Nine Christian converts, serving five-year prison sentences were acquitted of "acting against national security" and "promoting Zionist Christianity" in the Tehran Court of Appeals for the participation in house-churches, a ruling dubbed by Open Doors USA, a "landmark decision"
In an article published by human rights watchdog Article 18, the ruling branch 34 of the Tehran Court of Appeal issued and communicated to the nine Christians in February 2022 after a Supreme Court Judge ordered a review of their convictions in November.
The Supreme Court's ruling concludes that "Merely preaching Christianity, and promoting the 'Evangelical Zionist sect', both of which means propagation Christianity through family gatherings is not a manifestation of gathering and collusion to disrupt the security of the country, whether internally or externally."
The accused include Abdolreza (Matthias) Ali-Haghnejad, Shahrooz Eslamdoust, Behnam Akhlaghi, Babak Hosseinzadeh, Mehdi Khatibi, Khalil Dehghanpour, Hossein Kadivar, Kamal Naamanian, and Mohammad Vafadar. They were raided and arrested in their homes and house-churches last January and February 2019.
The accused were primarily detained because of Articles 498 and 499 of the Islamic Penal Code which prohibits forming "anti-state" groups and organizations or other criminal laws. Appeal Court Judges, Seyed Ali Asghar and Akbar Johari found 'insufficient evidence' against the said penal codes. They are just worshipping in the house-church by the teachings of Christianity. The Supreme Court ruling came after Babak Hosseinzadeh, the leader of the house Church wrote an open letter and recorded video statements once they were released.
In Hosseinzadeh's video statement, he said, "The churches that remain open are accessible for only certain people - those born into Christian families - and not to us [converts]. Because of this, and the closure of the other churches, we have no church building in which to worship. So, I want you to answer my question: 'Where am I to worship after these five years?" He even asked authorities if he will be imprisoned once again after his release because he will continue to believe in Christ again.
The judges also noted an Islamic quote saying "It is better to make mistakes in pardoning and forgiveness than in punishment." The ruling in favor of the Christian converts will also be enlightenment to all other Christian converts across Iran, enabling them and their lawyers to defend their right to worship in house churches. It's a "landmark decision" for Iranian Christians said Open Doors USA, a watchdog organization that oversees persecution in over 60 countries.
They added that this ruling is a monumental first step for Christians in Iran but has a long way to go for the ruling and the reason behind it to take effect. U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Chair Nadine Maenza praised the court's decision. Maenza shared her statement on Twitter, "We are pleased by the #Tehran Court of Appeals' acquittal of 9 Christians. #Iran's courts correctly determined that peacefully practicing Christianity does not threaten Iran's national security."
However, in an article released by Article 18, three of the Christian converts were detained again due to 'propaganda' charges. Open Doors warned, "The reimprisonment, as well as the new charges, reveals an inconsistency in the treatment of future cases." Article 18 added that Branch 9 of the Supreme Court had agreed to hear the case in January but fail to appeal retrial in February.
