The Supreme Court of Iran has refused a retrial request lodged by a Christian convert from Islam who has received a 10-year prison sentence for his membership of a “house church”.
Mehran Shamloui was sentenced in March 2025 along with two other converts.
The 37-year-old had then sought refuge in Turkey (Türkiye), but was deported in July. He has spent two months in Evin Prison, Tehran, since his enforced return to Iran.
Mehran Shamloui faces ten years in prison after his request for a retrial was denied [Image credit: Article 18]
Mehran, along with Narges Nasri and Abbas Soori, was arrested during a series of raids by intelligence agents in November 2024.
All three had appeals rejected in April, by which time they had already fled the country.
Mehran was sentenced to more than 10 years’ imprisonment. The term comprises eight years for “propaganda activities” and two years and eight months for belonging to an “opposition group”. He was also fined 250 million tomans ($5,040).
He is among several Christians who were sent to Evin Prison in August following its partial reopening, including Joseph Shahbazian and Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh. The prison had been closed down and prisoners transferred after an Israeli airstrike on 23 June.
In August the Iranian authorities announced the arrest of more than 50 Christians on supposed national security grounds in the weeks since the end of active hostilities with Israel.
Farsi (Persian)-speaking Christians are converts from Islam who are hated as apostates and viewed as a threat to Iran’s national security.
How you can pray
Ask the Lord to comfort and encourage our brother Mehran despite this latest disappointment. Pray that He will strengthen all those suffering for their faith in Iran, whether they have endured years of trials and imprisonment or whether they have recently been arrested for the first time.
