Two Pardoned Pastors Rearrested

While Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh had been sentenced in 2017 to ten years' imprisonment because of his Christian ministry, he was suddenly pardoned and released in 2022. Similarly, Joseph Shahbazian, a house church leader who had likewise been sentenced to ten years in 2022, was released after just over a year following an appeal of his sentence. More information on Nasser's case is available here.

For unknown reasons, both pastors were recently rearrested on February 6th without warning. Each of them was apprehended in their homes and then taken back to Tehran's Evin Prison. While the motives for their arrests are unknown, according to a report from Article18, any Christian who is considered to be "unaligned" with the goals of the Islamic Republic of Iran is at risk of arrest and imprisonment on "security" charges.

As Joseph is an Iranian-Armenian pastor, and Armenian churches are considered legal, his arrest demonstrates that no Christian is safe in the country – even those who allegedly have freedom to worship. More reports relating to the persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters in Iran are available at our country profile.

• Please pray for the health and safety of these two recently rearrested pastors.
• May the reassuring presence of the Holy Spirit greatly strengthen and encourage them, as well as the many other believers who are presently being incarcerated in Iranian prisons due to their faith.
• Also prayerfully uphold their loved ones during this difficult time of separation, asking that they too would receive needed strength and encouragement from the Lord as they await the hopeful soon reunion of their families.