Iran is cracking down on Christians with harsher prison sentences, Christian groups have warned.
It reveals that the length of prison sentences increased sixfold in 2024 in comparison with 2023, with 96 Christians being sentenced to a complete of 263 years.
This contrasts with 2023, when 22 Christians were sentenced to only over 43 years in prison.
The warning is available in a latest report by human rights group Article 18 in collaboration with Open Doors, CSW and Middle East Concern.
“Each arrest was carried out by IRGC intelligence agents, who sought to charge them under a provision inside the amended Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code, which calls for the utmost punishment of as much as 10 years’ imprisonment in cases where the person has received ‘financial or organisational help from outside the country’,” notes the report, titled ‘The Tip of the Iceberg’.
It also draws on data from a leaked tranche of over 3 million case files from the Iranian judiciary from between 2008 and 2023, including files regarding over 300 Christians.
The Christian organisations say that evaluation of the files points to increasing efforts to suppress Christians.
They found that Iran treats the Bible as contraband and evidence of against the law, and vilifies Christians as members of a “sect” who’re a threat to national security, resulting in charges for strange religious activities.
The evaluation further reveals how Christians are being criminalised for his or her faith and that those that are interrogated by the authorities are sometimes pressured to recant their faith.
Last yr, several Christians received lengthy sentences linked to the practice of their faith, including five Christians who were handed 10-year prison terms and one other who was sentenced to fifteen years.
The report says, “The Iranian government seems to have intensified its efforts to isolate and financially undermine the Christian community as a part of a broader technique to suppress its growth and influence.
“Making financial donations, charitable offerings, or paying tithes to support church activities are standard practices for Christians worldwide, but such activities have been criminalised by Iran’s Revolutionary Courts.”
