10/24/2018 Iran (International Christian Concern) – According to Mohabat News and the Iran Human Rights Monitor, authorities have continued to deny imprisoned Christian Ebrahim Firouzi medical care. For months, he has suffered from a severe toothache which has affected his ability to eat. A photo released by these organizations shows that Firouzi has lost a significant amount of weight and his face has become emancipated.
Firouzi is serving a five-year sentence in the political ward of Rajaie Shahr Prison. Judge Mohammad Moghiseh heard his appeal but upheld the charge of “creating a group with the intention of disturbing national security.” Firouzi has faced three different prosecutions since 2010 because of his conversion from Islam to Christianity and his involvement in Christian activities.
The judge who heard his case has a notorious human rights record which led him to be sanctioned by the European Union in April 2011. He has presided over a number of cases which resulted in severe religious freedom violations.
The mother of Firouzi has cancer and is rapidly losing her eyesight. She has not been able to visit her soon for the past year. It is common for prisoners to be granted a brief respite from serving their sentence, but Firouzi has been denied this petition although he has served over half of his sentence. His prison sentence ends in 2019 after which he is expected to be exiled to a city in Baluchistan.
For interviews with Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org.
