Pastor Farshid Fatih among the Christians released from Iranian prison

Pastor Farshid Fatih was released from prison in Iran last week after his arrest almost five years ago.

According to International Christian Concern, Fatih and 60 other Christians had been arrested during a raid by Iranian security officials along as they met together on the day after Christmas.

Almost all of those arrested have since been released, but today there are more than 90 Christians still believed to be imprisoned in Iran.

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Fatih’s sentence included more than 100 days of solitary confinement; he was initially held in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison, nicknamed “Evin University” due to the large number of journalists and academics that have been incarcerated in a special wing for political prisoners.

Last year Fatih was transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj to join other prisoners of conscience.

“We rejoice at the release of Pastor Farshid after nearly five years inside of Iran’s brutal prisons,” said Todd Daniels, ICC’s Regional Manager for the Middle East.

“Iran has demonstrated their disregard of a fundamental aspect of religious freedom: being able to meet together with others who share your beliefs. For too long, the Iranian regime has treated such meetings as a threat to national security. The judicial system should uphold the commitments made by the Iranian government both in its constitution and in International Agreements to provide religious freedom for its citizens and should end the prosecution and unjust imprisonment of Christians for nothing more than practicing their religious beliefs. We urge for the full release of Pastor Benham Irani, Saeed Abedini, Maryam Naghash Zargaran and the dozens more who are imprisoned unjustly.”