An Iranian Christian convert has been handed a prison sentence of nearly a decade following accusations tied to national security offenses after authorities confiscated her Bible and Christian materials during a raid on her residence earlier this year.
According to Article18, an organization that monitors religious freedom, an Iranian Christian convert has been handed a prison sentence of nearly a decade following accusations tied to national security offenses after authorities confiscated her Bible and Christian materials during a raid on her residence earlier this year.
The ruling was reportedly issued by Revolutionary Court Judge Iman Afshari, a figure sanctioned by the European Union for his role in issuing severe punishments against political dissidents and religious minorities, including Christians.
Security agents rearrested Marzban at her Tehran home in January, confiscating her Bible along with other Christian literature before transferring her to an undisclosed detention facility without immediately informing her family of the reasons for her arrest.
Several hours later, Marzban briefly contacted her husband and informed him that she was being held at a detention center operated by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence. After that call, her relatives reportedly lost all communication with her for approximately one month.
During questioning, interrogators allegedly attempted to force Marzban to confess that her Bible and Christian books had been used for evangelistic outreach. She rejected the accusation, maintaining that the materials were solely for personal use and insisting that her Christian faith entitled her to possess them legally.
Marzban had previously spent two months inside Evin Prison in 2024 after authorities convicted her of spreading propaganda against the regime through protest slogans. Her initial arrest came in November 2024 following demonstrations connected to alleged harassment she faced after converting to Catholicism seven years earlier.
Following her conversion, Marzban — who holds a degree in Islamic law — was reportedly prevented from taking the national bar examination and pressured by authorities to leave the country. Her husband, who also converted to Christianity, has allegedly struggled to obtain medication necessary for treating Parkinson’s disease.
Human rights advocates say Iranian authorities continue to impose severe restrictions on religious freedom, particularly targeting converts from Islam. Christians in the country frequently face arrests, lengthy prison sentences and accusations that their religious activities threaten national security.
In another recent case, five Iranian Christians were sentenced in December to a combined 50 years in prison after authorities linked them to prayer meetings, baptisms and Bible distribution under revised penal code provisions enforced through Tehran’s Revolutionary Court.
The latest arrest reportedly occurred shortly after deadly anti-government protests swept across Iran. A previous report from Article18 stated that thousands of demonstrators were killed during the crackdown, including at least 22 Christians.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that more than 7,000 protesters had died during the unrest, while Iranian officials publicly acknowledged at least 3,000 fatalities and claimed that some victims were members of the country’s security forces.
