ICC Note: On May 13, five Christians were arrested in a series of house raids in Rasht, Iran. Two were released the same day, while the remaining three faced exorbitant bails. In the past few days, two of the three were released on bail. However, the remaining prisoner, Mohammadreza Omidi is still in custody as authorities refused to accept his bail money. According to judges, Mr. Omidi remains in custody because VEVAK has brought additional charges against him, though nobody has been informed of what these charges are.
06/01/2016 Iran (CSW): Yasser Mossayebzadeh and Saheb Fadaie have been released on bail. Mohammadreza Omidi (Youhan)remains in custody.
Church of Iran members Yasser Mossayebzadeh and Saheb Fadaie, who were arrested on 13 May in Rasht, Iran, have been released on bail. However, Mohammadreza Omidi (Youhan), who was arrested on the same day, remains in custody after the authorities refused to accept his bail money.
The men were arrested in a series of raids targeting the homes of church members by Iranian intelligence (VEVAK) officers who seized computers, mobile telephones and bibles.
Mr Mossayebzadeh was arrested during a raid on the home of Yousef Nadarkhani, the Church of Iran pastor acquitted of apostasy in 2012. The pastor and his wife, Tina Pasandide Nadarkhani, were also detained, but were released shortly afterwards. Saheb Fadaie and Mohammadreza Omidi (Youhan) were summoned to VEVAK offices by telephone prior to raids on their homes.
The men were held in Lakan Prison near Rasht pending payment of around US$ 33,000 bail each. Following payment, Mr Mossayebzadeh was released on 28 May, while Mr Fadaie was released on 29 May. Although Mr Omidi was first to post bail, the judges refused to accept it, stating that because VEVAK had brought additional charges against Mr Omidi, he could not be released. However, none of the men has been told the reason for their arrests or the charges they are facing.
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