Iran: Christian imprisoned for faith released early with COVID-19; “Please Pray”
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – MajidReza Souzanchi Kushani, a Christian who was charged and imprisoned in Iran for promoting house churches, was given early release from jail because he caught COVID-19, Christian Response reported Friday. Iran ranks no. 8 on the US World Watch List 2021 of countries that persecute Christians.
Kushani was arrested in November 2017 and immediately imprisoned. He was subsequently charged with violating Article 498 of the Penal Code by promoting house churches, Christian Response said. In May 2018 Kushani was sentenced to five years in prison for “membership in evangelistic groups and Christianity activity.”
Kushani was also charged with theft (which he denies) and was sentenced to two further years.
Following an appeal in December 2018, Kushani’s five-year sentence was reduced to two years. Having served two years for the house church charges, he was transferred to a Tehran prison to complete his sentence for alleged theft. It was here that he contracted COVID-19, Christian Response reports.
Kushani was released on April 8, four months before the end of his sentence. early. In its report, Christian Response requested readers to pray for him: “Please pray that MajidReza will experience God’s peace and comfort and be able to adjust quickly to life outside prison. He will be able to find work and rent a flat. He will soon be able to visit his children and restore his relationship as father.”
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