Iranian Christian with Parkinson’s disease and wife detained
An Iranian Christian convert with advanced Parkinson’s disease and his wife have been detained in Tehran.
Homayoun Zhaveh, who is about to celebrate his 64th birthday, and Sara Ahmadi, 44, answered a summons to an administrative office of Evin Prison on Saturday, expecting to receive back their confiscated property.
However, they were instead surprisingly detained, and remain in custody two days later.
Homayoun and Sara were first arrested in June 2019, as they holidayed with several other Christian families in the city of Amol, near the Caspian Sea.
Homayoun was released on bail a month later, but Sara was held for a total of 67 days, including 33 days in solitary confinement – mostly within the Intelligence Ministry’s Ward 209 – during which time she was subjected to extreme psychological torture.
Judge Iman Afshari sentenced Sara to 11 years in prison for an alleged leadership position within their house-church, and Homayoun to two years for membership of the group.
They were also been banned from foreign travel or membership of any social or political group for two years after their release, and given six months’ community service at a centre for the mentally disabled.
Sara’s sentence was reduced to eight years by an appeal court, but all other aspects of their sentences were upheld.
Those responsible for securing Homayoun and Sara’s release on bail received a written warning that if they did not appear at Evin Prison within 30 days, the property deeds they had submitted as collateral would be forfeited.
Sara and Homayoun’s bank accounts were then frozen.
The couple were notified that the Supreme Court had rejected their appeal for a retrial.