Advocacy groups say that threatened a friend of an Iranian pastor who practiced his faith and had re-arrested him, and Iranian authorities detained his wife and placed her in solitary cell.
Rev. Joseph Shabazian’s 56-year-old wife, Lida Alexani, was arrested on April 12th and sent to solitary confinement at Evin Prison in Tehran, according to Article 18.
Prior to his release in 2023, Pastor Shabazian had spent more than a year at Evin Prison.
“Joseph’s mother, Jasmen, died on April 9th, as he was the primary caregiver, and at the funeral he passed away on April 14th, as he had no both son and daughter-in-law,” reported Article 18. “We hoped and hoped Joseph would be released in time for the Iranian New Year and released after his mother’s death, but despite the bail of 499 million Toman (about $7,000), he remains in prison.”
Pastor Shabazian was placed in the prison’s fourth district after spending nearly two months in solitary confinement, Article 18 reported. He reportedly faces accusations of “promotional against the regime,” “propaganda activities that are contrary to the sacred religion of Islam through the establishment and operation of the House Church,” and “acquiring wealth through illegal means of illegal and donation.”
The pastor denied the charges and, according to Article 18, he was denied access to the lawyer of his choice.
Officials from the Intelligence Ministry of Educators (MOIS) have recently summoned several of Pastor Shabazian’s Christian friends, including those who attended during his first arrest in 2020, and attempted to gather new evidence against him, the group reported.
“They tried to force us to work with More by seducing us and threatening us,” one Christian told Article 18 on condition of anonymity. “They wanted me to say something untrue to Brother Joseph, so they were able to file a lawsuit against him. The interrogator said, “If you don’t help us, we will have to resume our unfinished investigation into you.” ”
According to the 2025 Annual Report of Article 18, Iranian authorities are increasingly targeting Christian finances.
“While paying tithes to support financial contributions, charity offerings, or church activities is a standard practice among Christians around the world, such activities are criminalised by Iran’s revolutionary courts,” the report states.
prison sentence
In Tehran, the April 23rd Court of Appeals upheld the strict prison sentences for three Christian converts, including pregnant women.
The 37-year-old mothers, Narges Nasri, Abbas Suli and Mehran Shamrowie, were sentenced to a total of more than 40 years in March on charges related to Christian beliefs and practices. The 36th branch of the Tehran Court of Appeals notified them on April 26 that it refused to appeal on April 23, citing “the scope of their activities and harmful effects.”
The three Christians were arrested in November in a simultaneous attack by the Intelligence Reporting Agency at their home in Tehran.
They were then transferred to the 209th district of Evin Prison, which is under the control of the Intelligence Ministry of Eligibility. According to Article 18, after a long, intensive interrogation, it was released on bail worth more than 20,000 US dollars a month after a month.
Their court hearing took place on February 15th at the Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, and under the 499th, 500th and 500th BIS, respectively, for “membership of opposition groups”, “propaganda against the system”, and “propaganda activities that are against Islamic law and against Islamic law through foreign relations”, respectively.
A month later, pregnant Nasri was sentenced to the most severe sentence for ten years of “propaganda activities that violate Islamic law,” five years of membership in the “opposition group” (House Church), and one year of “propaganda against the state” on social media supporting women, life and freedom movements.
Soori, 48, served a total of 15 years in prison for 10 years in “propaganda activities” and a five-year prison membership in “opposition groups,” while Shamloui, 37, won eight years in the first charge, and two years and eight months in her second year.
All three were sentenced to deprivation of social rights such as health, employment and education. 15 years, 15 years for Nasri and Soori, 11 years for Shamloui – Nasri and Soori were fined 330 million (US$3,500), and Shamloui was fined 250 million (US$2,750). According to Article 18, Nasri and Soori either reside in their hometown of Tehran or left Iran for two years after their release and were banned from membership in any group.
At least ten Christians, including three sisters of Nasri, were arrested on the same November day during attacks on Christian homes in the city of Karaj (near Tehran), Mashhad in the northeast, and Shiraz and Bandar Abbas in the south.
Soori was arrested in 2020 and later declared along with another Christian convert, Maryam Mohammadi and pastor Iran-Anushavan Avevean. Abbas and Mohammadi received unlawful punishments including a travel ban, asylum from Tehran, and ban on membership in any political or social group, but Pastor Avevean, in his 60s, was given a 10-year sentence. He was acquitted last September of serving his sentence for more than a year.
Iran ranked 9th in the Open Doors ‘2025 World Watch List (WWL), a Christian support organization in 50 countries where becoming a Christian is the most difficult. The report said despite the persecution, “Iranian churches are growing steadily.”
