ICC Note: On January 13th, the Christian community in Iran celebrated the release of Davoud Alijani, a Christian arrested with four others in December of 2011. Davoud had spent more than 250 days in confinement for the “crime” of converting from Islam to Christianity. Several other Christians remain imprisoned in Iran for the same crime. The government of Iran remains highly repressive of Christianity and also continues to hold American citizen and pastor Saeed Abedini in prison, despite calls from organizations around the world for his release. 
1/24/2014 Iran (CIC) – Davoud Alijani, an Iranian believer imprisoned along with four other Christians in December of 2011, was released on January 13th after spending more than 250 days in jail. Davoud had been charged with converting from Islam to Christianity.
Pastor Farhad Sabokrouh and Naser Zamen-Dezfuli, who were imprisoned along with Davoud, were earlier released from custody in December 2013. At last report, the fourth Christian, Pastor Farhad’s wife Shahnaz Jayzan, remained imprisoned. However, unconfirmed reports indicate that she will be released in the next several days.
Meanwhile, January 16th marked the third anniversary of the trial of Behnam Irani, 43, a house church leader imprisoned for “offences against national security.” Contacts report that Pastor Behnam is being held in appalling conditions at Ghezal Hesar prison and that he is seriously ill. His medical conditions, for which he has received inadequate treatment, include a bleeding ulcer and a herniated disc. He has also been beaten and tortured by prison officials. His family is concerned that he may die in prison.
In a letter Behnam wrote in prison, he shared: “In jail I have attained new experiences about love. Here, I live with cellmates of whom it is hard to see anything positive in their lives and personalities. They don’t think about anything but negative values, abhorrent acts, learning new experiences in crimes and nasty literature. I look at them and whisper to myself, ‘Do they really deserve prayers and intercessions?’ Immediately, I remember that Jesus Christ was sacrificed for their sins too. ‘He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world’ (1 John 2:2).”
…
[Full Story]