Source: Open Doors, March 17, 2020
“Recent reports indicate that the COVID-19 virus has spread inside Iranian prisons,” Javaid Rehman, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, said in Geneva.
The immediate release freed an estimated 70,000 prisoners, including six Christians. However at least 11 believers serving longer-term, security-related sentences will remain imprisoned. That includes Christians like Nasser-Navard Gol-tepeh who has been sentenced to 10 years for “crimes against national security.”
Also known to be still in detention in Iran on charges related to the peaceful practice of their faith are nine Christian converts from the northern city of Rasht. Their five-year prison sentences were recently upheld, even though neither they nor their lawyers were permitted to attend the hearing. Five of the men are among the at least 11 Christians. They were arrested during raids on their homes and house churches.
Christian activist Mary (Fatemeh) Mohammadi was among the prisoners recently granted temporary leave from Qarchak women’s prison. In detention, she was severely tortured and beaten so badly that the bruises were still visible on her body three weeks later.
» An interesting development from another region: the mayor of Seoul is pressing charges against the church at the center of Korea’s coronavirus outbreak (Huffington Post with links to other sources).