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IRANIAN AUTHORITIES FREE CHRISTIAN AFTER YEAR IN PRISON: DUAL DUTCH-IRANIAN CITIZEN OF ARMENIAN DESCENT WORKED WITH DRUG-ADDICTED MUSLIMS
Compass Direct News
http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/iran/article_117095.html
Sept 1 2011
ISTANBUL, September 1 (CDN) - Iranian authorities on Monday (Aug. 29)
released a Christian after 359 days of detainment on charges of
spreading Christianity among Farsi-speaking Iranians and having ties
with foreign Christian organizations, according to Mohabat News.
Authorities arrested Vahik Abrahamian, 45, a dual Iranian and Dutch
citizen who belongs to Iran's Armenian community, and his wife on
Sept. 4, 2010 in Hamadan, 337 kilometers (210 miles) west of Tehran,
along with another Iranian Christian couple, Arash Kermanjani and
Arezou Teimouri. On April 30 authorities released Abrahamian's wife,
Sonia, along with Kermanjani and Teimouri, after they appeared in
court, and Abrahamian was ultimately held in the Hamadan general
prison ward.
The two couples spent 44 days in solitary confinement in the detention
center of the Ministry of Information, Farsi Christian News Network
(FCNN) reported.
Conditions in the prison were taxing on Abrahamian's health, and FCNN
described the prison's hygiene conditions as "deplorable."
Abrahamian and his wife were previously arrested and held in Tehran's
notorious Evin prison in February 2010. Authorities held them in
solitary confinement for 53 days on charges of activities among
the Muslim community, according to Mohabat News. They were released
on bail.
The couple worked with drug addicts and other marginalized Iranians,
according to FCNN. Abrahamian had become a Christian in the
Netherlands, where he visited an Iranian church. At that time he
found freedom from his own drug addiction, and in 2006 he returned
to Iran to work with drug users.
Authorities were incensed that Abrahamian worked with marginalized
Farsi-speaking Muslims, and even more that he had connections with
foreign Christians, said an Iranian Christian pastor in the region
on the condition of anonymity.
"The reason he was in prison for so long wasn't about his [faith and
activities], but because he was connected with foreign Christians,"
the source said.
The pastor explained that typically authorities arrest and release
Christians in the house group movement after a few days or weeks when
they work independently and are not seen as plants from the West or
having connections with ministries outside Iran.
The Iranian government seeks to create an atmosphere of fear for
Christians, said the source.
"The government in Iran has two challenges," he said. "On the one
hand they don't like Christianity growing in Iran, but on the other
hand because of international pressure they don't want to make a big
story out of them."
The source explained that authorities want to control the Christian
movement, but because it is a network of underground churches that
is spreading rapidly and secretly, they cannot. He said he expects
persecution, which is on the rise, to continue in Iran.
"This is nothing new," he said. "We've been dealing with this for 20
years. We have persecution, and they will arrest even more people,
but this is not new."
Last month an Iranian cleric, Ayatollah Hadi Jahangosha, decried
Protestantism in Iran, calling it "distorted Christianity," according
to a Mohabat News.
In the Aug. 24 report, Jahangosha said the effects of the Protestant
Christian movement had more far-reaching effects than other religions
and expressed his regret for the spread of Christianity among youth.
He criticized Christian satellite channels, claiming they are trying
to erode Iran's society and religious culture.
"Iran's capital is more exposed to damage in this issue, and some
people here are attracted to Christianity due to financial reasons,
and some other people due to being neglected by the society," Mohabat
quoted Jahangosha as saying.
Recent inflammatory remarks by Iran's religious leaders have led to
clampdowns on Christians in Iran, according to regional experts. In
October 2010 Iran's Supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, made caustic remarks
against converts to Christianity and the house church movement. In
two waves of arrests in the following months, authorities arrested
scores of Christians, most of whom were released within days.
On July 30, authorities raided the home of another Christian, Leila
Mohammadi, and arrested her. Police confiscated all Christian materials
in her home, according to Mohabat News. She is held in Evin prison
on charges of spreading Christianity and evangelizing.
On July 15, in the northwestern city of Tabriz, authorities arrested
two Azeri-speaking Christians, Vahid Rofegar and Reza Kahnamoei,
reported Mohabat News.
Iran's population is 75 million, including an estimated 450,000
Christians. Converts from Islam to Christianity are considered
apostates with no legal protection in Iran, where courts apply sharia
(Islamic law).
Abrahamian's family "is rejoicing and expressed their gratitude to
God for His gracious protection and intervention, and secondly to the
Christian family worldwide who have not ceased praying and advocating
on their behalf," FCNN reported.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Compass Direct News
http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/iran/article_117095.html
Sept 1 2011
ISTANBUL, September 1 (CDN) - Iranian authorities on Monday (Aug. 29)
released a Christian after 359 days of detainment on charges of
spreading Christianity among Farsi-speaking Iranians and having ties
with foreign Christian organizations, according to Mohabat News.
Authorities arrested Vahik Abrahamian, 45, a dual Iranian and Dutch
citizen who belongs to Iran's Armenian community, and his wife on
Sept. 4, 2010 in Hamadan, 337 kilometers (210 miles) west of Tehran,
along with another Iranian Christian couple, Arash Kermanjani and
Arezou Teimouri. On April 30 authorities released Abrahamian's wife,
Sonia, along with Kermanjani and Teimouri, after they appeared in
court, and Abrahamian was ultimately held in the Hamadan general
prison ward.
The two couples spent 44 days in solitary confinement in the detention
center of the Ministry of Information, Farsi Christian News Network
(FCNN) reported.
Conditions in the prison were taxing on Abrahamian's health, and FCNN
described the prison's hygiene conditions as "deplorable."
Abrahamian and his wife were previously arrested and held in Tehran's
notorious Evin prison in February 2010. Authorities held them in
solitary confinement for 53 days on charges of activities among
the Muslim community, according to Mohabat News. They were released
on bail.
The couple worked with drug addicts and other marginalized Iranians,
according to FCNN. Abrahamian had become a Christian in the
Netherlands, where he visited an Iranian church. At that time he
found freedom from his own drug addiction, and in 2006 he returned
to Iran to work with drug users.
Authorities were incensed that Abrahamian worked with marginalized
Farsi-speaking Muslims, and even more that he had connections with
foreign Christians, said an Iranian Christian pastor in the region
on the condition of anonymity.
"The reason he was in prison for so long wasn't about his [faith and
activities], but because he was connected with foreign Christians,"
the source said.
The pastor explained that typically authorities arrest and release
Christians in the house group movement after a few days or weeks when
they work independently and are not seen as plants from the West or
having connections with ministries outside Iran.
The Iranian government seeks to create an atmosphere of fear for
Christians, said the source.
"The government in Iran has two challenges," he said. "On the one
hand they don't like Christianity growing in Iran, but on the other
hand because of international pressure they don't want to make a big
story out of them."
The source explained that authorities want to control the Christian
movement, but because it is a network of underground churches that
is spreading rapidly and secretly, they cannot. He said he expects
persecution, which is on the rise, to continue in Iran.
"This is nothing new," he said. "We've been dealing with this for 20
years. We have persecution, and they will arrest even more people,
but this is not new."
Last month an Iranian cleric, Ayatollah Hadi Jahangosha, decried
Protestantism in Iran, calling it "distorted Christianity," according
to a Mohabat News.
In the Aug. 24 report, Jahangosha said the effects of the Protestant
Christian movement had more far-reaching effects than other religions
and expressed his regret for the spread of Christianity among youth.
He criticized Christian satellite channels, claiming they are trying
to erode Iran's society and religious culture.
"Iran's capital is more exposed to damage in this issue, and some
people here are attracted to Christianity due to financial reasons,
and some other people due to being neglected by the society," Mohabat
quoted Jahangosha as saying.
Recent inflammatory remarks by Iran's religious leaders have led to
clampdowns on Christians in Iran, according to regional experts. In
October 2010 Iran's Supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, made caustic remarks
against converts to Christianity and the house church movement. In
two waves of arrests in the following months, authorities arrested
scores of Christians, most of whom were released within days.
On July 30, authorities raided the home of another Christian, Leila
Mohammadi, and arrested her. Police confiscated all Christian materials
in her home, according to Mohabat News. She is held in Evin prison
on charges of spreading Christianity and evangelizing.
On July 15, in the northwestern city of Tabriz, authorities arrested
two Azeri-speaking Christians, Vahid Rofegar and Reza Kahnamoei,
reported Mohabat News.
Iran's population is 75 million, including an estimated 450,000
Christians. Converts from Islam to Christianity are considered
apostates with no legal protection in Iran, where courts apply sharia
(Islamic law).
Abrahamian's family "is rejoicing and expressed their gratitude to
God for His gracious protection and intervention, and secondly to the
Christian family worldwide who have not ceased praying and advocating
on their behalf," FCNN reported.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress