Four Iranian Christians jailed for attending a ‘house church’ have lost their judicial appeals.
Mojtaba Seyyed Alaedin Hossein, Mohammad-Reza Partoei, Vahid Hakkani and Homayoun Shokouhi were each sentenced in June to three years and eight months in prison.
Shokouhi’s wife Fariba and son Nima both received suspended sentences of two years’ imprisonment at the appeals-court hearing, which took place in Shiraz.
This is the latest in a long line of prosecutions of Christians in Iran, with the most common charges being actions against public security and propaganda against the regime.
Article 26 of the Iranian Constitution gives the right to religious minorities, including Christians, to form societies and to meet together.