Trial Convenes for Imprisoned Iranian Christian

Trial of Farshid Fathi, a Christian convert who has been held in prison for more than a year, has finally taken place after being postponed several times for various reasons.
2/17/2012 Iran (Mohabat News) – A knowledgeable source sent a report to Mohabat News, stating that the initial trial for Farshid Fathi a Christian convert has been held. He had been arrested more than a year ago during a raid by security authorities in Tehran.
According to this report, the trial, which was had been postponed several times, was eventually held on February 05, 2012 in a Revolutionary Court based in Evin prison. It’s being reported that the court will deliver its verdict to Fathi’s attorney in three months. However, according to the penal code in Iran, the judge is obliged to issue the verdict not more than one week after the inquiries are completed. It seems that such illegal actions had been carried out by security and Revolutionary Courts officials in order to cause the prisoner more serious mental harm. Such actions are regarded as tortured from the perspective of a prisoner.
Near the end of last year, when the Norouz celebrations of 1390 (Persian year) were at hand, security authorities informed Mr. Fathi’s family that he could be temporarily released after submitting a bail of 200 million Tomans (equal to 200,000 USD according to the exchange rates of that time). But when Fathi was ready for his release at the appointed time, and even had collected all his personal belongings from the prison guards and was at the door, they prevented him from leaving the prison in order to make a negative mental impact on him.
This Christian convert is now being held in the general ward of the prison. It is also reported that he is in a good health condition and his family is allowed to visit him according to prison laws.
Fathi was arrested as part of a broad planned attack by security authorities on December 26, 2010 right before New Year celebrations. At the same time as this attack, a large number of other Christian citizens and members of house churches were also arrested in Tehran and other cities. A majority of these detainees were temporarily released on heavy bails after some months.
Farshid Fathi, who is 33 and the father of two children, was held in solitary confinement. During that time, he was subjected to severe interrogations by Intelligence Ministry’s agents. There, he was questioned about who had he shared the gospel with and what foreign contacts he had been in touch with?
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