Iran Temporarily Releases Detained Christians on Bail

Maryam and Marzieh Remain Imprisoned

Washington , D.C. (September 15, 2009) –ICC has learned that on September 2, Iranian authorities temporarily released seven Christian converts from Islam on bail.

According to the report by Farsi Christian News Network, the seven are part of 25 Christians who Iranian officials had arrested on July 31, 2009 in the northern part of Tehran . The officials released all but these seven believers after extensive interrogation.

Maryam Razandi, Ashraf Onidi, Mehdi Mohammadi, Mobina Lak, Nariman Sharifi, Shahi, and Shahnam Yar-Mohammad Tosaki were held released in the notorious Evin prison until their release on September 2, when they each posted ownership titles on two houses as bail.

Iranian authorities have recently increased their clamp down on Christian converts from Islam. On July 29, they detained four Christian converts in the city of Rasht . The authorities threatened to charge the Christians with apostasy, but later released them after they posted bail in the amount of $20,000. According to Islamic laws, converts from Islam who are charged with apostasy could face the death penalty.

Meanwhile, Maryam and Marzieh, Christian converts from Islam, still remain imprisoned in the Evin prison after being on March 5, 2009 for the ‘crime’ of converting from Islam to Christianity. When they appeared before a revolutionary court in Tehran on August 9, an Iranian public prosecutor told them to recant their Christian faith, but Maryam and Marzieh refused to do so. They were later sent back to the prison. To read the full report on Maryam and Marzieh, see: ( /suffering/pressdetail.php?presscode=325)

Jonathan Racho, ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa and the Middle East , said, “We call upon Iranian officials to respect the rights of their citizens to follow the religion of their choice. Article 18 (2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a party, guarantees the freedom of citizens to follow the religion or belief of their choice. We urge Iran to respect its obligations under the international human rights law.”

Please pray for the release of Maryam and Marzieh. Please also pray for the protection and safety of the Iranian Christian converts from Islam to Christianity.

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