Benjamin Weinthal of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies reported on Fox News that—The election last year of self-professed moderate President Hassan Rouhani has not brought Iran’s Christians any relief, according to a new United Nations report which finds the Islamic Republic’s Bible believers more persecuted than ever.
The detailed report finds Iran has continued to imprison Christians for their faith and designated house churches and evangelical Christians as “threats to national security.” At least 49 Christians were among 307 religious minorities being held in Iranian jails as of January 2014, noted the UN, which also blasted the regime for its hostility to Jews, Baha’is, Zoroastrians and Dervish Muslims, the UN report stated.
“These are indicators that President Rouhani has no influence over hard-liners, who remain fully in charge of the judiciary and security apparatus, government entities that are responsible for the most severe abuses against religious minorities,” Dwight Bashir, deputy director for policy at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, told FoxNews.com.
“The situation of Christians and other religious minorities in Iran is very dire because the Iranian regime is a Sharia state.” “This dictatorship oppresses viciously all these precious groups with the abhorrent justification of Islamic law [Sharia] and by that it violates Iran’s constitution and a long-lasting tradition within Persian culture of peaceful tolerance and respect towards fellow Iranians with diverse religious backgrounds,” Farzan said.
– Saba Farzan, Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy
Among the Christians held in Iranian prisons is American citizen and Christian pastor Saeed Abedini, who is serving an eight-year prison term for alleged crimes related to his faith. President Obama has called for Abedini’s release, even as his administration has negotiated a disarmament deal with Iran.
“This report is as an important reminder about the true nature of the Iranian regime,” Sen. Mark Kirk, (R-III), told FoxNews.com. “We can’t pretend we are negotiating with Western moderates – we are negotiating with Islamic radicals who persecute Christians, Baha’is, other religious and ethnic minorities and women, while denying all of its citizens basic human rights — including the freedom of speech and assembly.”
In 2013, Iranian authorities arrested “at least 42 Christians, of whom 35 were convicted for participation in informal “house churches,” in association with churches outside the Islamic Republic of Iran, perceived or real evangelical activity and other standard Christian activities.”
Iran’s opaque justice system imposed prison sentences on Christians ranging from one to ten years.
“Under the law, religious minorities, including recognized Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians, also face discrimination in the judicial system, such as harsher punishments,” said Shaheed, who is an internationally recognized expert on human rights.
While the persecution detailed in the report includes wrongful imprisonment and even death sentences, it also takes more subtle forms. Ahmed Shaheed, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, said Iranian Christians have reported having viruses planted on their computers after visiting Christian websites.
Iran’s regime issued a flurry of angry responses to Shaheed’s report. READ MORE
VOICE OF THE PERSECUTED 
Why are you acting like Christians are persecuted. This is not the 1st century. Get over it…pffft.
Hello Steven,
Unfortunately you are not alone in being unaware that today—around the world, millions will face persecution simply because they worship Jesus Christ. Christians face more persecution now, than they EVER have before.
Over 100,000,000 Christians around the world are at risk of persecution. Some say that number is much larger. Many do not report the incidents for fear of further persecution, which is common in countries of extreme persecution.
It has become one of the worst humanitarian crises on the planet, today! It is “a crisis point in history” that can no longer be overlooked, or millions more will suffer. Sadly it’s a crisis that not enough people realize exists.
Unfortunately, the western media rarely reports the extreme persecution inflicted on our Christian brothers and sisters, worldwide. In the past year due to many raising their VOICES, the MSM has shared some of the reports, but still not nearly enough.
Can we really continue to keep our eyes and ears closed to the evidence of these growing atrocities? The fact is modern-day persecution of Christians is happening and growing at a rapid pace. As free Christians, we can no longer be detached, or keep silent! Our freedom gives us an important role in assisting our Christian brothers and sisters living in extreme conditions throughout the world.
We should not sit idly by while the human rights of human kind are being violated to the extreme. And innocent human beings are being treated and slaughtered like animals. We will continue to share these reports to inform not only Christians, but all of humanity.
Thank you for visiting us and allowing us to enlighten you about this horrific crises, today!
Reblogged this on IRAN: Free All Three Americans!.