By Jeremy Reynalds
Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service
IRAN
(ANS) -- Following the increasing
pressure on Iranian Christians from the Islamic regime of Iran, a number
of Christian converts were arrested in Tabriz.
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After arresting them, authorities searched their homes and seized a number of their personal belongings.
News
sources reported that the three men were transferred to the Ministry of
Intelligence's detention center in Tabriz prison. Security and judicial
authorities have not yet provided any reason for their arrest to their
families.
Lack of communication about their health and situation
caused the families of those imprisoned to reach out to security and
judicial centers for information.
However, Mohabat News said, none of the authorities would provide a concrete answer.
In
many cases, Mohabat News commented, when families of detainees go to
the authorities about the plight of their loved ones, they just hear
promises for their early release if they keep silent
and do not publicize the case.
Eventually when nothing happens, families decide to speak out and publicize their stories in the media.
According
to reports received, Mohabat News said, the three Christian men have
been beaten during interrogation. Mohammad-Reza Pirri's beating was so
brutal that he had to stay in the prison hospital for four days.
Although
Iranian law enforcement has always tried to relate house churches to
foreign governments and often describes them as political groups
intending to overthrow the Islamic regime, Mohabat News said there is no
evidence to support these claims.
The
crackdown against Christians in Iran is mostly targeted towards what
the Islamic regime describes as "evangelical and extremist" Christians,
and thus "a threat against the Islamic regime."
However,
in reality all these arrested Christians are members of small Christian
groups who gather in their houses for worship and Christian
celebrations, out of sight of the authorities who do not allow these
meetings.
The only reason for these gatherings is to worship God - with no
political agenda involved.
Mohabat
News said some time ago, a website called "Ya Lasarat," affiliated
with Ansar-e Hezbollah Islamic militant group, published an article
against Christians and what they called "the threat of evangelical
Christians and house churches." The article expressed concern over the
growth of Christianity in Iran, especially in Tabriz.
Following
this, Majid Abhari, Counsel at the Social Committee of Islamic
Parliament of Iran, expressed his concern over the growth of
Christianity in Azeri-Speaking regions and emphasized that the growth of
house churches must be stopped.
Mohabat
News said he also mentioned the confiscation of 6,500 Bibles at a
roadside checkpoint near one of the Azeri-speaking towns.
See all ASSIST News articles at www.assistnews.net
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