KARAJ, Iran — Three pastors in Iran are facing charges that could lead to the death penalty for activities in the house-church movement in an unprecedented crackdown on converts from Islam, according to human rights groups.
Iranian authorities recently filed charges against Silas Rabbani, assistant pastor in a Church of Iran group in Karaj, for “spreading corruption on Earth,” according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). Authorities previously charged Behnam Irani, lead pastor of the church, with the same offense. Information about each pastor leaked out of Iran in early September and was reported by CSW, a freedom of religion advocacy group based in London.
Prior to charges being filed against Irani and Rabbani, the Sixth Branch of the Revolutionary Tribunal charged Abdolreza Ali-Haghnejad, another a leader in the Church of Iran movement in Karaj, Aug. 3 with “warring against God.”
The charges are “a clear escalation in Iran’s campaign against Persian Christians,” CSW Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said.
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