Naser Navard Gol-Tapeh, Aida Najaflou and Joseph Shahbazian (pictured from left), who have been in prison since their arrest in February 2025, will face a second court hearing on 21 October on “propaganda” and “collusion” charges related to their religious activities. Their first hearing, which lasted over three hours, took place on 6 September at the 15th Branch of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, under notorious judge Abolqasem Salavati.
Aida faces additional charges of “propaganda activity against the Islamic Republic of Iran in the cyberspace” and “propaganda in favour of groups or organisations opposed to the Islamic Republic of Iran” due to allegedly posting on social media in support of the “Women, Life, Freedom” protests and against the former leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah.
Naser, Aida and Joseph were among five Christians charged in June with “gathering and collusion” and “propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran”. Their indictment referenced praying, performing baptisms, taking communion and celebrating Christmas as evidence of their alleged crimes, and referred to the Bible as a “prohibited book”. Naser and Aida are converts from Islam, while Joseph is an Armenian-Iranian house church leader.
The two other Christians initially named in the indictment – Joseph’s wife Lida Alexani and a woman whose name has not been made public – are both out of prison on bail but neither was summoned to court, for unknown reasons.
Previous imprisonment
Naser and Joseph were both previously given ten-year prison sentences on charges of undermining national security by establishing house churches and both were pardoned and released early.
Naser served over half his sentence and was pardoned and released in October 2022, while Joseph served just over a year of his sentence (which had been reduced to two years following a retrial) and was pardoned and released in September 2023.
Commenting on the rearrest of the two Christians, Article18’s director Mansour Borji stated: “This case is a clear example of the way in which the intelligence agencies of the Islamic Republic of Iran seek to bring fresh charges against individuals who have been released against their wishes.
“The charges make it clear that they have done nothing extraordinary but only met with other Christians to pray, as is common religious practice for Christians and adherents of many other faiths around the world. But when such activity involves Christian converts, it is considered a threat to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s national security, leading to trumped-up charges against both Christian converts like Nasser and Aida, and Christians of Assyrian or Armenian descent like Joseph.”
Read Church in Chains’ Prisoner Profiles of Naser Navard Gol-Tapeh and Joseph Shahbazian.
(Article 18)
Photo: Article 18