Mass arrests of Christians in Iran, Christian people in Iran are under serious threat of the religious Islamic Fascist regime in Iran.

Mass arrests of Christians in Iran, Christian people in Iran are under serious threat of the religious Islamic Fascist regime in Iran.

Chaldean-Assyrian Christians in a Christmas Fair at St. Joseph's Church in Tehran in 2016. The "traditional" Christian communities in Iran has some protection by the regime, which is hard on especially evangelical Christians who try to spread their faith among Muslims. Photo: Vahid Salemi / AP Photo / TT



More than 100 Christians have recently been arrested in Iran, as a way to deter evangelism before Christmas. Many of the arrested are converts from Islam and accused of trying to repent other Muslims, quoting Open Doors in Britain and Ireland.
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According to Open Doors has more than 100 Christians in Iran arrested the senate weeks, and nearly 150 in the past month, "as part of the government's attempts to 'warn' Christians to share the Gospel during the Christmas season."

"This is the end of a year when dozens of Christians have been arrested and some sentenced to lengthy glaring fängelsetraff," added the organization.

Last summer was sentenced four Christians - Victor Beth Tamraz, his wife Shamiram Issavi, Amin Afshar Naderi and Hadi Asgari to a total of 45 years in prison for participating in julfiranden and led house churches.

The Christians who were arrested recently forced to account for all their Christian activities, and were then asked to cut all ties with other Christian groups, according to Open Doors.

"This increase in arrests is very worrying," commented Zoe Smith at Open Doors for British The Telegraph.

"It follows a pattern in which the Iranian government puts more pressure on churches as the number of converts to Christian faith increases.

In his report, Open Door describes the situation of Christians in Iran:

"Sharing the Gospel with a Muslim, owning a Bible in Farsi, or lead a meeting of believers from a Muslim background are all punishable offenses," writes the organization.

"Believers with Muslim background constitute the largest group of Christians in Iran - but they must keep their faith secret".

Sara, one of Open Door's experts in Iran who wants to be anonymous, describes in the report that the so-called underground church is heavily influenced by the arrests.

"To be imprisoned, the believers take very hard. I have met believers whose commitment to sharing the gospel almost disappeared after they were imprisoned, she says.

- The trauma they are exposed seems to penetrate everything else. They need to handle the trauma before they can move on, which may take several years.

Another problem for the underground church is that the leaders are subjected to so much pressure from the authorities that they are more or less forced to leave the country.

"If they do not leave the country, they increase the risk of being arrested and imprisoned. The high prison sentences recently condemned make this press increase, says Sara.

"As a consequence, many young Christians get into leadership far too early.

Eva Janzon

eva.janzon

https://www.varldenidag.se/nyheter/massgripanden-av-kristna-i-iran/reprlk!9CibfgtQTG1CGdURo5NQg/