homeEntertainment

Three Iranian Christians arrested on fishing trip released on bail

Jardine Malado October 13, 2016 10:55 AM EST

The five Christians were reportedly detained in Evin Prison without being charged. | Wikimedia Commons/Ehsan Iran

Three of five Iranian Christians who were arrested while having a picnic last Augustwere released on bail but the remaining two are still being held without proper charges.

Ramiel Bet Tamraz, Amin Nader Afshar, Hadi Askary, Mohamad Dehnay and Amir Sina Dashti were arrested while they were on a fishing trip in Firuzkuh, north of Tehran, with their wives and friends on Aug. 26. According to Middle East Concern (MEC), Afshar was beaten by authorities when he asked them for an arrest warrant.

Their families were initially uninformed about where the accused have been detained. According to a previous report from Mohabat News, only Dashti was able to make a call to his family. He informed them that they were being transferred to Evin prison.

Last Monday, Tamraz, Afshar and Dehnay were released after they posted bail that amounted to $33,000 each. They were still not informed of the charges they were facing but the line of questioning during the interrogation was related to the activities of Tamraz's father, Victor Bet Tamraz, who is a pastor.

Victor was arrested along with Afshar on Dec. 26, 2014, while celebrating Christmas at home. They were both released on bail in 2015 but they are still waiting to be summoned in court to face charges including "conducting evangelism," "illegal house church activities" and "Bible printing and distribution."

According to World Watch Monitor (WWM), Victor's church, the Tehran Pentecostal Assyrian Church, was shut down by the Ministry of Interior in 2009. He had difficulties finding a lawyer who was willing to represent him in court. Some have reportedly experienced repercussions for defending Christians.

Despite the crackdown, Christianity continues to grow in the Islamic Republic, according to Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs.

"Conversion is illegal, the above-ground churches have almost all been closed down," Nettleton told Mission Network News. "So it is a country that has worked very hard to eliminate Christianity, and particularly to eliminate Muslim conversion to Christianity. But it's the place in the world where the Church is growing the fastest," he added.

Latest News

Sight & Sound’s ‘David’ showcases a king's sincere heart to pursue God

LANCASTER, Pa. — Four years in the making, the production “David” opened at Sight & Sound Theatres this year and explores the journey of an unassuming shepherd boy who became a king.

Presbyterian Church in America votes to leave National Association of Evangelicals

The Presbyterian Church in America has voted to leave the National Association of Evangelicals due to the ...

Secular intolerance of Christians' views is leading to self-censorship, report warns

Secular intolerance has a “chilling effect” on Christians who are having to practice “various forms of self-censorship” as they're finding it difficult to express their faith freely in society, according to a new report detailing accounts from four countries.

Over 50 killed in 'vile and satanic' attack at Nigerian church on Pentecost Sunday

Gunmen suspected to be Islamic Fulani herdsmen barged into a Catholic Church in southwestern Nigeria, opened fire and detonated explosives while the congregation was celebrating Mass on Pentecost Sunday, killing at least 50 worshipers, including women and children. It's feared that some Christians were also abducted after the attack.

Leah Sharibu held captive over 1,500 days in Nigeria, but family advocates haven't lost hope

For more than 1,500 days, Nigerian Christian teenager Leah Sharibu has been held captive by the Boko Haram terrorist group as Christians continue to be the target of attacks in the West African nation.