Three Christian converts sentenced to over 41 years in prison and additional punishments
Hengaw: Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Three Christian converts, Mehrdad Shamlooee, Abbas Soori, and Narges Naseri, all residents of Tehran, have been sentenced by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s judiciary to a total of 41 years and 8 months in prison, along with fines and additional restrictions.
According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on Sunday, March 9, 2025, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Abbas Soori to 10 years in prison for “engaging in propaganda contrary to Islamic law” and 5 years for membership in anti-government groups.” In addition, he was given 15 years of social rights deprivation and a fine of 330 million tomans.
Additional Mehrdad Shamlooee received 8 years in prison for “engaging in propaganda contrary to Islamic law” and 2 years and 8 months for membership in anti-government groups.” His sentence also includes 15 years of social restrictions and a fine of 250 million tomans.
Also, Narges Naseri, a 37-year-old Christian convert from Tehran, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for “engaging in propaganda contrary to Islamic law” and 1 year for propaganda against the regime.” She was also given 15 years of social restrictions and fined 330 million tomans.
In addition to their prison sentences, Abbas Soori and Narges Naseri were subjected to a travel ban, forced relocation outside Tehran and surrounding provinces, and a two-year prohibition from joining social or political groups.
According to informed sources, the charge of “propaganda against the regime” against Narges Naseri was based on her online activities and critical social media posts about the country’s situation.
The court session for these three people was held on February 13, 2025, while their interrogation took place in January 2025 at Branch 3 of the Tehran Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office.
They were originally arrested on November 1, 2024, by Intelligence agents for establishing a house church in Tehran and were subsequently transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention center.
Eventually, Abbas Soori and Mehrdad Shamlooee were temporarily released on bail of two billion tomans each, pending the completion of legal proceedings.
Notably, Narges Naseri was arrested in her first month of pregnancy on November 1, 2024, and released on December 1, 2024, on bail of 2.5 billion tomans.
