ASIA/IRAN - Even two Christian women among the prisoners released

Thursday, 19 September 2013

Tehran (Agenzia Fides) - In the list of released prisoners in Iran between Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18, September there are also the names of two Christian women, Mitra Rahmati and Maryam Jalili. This was reported by the organization Middle East Concern, remembering that both Christians come from Muslim families and were arrested for the first time on December 24, 2009 along with 13 other baptized as they were preparing to celebrate Christmas in a private home in Pakdasht on the outskirts of Tehran. As the note sent to Fides states, after being temporarily released, Mitra and Maryam had suffered another arrest in the spring of 2011, with the subsequent sentence of two and a half years in prison for "belonging to an illegal organization". They were currently held in Evin prison.
At least 11 prisoners held for political and opinion crimes were released in Iran in recent days. Among them are also known opposition politicians and activists related to campaigns in defense of civil rights such as the lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh and Mohsen Aminzadeh, former deputy foreign minister under former reformist president Khatami. Their release occurred while the new Iranian President Hassan Rohani is preparing to intervene in New York at the UN General Assembly. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 19/09/2013)


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