Christian Convert in Iran imprisoned and flogged for Drinking Communion Wine

A Christian convert imprisoned in Iran
has received 80 lashes for drinking
communion wine.

A convert named Fadaee is serving a six-year sentence,
Article 18, a London-based nonprofit
reported.

Article 18 works to expose
abuses against Christians in Iran.
In Iran, Muslims are now allowed to
drink alcohol except religious minority
groups, but Iran does not recognize
former Muslim converts as Christians.
Fadaee was arrested with Pastor
Yousef Nadarkhani and four other
members of Yousef’s church in May 2016.

In September, Fadaee and two
other converts were sentenced to 80
lashes for drinking communion wine.
In October, Youhan Omidi received his
lashes.

“Deeply disturbed by reports Iran
lashed Mohammad Reza Omidi 80
times for drinking communion wine,”
State Department spokesperson
Morgan Ortagus wrote on Twitter at
the time . “He already served two years
in prison for belonging to a house
church. We condemn these unjust
punishments and urge Iran to allow all
Iranians the freedom to practice their
beliefs.”
Fadaee is serving his six-year sentence
in Tehran’s Evin Prison for organizing
house churches and “promoting
‘Zionist’ Christianity.”
The men were originally ordered to 10
years in prison, but during a retrial, the
sentences were reduced.

Omidi’s sentence was reduced to two
years and he was released in August.
Another man, Yasser Mossayebzadeh
is also expected to receive 80 lashes.
“It had been assumed that both Saheb
and Yasser would be flogged after their
release from prison, as happened in
Youhan’s case,” the Article 18 report
states. “However, Saheb was
summoned to the Shahid Moghadas
Revolutionary Court next to Evin Prison
yesterday, and told his sentence must
be carried out then and there.”
Open Doors reports that at least 169
Christians have been arrested in Iran
from Nov. 1, 2018 to Oct. 31, 2019.