Iranian Christian Recently Rearrested on 9-Year-Old Charges

01/22/2022 Iran (International Christian Concern) – Pastor Addolreza Ali (Matthias) Haghnejad, one of the nine Christians released on December 30, was rearrested on January 15 and transferred back to Anzali Prison for a six-year sentence.

The Iranian Supreme Court recently ordered a review of the nine Christians case. Originally, the nine were arrested and convicted of “endangering state security” and “promoting Zionism”. Their sentences were handed down in September 2019, and their sentences were later upheld in February 2020 without themselves or their lawyers present.

After the Iranian Supreme Court sought to re-evaluate the crimes of house church membership, Pastor Matthias enjoyed a brief two weeks home with family while the cases were under review. He was abruptly summoned to court, arrested and transferred back to where he had already served time, according to Middle East Concern. His charges are related to a sentence that was overturned in 2014, regarding “acting against the security of the country by forming a group and propagating Christianity outside the church and in the house church and giving information to the enemies of Islam.”