Mehran Shamloui is an Iranian Christian convert who was sentenced to ten years and eight months in prison in March 2025 for his house-church activities. After sentencing he fled to Turkey but he was detained and deported back to Iran, where he was arrested on 3 July 2025 and imprisoned to begin serving his sentence.
Mehran Shamloui (44) and fellow converts Narges Nasri and Abbas Soori were arrested on 3 November 2024 when intelligence agents raided their homes in Tehran and confiscated Bibles, crosses and musical instruments – Mehran, who is a musician, had equipment worth around €5,000 confiscated. Narges was pregnant with her first child at the time of her arrest.
On the same day at least ten other Christians were arrested during coordinated raids by intelligence agents on Christian homes in the cities of Karaj (near Tehran), Mashhad in the northeast and Shiraz and Bandar Abbas in the south.
Mehran, Narges and Abbas were transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, which is under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence, and underwent long, intensive interrogations. They were released a month later on bail equivalent to over €18,000 each.
Their court hearing took place on 15 February 2025 at Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, where they were officially charged with “membership of opposition groups” (house churches), “propaganda against the system” and “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law through foreign relations”.
Long sentences imposed
On 8 March 2025 Revolutionary Court judge Iman Afshari sentenced Mehran to ten years and eight months in prison, Narges to sixteen years and Abbas to fifteen years.
Mehran’s sentence comprised eight years for “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law through foreign relations” and two years and eight months for “membership of an opposition group” (a house church).
Narges was handed the harshest sentence: ten years for “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law through foreign relations”, five years for membership of an “opposition group” and an additional year for “propaganda against the system” in relation to social media posts she made in support of the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement which started in September 2022 in protest at the death of Mahsa Amini in custody following her arrest for wearing “improper” clothing.
Abbas was sentenced to ten years for “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law through foreign relations” and five years for membership of an “opposition group”.
Mehran was fined 250 million tomans (equivalent to around €2,500), Narges and Abbas were each fined 330 million tomans (around €3,300) and the three Christians were also sentenced to deprivation of social rights such as access to healthcare, employment or education: eleven years for Mehran and fifteen years each for Narges and Abbas. In addition, Narges and Abbas were each banned for two years following their release from membership of any group, living in their home province of Tehran or leaving Iran.
Appeals rejected
On 23 April the 36th branch of the Tehran appeal court upheld the three Christians’ sentences in a ruling that said their appeals had been rejected “in view of the scope of their activities, and their harmful effects”. They were informed of the court’s decision on 26 April, and on 7 May they were summoned to submit themselves to Evin Prison within five days to begin serving their sentences and were informed that failure to do so would mean forfeiting bail. By this time, however, they had left the country.
Deported back to Iran
Mehran fled to Turkey but was caught and detained in Istanbul while attempting to escape to Europe without valid documentation. He had decided not to apply for refugee status in Turkey but rather to try to cross into Europe because he had seen many Iranian Christians spend years awaiting resettlement only to have their applications rejected.
On 3 July Mehran was flown to Mashhad Airport in northeast Iran, where he was arrested. He was transferred to Greater Tehran Penitentiary to begin serving his sentence. In August he was transferred to Evin Prison when it partially reopened, having been damaged in an Israeli missile strike in June, and around this time the Supreme Court rejected his application for a retrial.
Family
No family information is available.
TIMELINE
3 November 2024 Intelligence agents arrested Mehran Shamloui in a raid on his home in Tehran. At least twelve other Christians were arrested on the same day in coordinated raids across the country. Mehran was held for a month in Evin Prison for interrogation before being released on bail equivalent to over €18,000.
15 February 2025 Mehran’s court hearing took place at Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran.
8 March 2025 Revolutionary Court judge Iman Afshari sentenced Mehran to ten years and eight months in prison and fined him 250 million tomans (around €2,500). He was also sentenced to eleven years’ deprivation of social rights (such as access to healthcare, employment or education).
23 April 2025 The 36th branch of the Tehran appeal court upheld Mehran’s sentence in a ruling that said his appeal had been rejected in view of the scope of his activities “and their harmful effects”.
26 April 2025 Mehran was informed of the court’s decision.
7 May 2025 Mehran was summoned to submit himself to Evin Prison within five days to begin serving his sentence and was informed that failure to do so would mean forfeiting bail. He had already fled Iran for Turkey.
3 July 2025 Mehran was deported back to Iran, having been caught trying to cross into Europe without valid documentation. He was flown to Mashhad Airport in northeast Iran, where he was arrested and transferred to Greater Tehran Penitentiary to begin serving his sentence.
August 2025 Mehran was transferred to Evin Prison. Around this time, the Supreme Court rejected his application for a retrial.
Read more about the persecution of Christians in Iran.
(Article 18, Middle East Concern)
Photo: Article 18