IMHRO: Four Ahwazi Arab arrested for converting to Christianity

Iranian Minorities’ Human Rights Organisation (IMHRO)

IMHRO.83

IMHRO sources from al- Ahwaz in south west of Iran reported that four Ahwazi Arabs men arrested by Iranian security service because they converted from Islam to Christianity. They all reported below 30 years old. Ali Jabber, Karim Naderi, Rahim Asakerh and Rahman Jafari all arrested while worshiping secretly in the house in city of Ahwaz.

After they arrested, security services raided their houses in city of Ahwaz, looking for Bible and Christian literature.

IMHRO condemns the persecution of Muslims who converts into Christianity in Iran. Iran should respect freedom of religions, including conversion from Islam to other religions.

Background

Iranian security service monitors Christians in Iran. Christian Worship is banned, churches destroyed and those who converted from Islam to Christianity charged with apostasy and would face the death penalty.  Many Christians in last thirty years tortured and murdered by Iranian security service, there is no freedom of religion in Iran and Christians like Baha’i, Sunni and Sufi dervishes are heavily persecuted. 

Underground church is wide spread in Iran, as people are fed up with Islamic theocracy in Iran. It is estimated that in last 10 years thousands had converted to Christianity in Iran.