Iranian security authorities raided a house-church in southern Tehran, on April 18, arresting those in attendance.
Human rights sources named five of those arrested as Nazi and Maryam Asadi, Ehsan Sadeghi, Vahid Safi and Amin Mazloomi. Those reports indicate that plain-clothes security authorities raided Ms Asadi’s house, where a house-church service was being held. The authorities were armed and carrying walkie-talkies. They terrified those in the house church and began searching the rooms. They eventually transferred all in attendance to an unknown location using two white vans.
Neighbours of Ms Asadi said that the security authorities were very disrespectful to those in the house church as well as to the neighbours. They also went on the roof top of the apartment building and broke satellite dishes belonging to other residents of the building.
There are no details available regarding these detainees’ current whereabouts and efforts of their families to find out more about the situation have not been effective.
Last month, Ahmad Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, released an extensive report on human rights violations in Iran. Mr Shaheed expressed serious concerns over the persecution of Christians who have converted from Islam along with Baha’is, Dervishes and Sunni Muslims.
