Christians were not allowed to hold Easter celebrations in churches in north-western Iran. The regime took repressive measures to prevent celebrations in the city of Urumiyeh. The regime’s State Security Forces, on Saturday, sent letters to churches in the city threatening against Easter gatherings, according to the NCRI’s website.
The directive, sent by the force’s Office of Public Building, allowed Christians to celebrate Easter only in the privacy of their own homes.
Despite the appalling reputation of the repressive measures employed by the mullahs’ rule, which sees Iran as one of the worst offenders of Christian persecution, even this is considered unparalleled.
Christians in Iran, like followers of many other religions, are suffering from discrimination and are being left without even the most fundamental of rights. Their persecution is worsening under the rule of Hassan Rouhani who is responsible for the extreme physical and psychological torture they endure.
Later in the Easter weekend, on Monday, the section where political prisoners are held in Gohardasht Prison was violently raided by Special Guards according to the NCRI. The guards took several prisoners from this prison in the city of Karaj and transferred them to solitary confinement. Those transferred included Pastor Saeed Abedini, Mr. Khaled Hardani and Mr. Mostafa Eskandari.
It was reported that Pastor Saeed Abedini was mistreated and harassed by the guards.
In protest to the repressive measures employed by the guards, and in response to the transfer to solitary confinement, Pastor Abedini and Mr. Hardani went on hunger strike.
This is after some political prisoners in this prison, on Saturday April, 4, held a protest against the high-powered jamming signals they are enduring which has caused two prisoners to pass out.
The recently installed and powerful jamming devices were put in place to block prisoners’ communication, but has been causing health problems for some prisoners.
All the repressive measures have intensified in order so that the regime can increase fear and intimidation in society, as well as to prevent political prisoners from expressing dissent. This is following the Supreme Leader of the clerical regime’s retreat by agreeing to a “framework” in the recent nuclear talks.
The Iranian Resistance calls on all human rights organizations to investigate the dire situation of political prisoners in Iran by dispatching a fact-finding mission. They also highlight that the suffering and oppression will only end when the religious dictatorship in Iran has been overthrown.
