Mehdi Akbari was arrested with three fellow Christian converts during coordinated raids on their homes in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in January 2019. He is serving a ten-year sentence in Evin prison for “acting against national security by forming an illegal evangelical Christian group”. His appeal is pending.
LATEST NEWS (JULY 2023) Mehdi wrote about his grief following his son’s death in 2021, in a letter smuggled out of prison.
Mehdi Akbari (also known as Yasser) was arrested alongside fellow Christian converts Fatemeh Sharifi, Simin Soheilinia and Mehdi Rokhparvar during coordinated raids on their homes by intelligence agents on 28 January 2019 in the Ariashahr area of Tehran.
They were all taken to Evin Prison, where they were placed in solitary confinement and interrogated for thirty days before eventually being released on 18 March 2019 on bail of eight hundred million tomans each (approximately €56,700 at the time) pending the outcome of their trial.
The four Christians were tried on 16 June 2020 at Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran on charges of “acting against national security” by “forming an illegal evangelical Christian group”. They were also reportedly accused of “widespread association with missionary groups, as well as evangelical Christian groups outside the country – in Russia, Georgia, Turkey and Armenia”.
Judge Mohammad Moghiseh, nicknamed the “Judge of Death” for his harsh treatment of prisoners of conscience, reportedly spoke obscenely to the Christians and would not listen to their defence, only citing the report of the intelligence agent. He then increased their bail to seven billion tomans (around €200,000) and reportedly told them, “Your actions are worthy of death! Who set this low bail amount for you, so you could be free to roam about on the streets?”.
In October 2020 Judge Moghiseh sentenced Mehdi, Fatemeh and Simin to ten years each in prison and Mehdi Rokhparvar to five years in prison. The two women were later freed on bail but the men were transferred to Evin Prison, where they were informed of their sentences on 17 October 2020. All four appealed.
On 28 December 2021 Mehdi, who was a single parent, was informed that his 18-year-old son Amir-Ali, who had underlying health issues, had died in the care facility where he had been living since his father’s imprisonment in June 2020. His death was reportedly due to complications after surgery. The bureaucracy involved in obtaining leave from prison, including a heavy bail demand, meant that Mehdi was not able to secure a five-day leave – later extended to ten days – until 1 January 2022, by which time the funeral of his only child had already taken place.
While Mehdi remains in Evin prison waiting for his appeal to be heard, his co-accused, Mehdi Rokhparvar, was one of several Christians pardoned and released in February 2023 as part of a mass amnesty of political prisoners to mark the 44th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Family
Mehdi was a single parent to his only child Amir-Ali, who had health issues and died aged 18 in a care facility in 2021.
TIMELINE
28 January 2019 Mehdi Akbari was arrested alongside fellow Christian converts Fatemeh Sharifi, Simin Soheilinia and Mehdi Rokhparvar during coordinated raids on their homes in Tehran.
18 March 2019 The four Christians were released from Evin Prison on bail.
16 June 2020 They were tried at Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran on charges of “acting against national security” by “forming an illegal evangelical Christian group”.
October 2020 Mehdi, Fatemeh and Simin were sentenced to ten years each in prison and Mehdi Rokhparvar to five years. The two women were freed on bail but the men were transferred to Evin Prison, where they were informed of their sentences on 17 October 2020. All four appealed.
28 December 2021 Mehdi was informed that his 18-year-old son Amir-Ali had died, reportedly due to complications after surgery. The bureaucracy involved in securing leave from prison, including a heavy bail demand, delayed Mehdi’s temporary release.
1 January 2022 Mehdi secured a five-day leave – later extended to ten days – but his son’s funeral had already taken place.
July 2023 Mehdi wrote about his grief in a letter smuggled out of prison.
Read more about the persecution of Christians in Iran.
(Article 18, Human Rights in Iran)
Photo: Article 18