Earlier this month, the Danish European Mission reported that Christian convert Matthias had been released on December 30 from Anzali prison, near the city of Rasht. This came after the Iranian Supreme Court ordered a review of the five-year prison sentence against nine Christian converts from Rasht.
Our partner, Middle East Concern, now reports that Matthias has been re-imprisoned after he was summoned to court on January 15, arrested and transported back to Anzali prison to serve a six-year prison sentence.
In spring 2014, the Karaj Revolutionary Court sentenced Matthias and two other Christians, Behnan Irani and Reza Silas Rabbani, to six years in prison for "acting against national security by forming a group, spreading Christianity outside the church and providing information to enemies of Islam". This sentence was overturned on appeal in December 2014.
In prison, Matthias found out that the legal head of the court in Karaj had overturned the 2014 appeal, believing that Matthias, Behnan and Silas are enemies of the state and that the verdict still stands.
A close friend of Matthias is concerned about the emotional impact the sentence has on both Matthias and his family after experiencing a brief period of freedom together, and then unexpectedly being separated by prison again in this cruel way.
Iranian Christians ask for prayers for Matthias and his family:
- That God will comfort them in this time of great disappointment and distress
- That a suitable lawyer must be found to challenge these previous prison sentences, which had already been successfully appealed in 2014.
- That this absurd situation, where a complaint decision is overturned in this way, will be recognized, corrected and that Matthias must be released.
- That the Iranian authorities must stop the persecution of Christian converts and other religious communities.
