IRANIAN PASTOR AND WIFE SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR THE GOSPEL

IRANIAN PASTOR AND WIFE SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR THE GOSPEL

An Iranian-Assyrian pastor and his wife have learned that they must serve prison sentences of 10 and 5 years, respectively, for sharing their faith as Christians in Iran. The news comes years after Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz and his wife, Shamiram Isavi, were first sentenced and after the continual postponement of their appeals.

On December 26, 2014, authorities arrested Bet-Tamraz, along with two other Christian converts, at a Christmas celebration. Those present included the pastor, his wife, his son, and 14 guests who were Christian, Muslim, and Zoroastrian. After searching the premises, videotaping the guests, and confiscating some personal items, agents arrested the three men on the grounds they had “participated in an illegal gathering.” Bet-Tamraz went to Tehran’s Evin prison for 65 days where he shared the gospel with his fellow inmates as he was able, although he spent most of his time in solitary confinement. He was released after posting bail, somewhere between $30,000 and $90,000.

Borji says it has become common for the government to arrest Christians in Iran at gatherings during the Christmas season:

The government is very sensitive about these days and even tells Farsi-language churches in advance that they can only have one gathering for Christmas, because they are worried that because of the Farsi language [used in the sermons], regular people would also come to church and listen to what is being said.

In 2017, authorities sentenced Bet-Tamraz to 10 years in prison for “conducting evangelism” and “illegal house-church activities.” He was forbidden to leave the country for two years and began the appeal process, projected to take anywhere from two months to two years.

That same year, Shamiram was summoned by the court and released on bail in the amount of about $33,000. In January 2018, she received a sentence of five years in prison on charges of “acting against national security by establishing and managing ‘house churches,’ participating in Christian seminars abroad, and training Christian leaders in Iran for the purposes of espionage.”

In the time since their sentencing, the pastor and his wife have had their appeal hearings scheduled and postponed many times and for various reasons, but now their chances to appeal are over. Bet-Tamraz, who will turn 66 next month, learned from his lawyer on July 19 that his sentence had been upheld. The couple had no news about Shamiram, who will turn 65 at the end of the year, until Aug. 11 when she received a summons to begin her sentence. Officials gave her until Aug. 16 to turn herself in.