Christian convert Aziz Majidzadeh was today released on bail from Evin Prison, pending the formation of formal charges against him.

Aziz was arrested on 2 March at a gathering of Christians at a friend’s workshop near Karaj.

About 20 Christians were detained and interrogated following a raid by security forces, who took down the Christians’ personal details and seized some of their personal belongings, including mobile phones and laptops, and made the Christians sign forms.

Most of the Christians were released during the next few days, but Aziz was detained in Tehran’s Evin Prison.

Aziz is 54 years old and lives in Tehran with his wife and two children.

Christians who are arrested for participating in these so-called “house churches” are often faced with charges of acting against national security. Critics say the allegations are designed to reduce suspicions among the international community that religious freedom is being violated by the ruling regime in Iran.

Recently, Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s statements about there being religious freedom in Iran were met with derision from social activists. 

This is not the first time an Iranian official has claimed that religious minorities, especially Christians, enjoy “full freedom” in the country. However, the reality is that Christians, especially converts, are experiencing increasing pressure through arbitrary arrests, heavy prison sentences and exile, denial of education to children from Christian families, and pressure on the families of Christians living abroad.