The prison sentences of three Iranian Christian converts from Islam have been upheld by the 36th branch of the Tehran appeal court.
Narges Nasri, who is in the latter stages of pregnancy with her first child, Abbas Soori and Mehran Shamloui were sentenced on 8 March to prison terms totalling more than 40 years on charges concerning their beliefs and involvement in worship meetings.
On 26 April, the Christians were informed that the appeal court had turned down their appeals.
Iranian Christian converts (left to right) Mehran Shamloui, Abbas Soori and Narges Nasri [Image credit: Article 18]
The rejection of the three Christians’ appeals, announced in a ruling dated 23 April, was made “in view of the scope of their activities and their harmful effects”.
The three believers were arrested during a series of raids by intelligence agents in November 2024.
Narges, 37 years old, received a sentence of 16 years: 10 years for “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law”, five for membership of a house church (deemed to be an “opposition group”) and one year for “propaganda against the state” after she expressed support for the Women, Life, Freedom movement on social media.
Abbas, 48, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment. The term comprises 10 years for “propaganda activities” and five for belonging to an “opposition group”. The sentences for Mehran, 37, for the same two charges were eight years, and two years and eight months, respectively.
The sentences included deprivation of social rights – for example, restrictions on their employment. This restriction applies for 15 years in the case of Narges and Abbas, 11 years for Mehran.
Narges and Abbas were each fined 330 million tomans (£2,915; $3,500; €3,206), and Mehran was fined 250 million tomans (£2,290; $2,750; €2,519).
On completion of their prison terms, Narges and Abbas must serve two years of internal exile outside their home province of Tehran, during which time they are banned from leaving Iran.
Abbas was originally arrested in 2020 and sentenced alongside fellow-Christian convert, Maryam Mohammadi, and their Iranian-Armenian pastor Anooshavan Avedian.
Abbas and Maryam were convicted as members of an “illegal group” and, in addition to receiving travel bans and being exiled from the province of Tehran, were banned from joining any political or social groups. Anooshavan, 62, was given a 10-year prison term. He was acquitted and released from prison in September 2024 one year into his sentence.
How you can pray
Pray that Narges, Abbas and Mehran will sense the Lord’s presence, draw encouragement from the Scriptures and know the comfort and counsel of the Holy Spirit as they seek to endure these long, harsh sentences. Ask God to give them insight into His perfect plans and the assurance that even such injustice can be used to further His kingdom.
