Prayer is requested for five Christians who have been given long prison sentences for the peaceful expression of their faith. They were charged with “gathering and collusion” and “propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran.” According to the prosecutor, evidence of their “crimes” included establishing a home church gathering, holding prayer meetings, conducting baptism, taking communion and celebrating Christmas.
Aida Najaflou is a Christian convert, arrested in February and held for 65 days in solitary confinement in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, under the supervision of Iranian Intelligence, before being transferred to the women’s ward. She has been sentenced to ten plus five plus two years in prison – to be served concurrently. Aida recently fractured a vertebra after a fall from her prison bunk-bed and was in severe pain. It was only through the determined intervention of fellow prisoners that she eventually received necessary surgery.
Joseph Shabazian and his wife Lida Alexani are Armenian Iranian citizens who were arrested in February 2025. They were sentenced to 10 years and eight years in prison respectively. Joseph is being held in Evin Prison while Lida is on temporary release on bail. Joseph had been pardoned in September 2023 after serving more than a year of a previous 10-year sentence for his Christian activities.
Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, a Christian convert, served five years of a ten-year prison sentence before his pardon in October 2022, and has now received a second ten-year prison sentence. Nasser was re-arrested in February and is detained in Evin Prison.
Another Christian convert, named as Mahfouz, also received a ten-year sentence.
Source: https://articleeighteen.com/news/16513/
Prayer Points
Please pray:
- for the strengthening and encouragement of these Christians and their families
- that there will be a retrial and that the sentences will be overturned
- that the Iranian authorities will uphold basic freedoms of their citizens.
