ICC Note: An Iranian court has sentenced four Christians to be whipped as a result of drinking wine during the Lord’s Supper. The four Christians have a limited timeframe to appeal the sentence. This step is just the latest in a long line of abuses of basic rights to religious freedom in Iran.
10/23/2013 Iran (ICN) – A court in the Iranian city of Rasht has sentenced four members of the Church of Iran denomination to 80 lashes each for drinking wine during a communion service.
The verdict, dated 6 October, charges Behzad Taalipasand, Mehdi Reza Omidi (Youhan), Mehdi Dadkhah (Danial) and Amir Hatemi (Youhanna) with drinking alcohol and possession of a receiver and satellite antenna. They received the verdict on 20 October and have ten days to appeal the sentence.
Behzad Taalipasand and Mehdi Reza Omidi (Youhan) were detained on 31 December 2012 during a crackdown on house churches by the Iranian government.
…
