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Iran: Persistent repression of Christians in Tabriz

The security forces in response to a protesting Christian, that wanted to know who was the claimant against him and why his home and belongings were being searched, said, "The Islamic Republic of Iran is the claimant," reports FCNN.

According to the reports received by the Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN), in recent months the security forces in the city of Tabriz, which is the largest city in the Northwestern Iran and the 4th most populous city in the whole country, have renewed and increased their pressures on new Christians by search and seizures of their homes, court summons, and other intimidating tactics.

In one of the latest such actions, on July 28th 2010 at approximately 11 am, four agents of the Ministry of Information, carrying search warrants issued by the ministry, entered the home of a new Christian believer by the name of Jamal Zarrin Kamari. The officers, after searching the home and the personal property of the above mentioned person and his wife who had been packed and boxed for an upcoming trip and while they were out of their home, removed the items in question to an unknown location for further investigation.

The items removed were 14 Bibles and Christian literature, several teaching handbooks, personal computer and the external hard drive, a lap top and it's accompanying flash USB drive, all the pictures depicting Christ, 45 CDs containing family photos and movies, Christian films and music, and all their legal documents and identification cards.

The officers, after seizing the above mentioned personal properties, order the parents of Jamal Zarrin Kamari, who were inside the house at the time of this attack, to call their son and daughter-in-law and ask them to return home. Mr. Zarrin Kamari, who had become aware of this plot, at first and out of fear had resisted such request to return home, but after the threats of the security officers and the pleading of his parents finally consented to their request.

Upon returning home, the security officers who had become aware that this couple was planning to leave the country demand that they hand out their passports immediately, but Mr. and Mrs. Zarrin Kamari resist and refrain from complying. The security agents, I response to the question asked by Mr. Zarrin Kamari regarding their crime and who was the claimant against them, responded by saying, "The Islamic Republic of Iran is your claimant!"

Finally and with much intimidation the agents of the Ministry of Information confiscated their passports.

The security officers, upon exiting the home of the couple in question, hand them an order paper, with no visible signature or official seal, to appear at the Ministry of Information on Sunday, August1-2010, for further questioning.

Jamal Zarrin Kamari is 27 years old and married. He has been a tool and dye maker at a factory in Tabriz. Four years ago he heard the good news of Jesus Christ and became a Christian. After being baptized with water and his ongoing evangelistic activities and participation in the formation of a home-based church, as part of the recent wave of arrests and repression of Christians all across Iran, Jamal realized that he has been identified by the government security forces. His wife, Solmaz Farzaneh Momtaz, who had become a Christian several years before her husband and was a member of the church in the city of Karaj, near the capital city of Tehran, was also active in witnessing for Christ and managed a Christian weblog.

The latest news regarding this couple, who had been a target of intimidation and persecution, is that they had to resort to escaping Iran to a neighboring country for refuge and safety from further actions by the government.

Reports indicate their due to these pressures and the stress of escape and refugee living has affected this couple and they are not in a healthy condition.

It's noteworthy to mention that recently two other Christians in the city of Tabriz were arrested and charged with participation in Christian meetings and celebrations, teaching and baptizing Christian doctrines to newly converted Christians who had converted from Islam to Christianity, and the formation of home-based Churches. At first, these Azeri-speaking Christians were detained by the Ministry of Justice and were allowed to be freed by posting a 200 million Toomans (the equivalent of $200,000) bail bond, but after realizing that they were unable to pay such as sum, they were conditionally released pending their court date.

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TAGS: Iran Tabriz Jamal Zarrin Kamari persecution anti-Christian violence religious freedom repression of Christians

[08/28/2010]

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