, and he is surprised that owning a Gospel would constitute such as serious crime.

According to Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN), Ali Golchin, a 29- year-old graduate of analytical chemistry, was arrested in the town of Varamin, 35 km South East of Tehran, and has been in solitary confinement for over two months. Ali is a Farsi-speaking Christian and a Christian worker in a local church.

FCNN says that Ali has been subjected to harsh and long interrogations during this time. Moreover, Ali’s family has been threatened by government authorities and warned not to retain a lawyer or contact any news organizations. Ali has not been charged with any crimes as of yet.

Up until recently the news of Ali’s arrest and on-going imprisonment was published and relayed to the English-speaking news media by FCNN, which has caused strong reaction worldwide.

Following the news of Ali’s arrest and imprisonment, the Voice of America (VOA) conducted a telephone interview with Ali’s father, Mohsen Golchin.

“The date of my son’s arrest of was April 29, 2010. The reason for his arrest was the discovery of a New Testament in the basement of our house. For this reason they arrested my son. I am a Christian and my son has been born in a Christian family. I want to know why this is a crime to have a New Testament in the basement of our house. I don’t know…So the government agents came to our house and searched it, and not only took away the New Testament, but many of my personal books were also confiscated,” Mr. Golchin said.