Iranian Christian Ebrahim Firouzi has been freed from prison – but sent into exile. He’s been ordered to spend two years in a town on the border with Pakistan – a hotspot for Islamic militants.
Release partner Middle East Concern say the authorities released Ebrahim from Rajaei Shahr prison on October 26. He had been serving two concurrent prison terms for sharing his Christian faith.
The court declared: ‘Evangelism activities… are considered to be in opposition to the regime of the Republic Islamic of Iran.’
Crackdown
Ebrahim has spent more than six years in detention and jail following a crackdown on Christians from a Muslim background.
He was first jailed on charges of ‘propaganda against the Islamic Republic’, ‘launching and directing evangelism’ and ‘running a Christian website’. But after serving one year in prison he was retried. And this time the charges were far harsher.
Ebrahim was convicted of ‘actions against national security’, ‘being present at an illegal gathering’, and ‘collusion with foreign entities’. The court sentenced him to a further five years.
While in prison, Ebrahim’s mother died from cancer and he was refused permission to attend her funeral.
Ebrahim has now found a new home and Iranian Christians are calling for prayer that:
- Where he now lives will be a place of blessing where Ebrahim will be able to find work
- Ebrahim will be able to find new friends and be strengthened in his faith
- God will protect and watch over him