Good news for Iranian prisoner Amin Khaki

Iranian Christians are thankful that Christian convert, Amin Khaki, has been informed by prison authorities that he is released after a 14-month sentence. Many Open Doors supporters prayed for Amin and sent messages of encouragement.

Iranian Christians are thankful that Christian convert, Amin Khaki, has been informed by prison authorities that he is released. Amin was arrested with four other Christian converts when security agents raided their homes in Rasht in December 2017. He was also arrested and imprisoned during 2014. Many Open Doors supporters prayed for Amin and sent messages of encouragement.

Amin Khaki

At a court hearing in March 2019, Amin was sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment for ‘propaganda against the regime and establishing house churches’. The others were sentenced to four months each for ‘propaganda against the regime’ and summoned to serve their sentences at the central prison of Karaj on 6 July 2019. The four converts arrested with Amin were released on 9 October 2019, after completing their prison sentences.

Amin was released conditionally on 2 March 2020, due to concerns about the Covid-19 outbreak, after submitting a bond of 50 million tomans (£2,400). On 6 April, prison authorities contacted Amin to inform him that he was not required to return to prison, and it is expected that he will be able to reclaim the money put down as security.

Updates on Christian prisoners

Victor Bet-Tamraz and his wife, Shamiram Issavi Khabizeh, have had their appeal hearing re-scheduled for Friday 1 May. They have both been sentenced to 10 years in prison for ‘illegal house-church activities’ and ‘acting against national security’ and are currently out on bail.

Many supporters also prayed for and wrote to Ebrahim Firouzi who was arrested and detained in 2013 and later sentenced to five years in prison in 2015.  Ebrahim is now exiled in Sarbaz, Iran and can be seen in this interview on Prison and Exile recorded by Article 18. 

Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh is still in Evin prison, after being arrested alongside three Azerbaijanis in 2016. Nasser recently wrote a letter of thanks to be shared with the many supporters who wrote to tell him they were praying for him.

Amin’s release follows that of Christian convert Rokhsareh (Mahrokh) Ghanbari, who was informed by prison authorities on 2 April that she was not required to return to prison to complete her one-year prison sentence for ‘propaganda against the system’. Iranian Christians are happy for Amin and Mahrokh and their families, but request prayer for both of them.

PLEASE PRAY:

• Give thanks for Amin and Mahrokh’s release. Pray that they will have their money returned to them and will be able to adjust to ‘normal’ life
• Continue to pray that God will console and strengthen Nasser and Ebrahim and protect those still imprisoned from the virus
• That Victor and Shamiram’s hearing will go ahead after being delayed for so long, and that it would be conducted fairly
• That the Iranian authorities will have wisdom in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis and refrain from targeting Christians and other persecuted religious communities.

Sources: Article 18