Iranian Christian Sentenced to Two More Years in Prison Over ‘Evangelical Zionist Christianity’ Church Membership
(Article18) — Christian convert Ismaeil Maghrebinejad has been sentenced to an additional two years in prison.
The 65-year-old was sentenced in January to three years in prison for “insulting Islamic sacred beliefs.”
Now, following a court hearing on Feb. 27, he has been sentenced to an additional two years in prison for “membership of a group hostile to the regime,” under Article 499 of the Islamic Penal Code, which provides for three months to five years’ imprisonment.
The court document detailed that the “hostile” group in question espoused “Evangelical Zionist Christianity.”
Article18’s advocacy director, Mansour Borji, said that given that Ismaeil is a member of the Anglican Church, this shows that “such blanket labeling is inaccurately applied to any Christian arrested for their religious activities, as the revolutionary courts try to justify their violations of religious freedom.”
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