Iran Updates Strict Penal Code Amidst Christian Detainments
Iran Updates Strict Penal Code Amidst Christian Detainments
Iran (International Christian Concern) – Iran recently ratified two concerning amendments to its Penal Code, specifically to Article 499 and Article 500 which are frequently utilized to accuse and arrest Christians. These articles deal with engagement with “anti-security groups” and “propaganda” against the state and Islam.
The amendments carry five-year prison sentences if convicted. Article 500’s amendment restricts “deviant education and proselytizing activity” that “contradicts the sacred law of Islam”. Article 499’s amendment is quite vague, allowing for potentially harmful discretion in baseless charges and arrests.
There are still many Iranian Christians who are fighting for justice both from within the prison system and outside.