Iran Sentences Three Christian Converts to 40 Years in Prison, Including a Pregnant Woman

Abbas Soori, Mehran Shamloui and Narges Nasri, about halfway through her pregnancy, have been sentenced without extenuating circumstances

Three Christian converts from Islam, including a pregnant woman, have been sentenced to more than 40 years in prison in Iran on charges related to their religious beliefs and participation in religious gatherings. The sentences were handed down by Judge Iman Afshari of the Islamic Revolutionary Court, known for issuing harsh verdicts against minorities and activists.

The convicted individuals, Abbas Soori, Mehran Shamloui, and Narges Nasri, were arrested in Tehran during intelligence raids in late 2024. They were charged with offenses such as "propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law" and "belonging to an opposition group," a classification often applied to House Churches.

Narges, who is 37 years old and halfway through her pregnancy, received the harshest sentence—10 years for propaganda activities, five years for opposition group membership, and one additional year for propaganda against the state. The court cited her social media posts supporting the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement as evidence against her. Abbas, 48, was sentenced to 15 years, while Mehran, 37, received a sentence of over 10 years.

All three were further stripped of their social rights, including access to healthcare, employment, and education for extended periods. Additionally, Abbas and Narges were fined 330 million tomans ($6,500) each, while Mehran was fined 250 million tomans ($4,750). The court also banned Abbas and Narges from residing in Tehran or leaving the country for two years after completing their sentences.

Their arrests were part of a larger crackdown on Christian converts, with at least 10 others detained in coordinated raids across multiple cities, including Karaj, Mashhad, Shiraz, and Bandar Abbas. Authorities confiscated personal items such as Bibles, crosses, and musical instruments during the raids. Mehran, a musician, had equipment worth approximately $5,500 seized.

Following their arrest, the three were held in Tehran’s Evin Prison under the Ministry of Intelligence’s control. After enduring extensive interrogations, they were temporarily released on bail, each required to pay over $20,000. Their trial took place on February 15, 2025, at the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, where they were formally charged under various penal code articles.

Abbas had previously been arrested in 2020 and convicted alongside another Christian convert and an Iranian-Armenian pastor, receiving non-custodial sentences, while the pastor was sentenced to 10 years in prison. That pastor was later acquitted after serving more than a year.

These latest sentences highlight increasing restrictions on religious freedom in Iran. Reports indicate a clear regression in religious rights, aligning with the broader crackdown on dissent following the death of Mahsa Amini. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has urged the classification of Iran as a "country of particular concern" due to systemic violations of religious rights.

Separately, Iranian authorities released another Christian detainee, Somayeh Rajabi, on March 8 after she paid over $40,000 in bail. She had been arrested in February during a raid on a prayer meeting in Mazandaran province. Observers have criticized the use of exorbitant bail amounts as a tactic to financially burden and silence religious minorities, particularly amid Iran’s ongoing economic crisis.