Iranian authorities arrested 254 Christians in 2025, nearly double the 139 detained in 2024, according to a joint report by Article 18, Open Doors, Middle East Concern, and Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Authorities charged most Christians under the amended Article 500 of the penal code for “propaganda contrary to Islam.
The report, titled Scapegoats and released Thursday, said 57 Christians received prison, exile, or forced labour sentences, more than twice the previous year. The combined total of their sentences reached 280 years, reflecting a trend toward harsher punishments. Rights groups said authorities increasingly used national security laws to suppress religious dissent, labelling converts as “security threats” or foreign agents.
Experts noted that the June 2025 conflict with Israel triggered a spike in detentions, with at least 54 Christians arrested across 19 cities in the month following the ceasefire. Authorities reportedly arrested Christians for attending private worship, religious classes, or practising faith online, treating these activities as politically suspicious. Authorities filed nearly 90% of all charges under Article 500 bis of the penal code. Those arrested included converts who practised privately or observed religious holidays such as Christmas. Reports detailed psychological abuse, overcrowding, denial of medical care, and physical intimidation, with pregnant women and elderly prisoners particularly at risk.
Fred Petrossian, an Iranian-Armenian researcher, said the regime treats non-recognised Christian minorities as “ghosts” and uses arrests to intimidate communities. He also noted a ‘two-tier system’ in which authorities impose limited restrictions on recognised ethnic Christians. They criminalise converts, creating fear in ordinary social and family life.
The report urged the international community to hold Iran accountable under Article 18 of the ICCPR, warning that without global attention, the crackdown on converts could intensify, undermining religious freedom and civil liberties across the country.