Christian convert arrested, Bibles and sacred objects confiscated

The raid by plainclothes agents in the province of Mazandaran dates back to the beginning of the month but only came to light in recent days.

Tehran (AsiaNews) - Christians are still in the crosshairs of the Iranian authorities: according to a report by Article18, a website specialised in documenting abuses and limitations in the area of worship in the Islamic Republic, plainclothes officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) raided a gathering of about 80 worshippers in the north of the country.

The Pasdaran raid took place earlier this month, although the news has only just emerged, and led to the arrest of one of the participants, as well as the confiscation of numerous copies of the Bible and musical instruments.

Christian Somayeh Rajabi (in the photo by Mohabat News), a convert from Islam, ended up in prison on 6 February.The raid by plainclothes agents in the province of Mazandaran dates back to the beginning of the month but only came to light in recent days. Somayeh Rajabi, who was taking part in a gathering of 80 believers in northern Iran was jailed.

Body searches were conducted, crosses and necklaces forcibly torn off. Activist groups denounce a "frightening escalation" of executions, with numbers underestimated. She was taking part in a gathering of believers organised in Gatab, a town in the province of Mazandaran.

According to witnesses, at least 20 members of the security forces took part in the operation carried out late in the evening, which was also attended by Christians from nearby towns including Gorgan and Babol.

Bibles, musical instruments and communication devices were confiscated, while plainclothes officers demanded access to personal data and mobile phone passwords.

The Pasdaran also allegedly conducted body searches, identifying those wearing cross necklaces and forcibly ripping them off and striking several people. In addition, medical personnel who had intervened to assist the wounded were detained by the officers.

The day after the arrest, Somayeh was able to make a brief phone call to his family, informing them that he had been transferred to a prison in Sari, the provincial capital of Mazandaran. 

Although as of today there are still no official charges against the Christian woman, she is still in prison more than two weeks after her arrest. 

Moreover, the Iranian authorities are in the habit of raiding the homes of Christian converts and domestic churches, confiscating religious books, crosses and other Christian symbols, as well as personal belongings. And this is not the first time that religious - and musical - instruments have been specifically targeted.

At the launch of Article18 's latest annual report in Geneva last month, former prisoner of conscience Amin Afshar-Naderi said that a songbook used to lead worship 'was cited in my court verdict as evidence of illegal Christian activities'. 

The book was also allegedly used 'as justification for the accusation of my role as a leader in a house church. In reports about me, even music was described as a tool to deceive others, despite the fact that it is universally recognised in Christian worship as a means to glorify God'. 

Like Somayeh, Amin's arrest occurred while he was gathering with other Christians in a private garden; on that occasion, only for a picnic.

Finally, the leadership of the Islamic Republic continues to make extensive use of the death penalty with figures for 2024 revealing a 'frightening escalation' of 975 executions. Most of the cases in which the executioner was used involved drug-related crimes, murders or rapes, but also more vague charges targeting dissidents, opponents or critical voices. 

This is the highest figure since the census began in 2008 but, according to Norway-based Iran Human Rights (Ihr) and the French NGO Together Against the Death Penalty (Ecpm), it is far underestimated because almost 90% of executions are not made public. 

Among the 975 people hanged last year - an increase of 17% over 2023 - 31 were women and four were hanged in public, with no shortage of minors at the time of the crime. No