Iran charges Christian converts for consuming 'illegal' communion wine

Jardine Malado Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Three Iranian converts to Christianity are awaiting their sentence after they were charged earlier this month with "acting against national security" and consuming alcohol during Holy Communion. They are likely to be flogged if found guilty.

Yasser Mossayebzadeh, Saheb Fadaie and Mohammad Reza Omidi were arrested on May 13 together with Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani and his wife, Tina. The pastor and his wife were released that same day. The pastor was also charged with "acting against national security" but he was not summoned to attend the hearing on the same day as the other three men.

Christian converts in Iran were arrested for consuming Holy Communion wine. | Wikimedia Commons/John Snyder

Nadarkhani was senteced to death for apostasy in 2010 after he questioned the Muslim monopoly on religious education. He was acquitted of the charge in 2012 but he was found guilty of evangelizing.

Mossayebzadeh, Fadaie and Omidi have also been arrested before. The police once raided their homes in February 2015 and confiscated Christian CDs, Bibles, laptops and other literature. Omidi was one of four Christians senteced to 80 lashes in 2013 for drinking alcohol during Holy Communion.

The three men are all members of the leadership team of Nadarkhani's church.

Maryam Naghash Zargaran, a Christian who worked at an orphanage with American Iranian pastor Saeed Abedini, was also charged with "acting against national security." She was sentenced to four years imprisonment which she began to serve in July 2013.

She went on a hunger strike to demand her unconditional release. She was allowed to go home last month to receive treatment for a range of health issues but it was abruptly canceled. Her friends reported that she went back to prison on Sept. 17.

Iranian authorities have arrested and detained more than 200 Christian since 2015. According to Rob Duncan of Middle East Concern, 43 Christians have been arrested in August alone.

"The Iranian regime is conducting a very active campaign against house churches at the moment and leaders of house churches are harassed and put under pressure," said Duncan.